Steaks: Educate me

[rwsaunders]

The weather has finally been cooperating and the troops demanded meat and potatoes. A couple of filets from an allegedly grass fed cow, baked potatoes and mushrooms, onions and asparagus grilled as well. Seared the steak on each side for 3 minutes, pulled the filets off of the flame and set to rest on the back of the grille. Vegetables only take about 5-7 minutes to grille on the griddle and you're all set.

[kentinmania]

That meat looks so tasty. Well everything looks really nice, although asparagus never caught my attention/taste buds.

[BShow]

Lookin good... Last night, I grilled up a nice ribeye for me and a filet for the wife. I was short on time, so I didnt get to let them dry out with salt for as long as I would have liked, but it is what it is. I ground up some peppercorns in the mortar and pestle to add to the salt. The meat turned out great. The market had some nice looking asparagus that I grilled up as well with some evoo, salt and pepper. Didnt have time to do proper potatos, so I threw some fries in the oven. Fries were meh, but those were mainly for the kids anyway.

[jdp211]

Nice and crusty on the outside, a perfect medium rare on the inside. Served with a side of sweet potato hash and a Westbrook Brewery Gose.
by perlhammer25, on Flickr

[Shinomaster]

So I haven't had a tenderloin in years, so I decided to spring for a small grass-fed filet. Holy cow was it ever tasty! My GF was making cilantro parsley pesto, so I mixed her herbs and garlic with butter for a garnish. I forgot how tasty a filet could be.

[winmonster]

For mothers' day, I did a chateaubriand. Thankfully, I didn't screw it up. Salt and pepper, sear on the stove, put it into the oven and rest while you make a pan sauce with demi-glace. It wasn't pro grade, but it was good. My next one will be better.

[ericpmoss]

Apropos of nothing...

082114 Lava Steak from robert wysocki on Vimeo

[bbattle]

I'll eat any steak but my wife prefers filet mignon. Steaks with the bone-in like a t-bone, porterhouse, or sirloin have flavorful fat and get some flavor from the bone plus I can make stock from the bones later.

I use natural lump charcoal and hardwood chunks in my Big Green Egg. I get the temperature up to 400ºF and put the filets on the grill for a few minutes each side. Oftentimes the filet is more spherical than flat so it needs to be cooked on its sides, too. Then I close the lid and the vents for a few minutes. Rare to medium rare on the inside, seared on the outside. You can cut them with a butter knife. We buy grass-fed beef from a local farmer.

[seanile]

so i recently tried the "cook a frozen steak for the perfect mix of cooked outside and juicy inside" and it worked fantastically. anyone else do it that way?

[nrs5000]

so i recently tried the "cook a frozen steak for the perfect mix of cooked outside and juicy inside" and it worked fantastically. anyone else do it that way?

How thick were the steaks?

[jdp211]

I find that method works best with steaks on the thinner side, or a bit thicker if you're going for "Pittsburgh rare."

[rwsaunders]

That meat looks so tasty. Well everything looks really nice, although asparagus never caught my attention/taste buds.

I don't care for asparagus either unless it's grilled. 4-5 minutes max on the grille skillet to keep it crisp with a little olive oil and salt and then you can't taste the asparagus if you know what I mean.

[Nathanrtaylor]

I find that method works best with steaks on the thinner side, or a bit thicker if you're going for "Pittsburgh rare."

Frozen works with thick steaks too. Sear heavily without worrying about creating a thick well-done layer and then pop into a 250 F oven until internal temp is reached.

[Noteddy]

I don't care for asparagus either unless it's grilled. 4-5 minutes max on the grille skillet to keep it crisp with a little olive oil and salt and then you can't taste the asparagus if you know what I mean.

Try the restaurant trick of sprinkling asparagus with just a tiny (like 1/8 of a teaspoon) amount of sugar (or a drizzle of honey) before grilling. (peeling the bottom third isn't a bad idea, either.) Bitterness disappears and it caramelizes a bit faster.

Or, just eat something you like. The world is a little overboard on asparagus at the moment. But, most of it is poorly prepared.

[BShow]

Try the restaurant trick of sprinkling asparagus with just a tiny (like 1/8 of a teaspoon) amount of sugar (or a drizzle of honey) before grilling. (peeling the bottom third isn't a bad idea, either.) Bitterness disappears and it caramelizes a bit faster.

