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Steak Preparations

BigJake6904

BigJake6904

Fat Texan
Joined
Dec 31, 2007
Messages
4,412
I wanted to start this thread to see what everyone uses for steak marinades/ seasonings/ preparation. Many People have very unique combinations, and I am always willing to try something new. I have listed two of my personal steak preparations, please feel free to add yours as a reference so we can all try it as well.

Steak Prep #1:
Put the steaks in a ziplock freezer bag.
Fill the bag with orange juice up to about 2/3 of the width of the steaks. (OJ acts as a natural tenderizer because of the acidity)
Then top it off with about 1/3rd of a bottle of Worcestershire Sauce.
Then I add my seasonings, you can use your portions however you prefer.
McCormick's Steak Rub
McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning
McCormick's Lemon Pepper
I then shake it up and get the spices floating around.
Leave it in the fridge for at least 6 hours to let the OJ acids do their thing.

Steak Prep #2:
Coat the steak in Olive Oil
Add McCormicks Montreal Steak Seasoning to both sides
Then sprinkle a few dabs of Worcestershire
Cut off Margarine as the steak is grilling, leave a slice or two on the upper side and dont rotate until melted. Flip the steak over and add margarine to the other side.
 
I have stopped buying steaks from the grocery and now only buy from a chain butcher vonhansons. I have found paying a little more (quit a bit more if you are buying a walmart) for meat dramatically improves the experience. No more need for marinate. That said, if I do but a cheap piece such as a flank or skirt for fajitas or a steak salad I will marinate in citrus, onion, garlic, cayenne and the darkest beer I have on hand for at least 24 hours.

I can not bring myself to buy any meat or seafood from Walmart as it is all grey and shiny ...Yuck!

Side note..my Grandmother must have signed me up for the never ending Omaha Steaks birthday club because I get I get the big white cooler every August. Not bad meat but not great.
 
I agree with the walmart part, I have never bought steaks there.

Now, HEB has a fantastic selection, fresh everyday cuts, and you of course, can have it butchered to preference.
 
Skirt steak
marinade in a mixture of
lime juice 4/5 limes depending on size
1 red onion choped fine
3 cloves of garlic
had full of cilantro cut and rubbed
for at least 2 hr no longer than 6
remove from marinade pat dry with paper towel
salt and pepper
coat with olive oil
grill
 
First, I buy cuts of beef that are already tender and graded USDA Choice or Prime. I like Top loin, NY strip, Tenderloin, Porterhouse, and Rib eye. They don't require marinading and it would be a sin if you did. Freshly ground pepper and maybe rub a garlic clove all over it. Throw it on a hot grill. Cook till medium rare. That's it. If it's good beef, it doesn't need anymore.

Doc.
 
Steaks are like cigars, every man likes them a certain way. The way one may like it does not necessarily mean someone else will. Though, ive never tried garlic on steak. I think I shall this evening :thumbs:
 
It really depends on the cut for me. I tend to prepare a ribeye totally different from a flank (obviously) or a filet. For filet I will generally do one of two things: a broad Tuscan style or Churasco. If I am doing Tuscan style I just give it a nice olive oil marinade and rub in some kosher/sea salt and pepper, then let it sit for 30-45 minutes and toss it on. When I am done I steal a trick from Lugers' book and pour a little melted butter on top, although I saute a little garlic in with the butter first. If I am doing it Churasco style I slice it about 1/3'' thick across the grain lengthwise and beat the everliving piss out of it with a mallet until it is reduced to about 1/4". Then I let it marinate in my Chimichurri sauce for about 45 min to 1 hour. Get the grill VERY hot and basically sear the churasco for 2-3 minutes per side at most and you end up with an amazing dish. Serve with the remaining sauce to add flavor.
 
I, just as Doc said, only purchase the best cuts. First, while I prepare the salt and pepper, I let the steaks rest at room temp as to not shock the meat when applying it to the grill. I use kosher, or sea salt, and I crack the pepper fresh. I use the side of a large knife to crush the pepper rather than grinding the corns so the taste pops a bit on your tongue. When I'm finished with the pepper, I apply it along with the salt to each side of the meat, and just before removing the cut from the grill, I apply the butter.

I assume it goes without saying that the hotter the grill for the initial searing of each side, the better, to lock in the juices.
 
I choose to keep it pretty simple with the steaks. Start with a nice, think NY Strip. Sprinkle Dizzy Pig Cow Lick seasoning, found here, and cook on the Big Green Egg. Great flavor, and they're juicy as heck.

Edited for grammar
 
Knock it's horns off, wipe it's arse and walk it through the kitchen!!!! :laugh:

Seriously though, for a Tenderloin, a Strip or a Rib Eye, it's kind of a sin to put anything on 'em IMHO.

Every once in a while, we get great deals on eye of round and with a few dozen pokes with a fork, and then marinated in Italian Salad Dressing for a couple of hours, it's surprisingly good, for the price.
 
One of my favorites is a rib eye marinated in garlic, a dash of Worcestershire, olive oil and fresh rosemary and a squeeze of lemon. Only for an hour or so and then get a super hot grill pan and voila.....the garlic and rosemary are an amazing compliment to the marbling of a good rib eye and cut the greasy flavor replacing it with a ambrosia of fresh herb and garlic......plenty of crispy bread to soak up the juices.

As an ex Ruth's Chris Steakhouse chef (Hartford,CT) I always will have a plae in my heart for the simplest prime meat with the ceremonial sizzling plate and drawn butter....it just don't get any better than that..
 
khari said:
I choose to keep it pretty simple with the steaks. Start with a nice, think NY Strip. Sprinkle Dizzy Pig Cow Lick seasoning, found here, and cook on the Big Green Egg. Great flavor, and they're juicy as heck.

