The Art of Medium Rare Meats (& steak advice)

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Goons with Spoons > The Art of Medium Rare Meats (& steak advice)

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

Do a rib roast instead? Set your oven to 250, use a thermometer to watch the internal temp, when it hits 115 pull it, set your oven to 450 and let it fully heat, put the roast back in for 10-15 minutes. You will have a nice crusty prime rib roast that's uniformly mid-rare throughout.

# ¿ May 12, 2013 00:57

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# ¿ Apr 26, 2024 10:53

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

If you wanted to dry age it, you should leave it whole as well, because there will be some trimming if you're looking at a week or more of drying.

You should also always cook a steak that's come up to temp. A cold steak is going to drop pan temp and cause vapor pooling, and you won't get that perfect crust. My preferred method for steaks is to sear them off and finish in the oven if I'm doing a dinner party.

# ¿ May 12, 2013 12:38

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

Chemmy posted:

Modernist Cuisine suggests putting a frozen steak in a low oven and searing after for presentation, I don't think there are a lot of hard and fast rules for steaks.

Don't remember reading this, might have skimmed over it. But even then, that's just not practical.

# ¿ May 13, 2013 02:45

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

Chemmy posted:

How is it not practical? You put a steak in the oven for an hour and then sear. It's a workaround for people without immersion circulators.

http://modernistcuisine.com/recipes/low-temp-oven-steak/

It isn't for me, I come home after a 10-12 hour day, I'm certainly not waiting an hour for a steak if I didn't eat at work.

e: also, the oven in my apartment is poo poo and setting it at 150F results in a temp around 190F.

# ¿ May 13, 2013 04:17

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

marshalljim posted:

Yeah, they do. I still sort of wonder what the point is of searing first with any of these methods that aim at a consistent internal doneness. They don't address that.

Sear first because searing last will rapidly increase the internal temp of the meat.

That method's cool and all, but the average clientele will think that their steak is underdone because the chewiness is missing from a traditional method.d

# ¿ May 13, 2013 04:29

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

Did you marinate it at all? Ostrich is really, really lean, and doesn't have too much flavor of it's own. Give it a good 8 hour marinade, and don't go over mid-rare(I prefer as rare as possible) with it, and you should be golden.

# ¿ May 18, 2013 01:11

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

Sear one at a time, and you should only need 30secs per side in a fuckoff hot pan. Finish in oven on a sheet pan.

# ¿ May 22, 2013 00:15

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

Rack if you have one, but it's not a huge difference.

# ¿ May 22, 2013 01:41

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

Yeah, or, I can dry a ribeye in my fridge for a few hours, pull it out, S&P it, sear it, and throw it in the oven.

# ¿ May 22, 2013 15:21

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

NosmoKing posted:

Food scientist/microbiologist stepping in:

Beef is somewhat risky in terms of micro coooties. The biggest risks are what are known as STEC, a specific group of e-coil that will cause your kidneys to turn to goo. Infectious dose is very low. This type of bacteria is endemic in all ruminant animals. Is present in grass fed as well as grain fed animals. Pasture raised grass fed animals are not necessarily free of this type of bacteria. Feedlot finished animals have a greater opportunity to become infected. Still, small producer slaughtered and processed animals are not 100% safe.

A serious concern for E. coli poisoning is something called needle tenderization. This is a technique used to make less expensive cuts of beef more tender. Zillions of fine needles are punched through the primal cuts across the grain to break the grain fibers up and make the meet more tender.
The issue with E. coli is it sits on the surface of the meat product until somehow the surface is turned into the insides of the meet. Grinding does this by smashing the surface and inside to the meat together in one uniform paste. Needle tenderization does something similar. It forces things on the outside of the meat deep into the structure of the cut.

Generally, Searing the outside of your piece of beef is enough to destroy any surface bacteria. If for some reason the bacteria is on the inside of the meat, you need to bring the entire thing to 165�F or higher or you risk getting really sick.

The natural reservoir of salmonella bacteria (and Campylobacter) is birds. Testing of commercial flocks have shown that at least 25 to 30% of all sampled chicken products are contaminated with salmonella. Cook your chicken to 165 also.

There are reasons for some food safety rules. Not all of them are based on trying to make people unhappy about their food co-op.

Not all food poisoning is "I feel sick I'm going to throw up and poop for a few days then I feel better". Sometimes, it has horrible lifelong consequences. Sometimes you die a horrible death.

*edit* loving Siri...

But all of those regulations are based on a 7D reduction in bacteria. Holding your chicken breast at 145 for 27min has the same reduction as chicken at 165 for 15secs. Iirc it is possible to completely eliminate salmonella as low as 127F, it just takes time.

# ¿ May 26, 2013 21:32

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

If you crank the heat on the busted flat top at work(which is getting replaced, huzzah!) you can get it up around 8-900. I could probably cook a 3/4in steak on there in 2min.

# ¿ May 29, 2013 21:33

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

I know my triply cuisinart 13in can reach at least 450 on a coil. I dropped a few tablespoons of sesame oil in the pan to do some stir fry and instant ignition. So, a cast iron pan could probably hit 6-700. I wouldn't recommend it because home vent hoods suck.

