Cooking the perfect steak

[Moose242]

Gentlemen,

My local HEB started carrying USDA prime steaks and I have purchased a couple of them to cook up later in the week. Anyone have any special tricks they use to good a good steak?

My usual method is to let the steaks get to room temperature, melt some butter down and brush it on each side of the steak, and then rub in some cracked pepper. I cook them medium rare and chow down, but I dont know if this would be ideal for a "good" steak. I kind of want to do something fancy, like maybe some crumbled blue cheese or something like they do at a few restaurants I have been to. Any suggestions?

[mstng86]

Marinade it in pineapple juice. This is the only thing I would marinade a steak in though.

[bcoop]

When you cook a good steak (aka prime), you don't need to do anything but salt and pepper it, and add a dollup of butter the second it comes off the grill. When you brush the butter on there prior to, it defeats the purpose IMO, because it melts off the second it hits the grill.


You can do a lot of other things, like encrust it in garlic, etc, but really - those are reserved for lesser quality steaks, to help improve flavor. With a prime cut, there is no need to do any of that. When I eat a prime steak, I want to taste the meat, not marinade or seasoning. The same applies for the pineapple juice or soda method that mstang mentioned. I'm not knocking it, because it has it's place, but it's place is on a $3/lb choice cut, not a prime cut. Just my opinion though, and I'm a hack that doesn't know squat about cooking. Oscar toppers, blue cheese and carmelized onions are great and all, I just wouldn't do it with a quality steak.

[stevo]

When you cook a good steak (aka prime), you don't need to do anything but salt and pepper it, and add a dollup of butter the second it comes off the grill. When you brush the butter on there prior to, it defeats the purpose IMO, because it melts off the second it hits the grill.


You can do a lot of other things, like encrust it in garlic, etc, but really - those are reserved for lesser quality steaks, to help improve flavor. With a prime cut, there is no need to do any of that. When I eat a prime steak, I want to taste the meat, not marinade or seasoning. The same applies for the pineapple juice or soda method that mstang mentioned. I'm not knocking it, because it has it's place, but it's place is on a $3/lb choice cut, not a prime cut. Just my opinion though, and I'm a hack that doesn't know squat about cooking. Oscar toppers, blue cheese and carmelized onions are great and all, I just wouldn't do it with a quality steak.

This. I rub mine with a good olive olive oil, salt and pepper, and grill it. When I see someone immediately start reaching for steak sauce at steak houses, it makes me cringe. To each his own I guess, but as mentioned, when I eat a steak, I want to taste the steak.

Stevo

[mstng86]

Thats a good point on the prime vs choice cut.

[BERNIE MOSFET]

Call me a purist, but I think the most important thing is a good charcoal fire with hickory or mesquite chunks. No gas.

[bcoop]

Thats a good point on the prime vs choice cut.

Eh, it's just my opinion. I mean, it's not a complete waste. What you like is what you like. And while I do like them, it's not a must. You can certainly get all those things at prime steakhouses. I just meant to point out that all that can be done, but isn't really necessary when dealing with prime cuts. A prime cut packs so much more flavor than choice, and other lower grades. That's part of the reason it's prime. But, not many people have had a prime cut, to be able to understand or know the difference.

[Cooter]

I salt and pepper and drop it on the pan and sear it for like 45 seconds, then flip to sear the other side... as soon as I flip it, I poke a few holes with a fork and lay a little pat of butter on it, then after 45 seconds and do the same on the newly seared side.

I let it go for another 1-2min per side depending on thickness for a nice medium rare steak.

the butter burns a little and puts a better char texture on it for my taste

[Trick Pony]

When you cook a good steak (aka prime), you don't need to do anything but salt and pepper it, and add a dollup of butter the second it comes off the grill.

This man speaks the truth.
LOL one time I had some folks over and cooked some nice filets. They were cooked perfectly and juicy and tender. One of my guests proceeded to eat it with ketchup because I didn't have any A1 (I don't use steak sauce).

[bcoop]

This man speaks the truth.
LOL one time I had some folks over and cooked some prime filets. They were nice and juicy and tender. One of my guests proceeded to eat it with ketchup because I didn't have any A1 (I don't use steak sauce).

I'd seriously take that as an insult and tell them not to bother coming back. The first time my wife had ever really been to a nice steakhouse, we went for my sister's rehearsal dinner. I told her if she asked for steak sauce, I was going to get up and leave her there. Since I forced her to try it without, now she likes that. She came from a house where steak and potatoes was regular, but it was well done and A-1 was necessary to get through it. lol.

[mstng86]

I'd seriously take that as an insult and tell them not to bother coming back. The first time my wife had ever really been to a nice steakhouse, we went for my sister's rehearsal dinner. I told her if she asked for steak sauce, I was going to get up and leave her there. Since I forced her to try it without, now she likes that. She came from a house where steak and potatoes was regular, but it was well done and A-1 was necessary to get through it. lol.

My wife insists on her steaks being marinated (italian dressing). I am not really a picky person about it so I just go along with it. But I have just marinated her steak in the past. Just depends on the mood I am in I guess.

[Trick Pony]

I'd seriously take that as an insult and tell them not to bother coming back. The first time my wife had ever really been to a nice steakhouse, we went for my sister's rehearsal dinner. I told her if she asked for steak sauce, I was going to get up and leave her there. Since I forced her to try it without, now she likes that. She came from a house where steak and potatoes was regular, but it was well done and A-1 was necessary to get through it. lol.

Normally I would have been ticked off but it was my mother-in-law who is a very sweet lady, always great to me, and always compliments me on my cooking so she meant no harm.
Where do you buy your prime steaks?

[bcoop]

Normally I would have been ticked off but it was my mother-in-law who is a very sweet lady, always great to me, and always compliments me on my cooking so she meant no harm.
Where do you buy your prime steaks?

All over the place. I've got a buddy that does sales for a processor, so some come from him. I've also got several friends at places like US Foods and Ben E Keith, who I get 'samples' from, David's Meat Market in Garland, and I have a source at a rather fine, local prime steakhouse that I can get them from, as well.

[stevo]

Another thing to be mentioned, many people over-cook steaks, or cook them too slowly at low heat. My wife came from a family that basically cooked all meat to shoe-leather. She wouldn't eat meat that had any pink in it all all, the first time I got her to eat a nice steak that was cooked medium rare she couldn't believe it. I had to do it by telling her to close her eyes and take a bite. Now, that is how she wants them cooked.

I like mine cooked like Forest mentioned, high heat and short cooking time, well seared on each side and still cold in the middle, but that isn't for everyone.

Stevo

[bcoop]

Another thing to be mentioned, many people over-cook steaks, or cook them too slowly at low heat.

Absolutely. Anytime I cook steak, the grill is as hot as I can possibly get it. In fact, my grill doesn't even come close to as hot as I want it to get. I'm scouring for a commercial upright broiler capable of 1500 degrees. Cooking too long at too low of a fire, dries it out just the same as overcooking on a high fire. Steak thickness plays the biggest role in cook times. But when I hear people say 5 or more minutes on each side, I die a little inside. There are VERY few exceptions to this. It really does bother me to see people eating shit mid well and above.