Edited for grammar
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Sweet, how do you like the Green Egg???

I simply coat with Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Black pepper and let sit for a while. I do like to use wood from my smoker and cook the steaks over nice hot coals. Red Oak wood, preferrably. When they come off I like to let them sit for a couple of minutes and drizzle with olive oil. Another nice touch is to also add a little Seasame oil.
 
Hillbilly Steaks said:
Sweet, how do you like the Green Egg???

I simply coat with Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Black pepper and let sit for a while. I do like to use wood from my smoker and cook the steaks over nice hot coals. Red Oak wood, preferrably. When they come off I like to let them sit for a couple of minutes and drizzle with olive oil. Another nice touch is to also add a little Seasame oil.
Click to expand...

I love it! I'm so glad I got it. I've made ribs, a brisket, and a boston butt on it. They've each come out fantastic. The pizzas are really good also.
 
I do a rub with this stuff called Sure Shot Sid's Gunpowder Seasoning. I don't know what's in it, and it looks like gunpowder. Tastes good though :thumbs:
 
It has been my opinion, and the opinion of my family, that if you buy quality steak you do not need a season or rub. While i agree that some rubs taste fantastic, I feel they often overwhelm -- rather than complement--a nice sirloin.

I have some rubs, and I'll use them if the steak I purchase is sub-par. But really, a nicely done steak over charcoal with a little salt is all I need.

edited to add after reading: Apparently I've echoed the sentiments of a few members here. Also, I don't do many cuts other than tenderloin and sirloin.
I have bought walmart meat, it's ok. Woodman's makes a good steak (4.49/lb last time I was there), as does Piggly Wiggly, if you have one. These are obviously budget meats, and not Omaha Steaks, but I would take 'em any day of the week.
 
I, like many others here, have gone to the more simpler route. I used to use everything but the kitchen sink, but tend to go with Lowery's seasoning salt, and some crushed black pepper. I am also a huge fan of bleu cheese, so I like to slice that bad boy open and stuff a bunch in there and cook 'em that way. I always let the meat come to room temperature and always let them sit at least 5 minutes after coming off the grill.

The last three years, my father in law and I have split a cow from a local farm and have it processed just the way we want it. They usually grade out a bit less than prime, but better than choice and they've mostly been black angus (I think we had limousine one year). At just a shade over $2.25 a pound, total, you can't beat the price.

I know this is not the burger thread, but lately I have started mixing different dressings into my burger before making the patties. I must say, the ones made with basic Italian dressing get really rave reviews from the family and friends.
 
I must agree with the better quality meat and fewer adornments approach to steaks. My first choice is Dry aged USDA Prime Strip from the rib end (opposed to the shell end) 1.5”-2” thick, or rib eye (from the loin end). I can do Choice, but never Select.

Prep:
The meat must be set out to temper until the entirety is room temp (1-2 hours). To cook a medium rare steak the interior needs to be around 125F. It is much gentler on the meat to raise it to that temp from 70 degrees than it is from icebox temp of 35 degrees. Kosher salt on all sides only 30 minutes before firing to allow dissolving and absorption. If freshly cracked pepper is preferred, that goes on at the end as to not burn or destroy the aroma during cooking. Burnt peppercorns are nasty.

Cooking:
Infrared TEC grill, real charcoal, or cast iron skillet are my favorite methods. Over medium-high heat, the fat side goes down first to render for a few minutes. The presentation sides are cooked and rotated 90 degrees once to create the XX pattern, or quadrilage. I take the meat off when it has a spongy resistance. I do this by feel. Ideally the meat goes onto a resting rack in a slightly warm place (90-100 deg). It is very important for me to not let the flame ever touch the meat. This causes the fats to carbonize and turn black resulting in an off taste. The exterior should have an even crust over 70%-80% of the surface. This is not caramelization, but Maillard reaction. The Amino Acids (protein building blocks) react to the heat to create a savory meaty flavor. Searing the outside does not seal in juices.

Resting:
This step is often overlooked. The meat should rest for at least as long as it took to cook. The resting allows for the heat concentrated on the outside of the steak to travel to the middle. This provides for less of a doneness gradient between the interior and exterior. Additionally, the proteins are allowed to relax and reabsorb the juices. After resting, the steak goes back on the heat for about 30 seconds per side to assure the exterior is hot.

Service:
With the exception of Filet Mignon, steaks should be sliced on the bias at 1” intervals. Not only is this more elegant, it provides the cook a chance to check his/her work before serving. The sliced steak should have a thin brown crust on both sides and a rendered, possibly crispy fat cap. Between the crusts should be a uniform dark pink flesh. This is referred to as rosé. Heat has penetrated the steak to break down the proteins and make them tender, but not enough turn the meat brown or dry it out. The sliced steak is finished with Maldon Salt and served.

I have worked for many chefs with distinct methods for cooking meat. I have found the gentler you can handle any product, the better the result will be. If you have a scientific mind, a must read is Harold McGee’s On Food and Cooking. There are chapters on Maillard reaction, searing, proteins, eggs, emulsions, chlorophyll, etc.
 
leafandale said:
snip....I am also a huge fan of bleu cheese....snip
Click to expand...

Try this:

Mix equal amounts of bleu cheese and cream cheese, and spread it over a steak that's almost done, push a few roasted garlic clove halves into the mixture and broil for a couple of minutes 'till the cheese browns.

I've had that at the Keg on their Baseball Sirloin and occasionally do it at home with a thick eye of round, but there has to be a bajillion calories and who knows how many grams of fat in that crust, so it's a treat I have maybe once or twice a year.
 
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