# ¿ May 29, 2013 21:56

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

GrAviTy84 posted:

Carryover heat is what you measured. The equilibration of the hotter surfaces with the cooler insides. Getting a thicker cut steak will make it easier to do rarer temps.

He should just pull everything sooner. Black and blue is the only doneness for me :c00lbert:

# ¿ Jun 21, 2013 21:44

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

Doh004 posted:

Is this something that people do?

No. Unless its a super cheap thin cut.

# ¿ Jul 24, 2013 17:25

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

Chemmy posted:

Most people like it medium rare, not rare because of all the marbling, but the pictured steak is gorgeous.

Black&Blue 4 lyfe.

# ¿ Jul 27, 2013 22:24

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

Spatula? Just use tongs.

# ¿ Sep 1, 2013 01:44

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

marshalljim posted:

You could use a screwdriver. Just be careful not to mar that $150 enamel.

If you can chip enamel with some tongs just by flipping a steak then :golfclap:

to you sir.

# ¿ Sep 1, 2013 15:33

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

I like my tenderloin cold smoked and sliced thin, no sear/marks thanks.

# ¿ Sep 3, 2013 04:47

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

ShadowCatboy posted:

Though I am going to buy some and try marinading them in reduced milk before patting dry and cooking sous vide. I wanna see if I can possibly squeeze more cow in there somehow.

This will be terrible. Don't do this. If you want to do something "different" SV your steak with a T of clarified butter in the bag, a sprig of thyme, and a garlic clove

# ¿ Sep 29, 2013 14:51

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

ShadowCatboy posted:

I'm a lab biologist so I have some idea of what I'm doing.

If you were like, an organic chemist, that'd be a better argument.

As a biologist, you should apply your skills to making some cheese. Delicious homemade blue cheese.

# ¿ Oct 1, 2013 01:33

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

Quality of meat can play a factor. I can get better meat at work than you can at home, for example. Unless you're going to dry age a whole prime or wagyu striploin at home, then more power to ya.

# ¿ Mar 7, 2014 05:07

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

Find a butcher shop and get it from them, not hard to do.

# ¿ May 11, 2014 20:06

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

Or plastic wrap, because EVERYBODY should have a 2000 ft roll, they're only 15bux!

# ¿ Jun 2, 2014 00:36

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

Pork to 150F?! :getout:

Nothing wrong with Ducasse method, but I prefer freezer steak and a 200F oven. Season steak, freeze steak, sear one side, pop into oven with a T of butter, pull at 110F, carry over gets me just under 115, and devour.

# ¿ Jun 4, 2014 04:09

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

Steve Yun posted:

On the other hand, I wonder, has anyone tried just using a minifridge to do the same thing at home for a lot cheaper?

http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/03/the-food-lab-complete-guide-to-dry-aging-beef-at-home.html

I have a wine fridge that I've modified to be a cold smoker/charcuterier/thing. I could definitely age a half ribeye in there, and the thing only cost $150. My $300 mini fridge would be even better, but that's where my beer goes and I don't want to tinker with my beer fridge.

# ¿ Jun 17, 2014 23:15

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

Sear the whole loins and finish in a low oven, like 200-250F until you reach your desired internal temp. Alternatively do the same with seared steaks, just put them on a wire rack, with space in between so they don't get crowded.

# ¿ Sep 9, 2014 16:09

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

C-Euro posted:

What's a reliable way to cook steak indoors without filling my entire apartment with smoke? Half the time I try to sear it stove-top, no matter how good a job I do cooking the steak I always make a ton of smoke in the process. I think I cooked it in the oven once but I can't remember how I did so.

Season your steak, freeze it, sear ~~the ever living gently caress out of~~ one side. Put in oven at 200F, pull at desired cooking temp. Absolute best steak, imo.

# ¿ Jan 4, 2015 06:51

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

Drifter posted:

Medium rare is what, 140F on the inside? I'd suggest pulling it at 8 degrees less than the temp you want. So, 132F. That generally works for most small-ish meat cuts. A big ol' potroast'll probably do it at 10 or 12.

Bacon fat - great idea. Smoke point is up past 350, at least. It's basically tasty lard. It'll be a little saltier than normal oil, with a smokier flavor, so adjust seasons a bit.

Reverse sear's fantastic.

Rare - 120-125
Mid-rare - 130-135
Medium - 140
Mid-well - 150
Well - gently caress you , I won't do it, get out of my house/restaurant.

# ¿ Feb 18, 2015 15:57

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

Drifter posted:

people have some pretty strange and wrong ideas when it comes to cooking

This is now a much more accurate statement.

# ¿ Mar 23, 2015 14:01

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# ¿ Apr 26, 2024 10:53

Chef De Cuisinart: Oct 31, 2010; Brandy does in fact, in my experience, contribute to Getting Down.

Drifter posted:

Ho ho, zing!

You can't seriously tell me that burning the gently caress out of butter is ever a good thing.

Not what I'm saying at all. I'm literally saying that people have terrible opinions in how to cook.

# ¿ Mar 23, 2015 23:03

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Goons with Spoons > The Art of Medium Rare Meats (& steak advice)