Or, just eat something you like. The world is a little overboard on asparagus at the moment. But, most of it is poorly prepared.

Interesting... Maybe Ill give that a go. I usually snap off the bottom of the stalks. Peeling them is a less wasteful sub for that I suppose?

My typical method is; Snap off the bottom, blanch, toss in salt, pepper and evoo. Then I'll just throw it on the grill for a minute or two, roll it over. Done. if the coals are hot, it doesnt take long.

[benito]

favorite easy steak sauce:

reduce 1/2 bottle of decent quality dry red wine with a couple cloves of garlic, 1 shallot, some dried wild mushrooms, sprig of fresh thyme. cook until it's a little shy of demi glace, i find better flavors pulled from a simmer, as opposed to a full blast rolling boil.

when it's nice an thick i whisk in butter. a lot of butter. a stick an a half, at least.

season to taste.

ideas for last minute additions: whole grain mustard, leftover carving juices, green peppercorns in brine, a pinch of lemon zest for brightness.

[Noteddy]

Interesting... Maybe Ill give that a go. I usually snap off the bottom of the stalks. Peeling them is a less wasteful sub for that I suppose?

My typical method is; Snap off the bottom, blanch, toss in salt, pepper and evoo. Then I'll just throw it on the grill for a minute or two, roll it over. Done. if the coals are hot, it doesnt take long.

Your cooking method is sound. Whether you need to snap off the ends or not is debatable.

Generally, the magical snaps-off-at-the-point-where-it-gets-woody thing is a myth. Not a particularly harmful one. When you get a bundle home, if the asparagus has been poorly stored, I cut an inch or so off the bottom and stand it up in a glass of water and put it in the fridge. If it has been hand-harvested in the last few hours, you don't even have to cut it off, unless it's obviously dry or woody. Woodiness often means it has been harvested with a knife too close to the ground. Snapping or cutting will get rid of that less-tender part of the stalk. (No need if making soup. Use it all.)

Peeling is a fussier preparation. It ensures tenderness from top to bottom. It removes a little bit of the bitterness that some folks find objectionable about asparagus. It also makes the whole stalk cook closer to the same speed. By the time the ends are done, the tips are frequently mush.

That bitterness is also the reason some folks prepare with a tiny (1/8 tsp/serving) amount of sugar, honey, maple syrup or what have you. Sugar and salt both counteract bitterness. Fresh, early season asparagus, peeled, saute'd in butter or EVOO with salt, pepper and literally a pinch of sugar is an entirely different animal than the tired stuff you get from Mexico in January.

Also, finely grate some parmasiano reggiano on it while still hot, and you have as good a side as there is. IMHO.

[Noteddy]

favorite easy steak sauce:

reduce 1/2 bottle of decent quality dry red wine with a couple cloves of garlic, 1 shallot, some dried wild mushrooms, sprig of fresh thyme. cook until it's a little shy of demi glace, i find better flavors pulled from a simmer, as opposed to a full blast rolling boil.

when it's nice an thick i whisk in butter. a lot of butter. a stick an a half, at least.

season to taste.

ideas for last minute additions: whole grain mustard, leftover carving juices, green peppercorns in brine, a pinch of lemon zest for brightness.

Pretty sure I'd eat that on a shoe.

[mnoble485]

favorite easy steak sauce:

reduce 1/2 bottle of decent quality dry red wine with a couple cloves of garlic, 1 shallot, some dried wild mushrooms, sprig of fresh thyme. cook until it's a little shy of demi glace, i find better flavors pulled from a simmer, as opposed to a full blast rolling boil.

when it's nice an thick i whisk in butter. a lot of butter. a stick an a half, at least.

season to taste.

ideas for last minute additions: whole grain mustard, leftover carving juices, green peppercorns in brine, a pinch of lemon zest for brightness.

How long can this be kept? I agree that it would make a shoe taste good.

Mike

[benito]

This is a buerre rouge, and since it is a warm emulsification of butter and reduced red wine; it will break when reheated.

as a work around, you can have the wine reduced ahead of time, make the sauce a la minute.

mix it up!

oregon pinot noir, dried cepes in the buerre rouge; with grilled salmon finished with a sprinkle of truffle salt.

cote du rhone, a lot of rosemary, roast garlic; with lamb chops.