SheikYerbuti Posted April 24, 2010 Share Posted April 24, 2010 What's the best way for a home cook to get a professional looking finished product? I'm going to be working with porterhouse in a few days ($5/pound at the local market. ..sweet). A few options I was considering: 1. Pat dry, lube with oil, sear in a cast iron pan (as hot as I can get it), then finish in a low oven until medium rare in the middle. 2. Pat dry, lube with oil, bring the center to temp in a low oven, THEN sear in a cast iron. 3. Pat dry, smear with room temp butter and a little Montreal Steak, then broil until medium rare. 4. Grill over charcoal. 5. Pat dry, then microwave on high for 20 minutes. OK, not really #5, but what's the best option? ATK is always talking about the difference between searing first, then bringing the middle up to temp and doing it the other way around (options 1 and 2 above). If you bring the center up to medium rare and THEN sear the outside it cuts down on the infamous "gray ring" when you cut into it, or so they say. Learn me, pros. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bier Meister Posted April 24, 2010 Share Posted April 24, 2010 (edited) 1, 4, and 3 would all be fine, but you do not need a low temp oven. everywhere i've worked grill (1 was a chop house)...... oil, season, grill to a temp or two under...finish in an oven around 425. Edited April 24, 2010 by Bier Meister Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
untateve Posted April 24, 2010 Share Posted April 24, 2010 Here's my basic method: Use quality steaks anywhere from 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick. Buy from a butcher. Let them come to room temp; you don't want the middle cold as they won't cook properly. I spread olive oil on both sides and put salt and pepper on just before hitting the grill. I sear each side at about 750-800 degrees for a minute per side. Remove from grill and cover. I then bring temp down to about 400 degrees. Then I grill at 400 degrees, 4-5 minutes per side, depending on thickness for medium rare. Remove from grill and cover loosely with foil, allowing meat to rest about 10 mins or so. I will sometimes finish with a pat of garlic butter. My wife likes a little gorgonzola cheese but I think this is too strong a cheese for a quality steak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Neutron Posted April 24, 2010 Share Posted April 24, 2010 Here's my basic method: Use quality steaks anywhere from 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick. Buy from a butcher. Let them come to room temp; you don't want the middle cold as they won't cook properly. I spread olive oil on both sides and put salt and pepper on just before hitting the grill. I sear each side at about 750-800 degrees for a minute per side. Remove from grill and cover. I then bring temp down to about 400 degrees. Then I grill at 400 degrees, 4-5 minutes per side, depending on thickness for medium rare. Remove from grill and cover loosely with foil, allowing meat to rest about 10 mins or so. I will sometimes finish with a pat of garlic butter. My wife likes a little gorgonzola cheese but I think this is too strong a cheese for a quality steak. Almost exactly my favorite method and I'm on board with the garlic butter or a nice mild gorgonzola. Now I am hungry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilthorp Posted April 24, 2010 Share Posted April 24, 2010 I always grill, sometimes broil. But, I remember Caveman Nick gave some advice here in the past. Let them come up to room temperature, and I slather each side with red wine vinegar, and then season. Montreal Steak is fine, but if that's the route I go, I go with the spicy montreal. However, I have a buddy in Texas that I used to work with that has been shipping out his late father's seasoning for the last few years, and that's what I primarily use. Not sure what's in it, he won't tell me, but it's the best. So, instead of Unta's olive oil, I use red wine vinegar and then season. Heat the grill to it's hottest temp, put steaks on, within a minute do a quarter turn for the marks, for presentation only really, and then turn off the middle burner and cook indirect on 350 about 5-8 minutes per side, depending on how thick the meat is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
untateve Posted April 24, 2010 Share Posted April 24, 2010 I always grill, sometimes broil. But, I remember Caveman Nick gave some advice here in the past. Let them come up to room temperature, and I slather each side with red wine vinegar, and then season. Montreal Steak is fine, but if that's the route I go, I go with the spicy montreal. However, I have a buddy in Texas that I used to work with that has been shipping out his late father's seasoning for the last few years, and that's what I primarily use. Not sure what's in it, he won't tell me, but it's the best. So, instead of Unta's olive oil, I use red wine vinegar and then season. Heat the grill to it's hottest temp, put steaks on, within a minute do a quarter turn for the marks, for presentation only really, and then turn off the middle burner and cook indirect on 350 about 5-8 minutes per side, depending on how thick the meat is. [pretentious]How do you turn off the middle burner? You can't turn off the 'middle burner' on a charcoal grill?[/superior] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilthorp Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 [pretentious]How do you turn off the middle burner? You can't turn off the 'middle burner' on a charcoal grill?[/superior] It is with shame that I admit using propane on my weber...I do have a smaller weber kettle, but for ease of use and timing, I cheat the meat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
untateve Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 It is with shame that I admit using propane on my weber...I do have a smaller weber kettle, but for ease of use and timing, I cheat the meat. You are not cheating the meat...you are cheating yourself...:tears: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rovers Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 During the winter, I pan fry steak in butter. I start it on low heat, flip it twice, and then finish on a medium heat (gas stove) to get some searing. I judge the doneness by how "flexable" the the steak is. might not be the chef's way, but it works for me. I do this for anything from porterhouse to skirt. I'll sometimes add a few dashes of Worsteshire. My latest fave is to carmelize some onions, and add cubes of skirt steak to the frying pan for a sort of Pilly cheese steak sandwich on a small hero roll. Get it on the bread when it's still hot and add plenty of graded cheese of choice, provolone or cheddar, whatever. Carmelized onions are killer. Put that on anything from pork chops to steaks to a burger for a patty melt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twiley Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 #1 is what I typically do except the low heat part. I just finish on the grill at around 400-500. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 if you just have a plain old kettle charcoal grill, you can get good results putting all the coals on one side. high heat side to sear, then indirect to bring up to temp (or vice versa I guess, but I've never tried it that way). I like to do a real quick marinate in olive oil, just a squirt of worchestershire, and montreal steak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiegie Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 I like to boil it. (Actually, amusingly enough, I have boiled steak before for "Fondue Chinoise".) :yum: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 I like to boil it probably a good way to cook a horse steak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh B Tool Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 (edited) Grill then broil is the method I've used in the Steak/Chop Houses I have cooked for. Dab of garlic butter right before broiling is optimum. Resting for at least 5 min before cutting is also a must. Edit to add, it is best for the cast iron pan/plate to be preheated to as blazing hot as possible before broiling. Edited April 27, 2010 by Hugh B Tool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheikYerbuti Posted April 26, 2010 Author Share Posted April 26, 2010 Unfortunately, the steaks weren't cut thick enough to require finishing in the oven. So, I just hit them with some Montreal Steak, slapped them in a cast iron for about 6 minutes a side, tented them for 10 minutes, and served em up. Oh, and while they were resting I made a simple pan sauce by throwing a tbsp of butter and a tbsp of flour in the cast iron over medium heat, making a roux, then deglazing the pan with chicken stock and adding more stock until it was the right viscosity. Delish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bier Meister Posted April 27, 2010 Share Posted April 27, 2010 Unfortunately, the steaks weren't cut thick enough to require finishing in the oven. So, I just hit them with some Montreal Steak, slapped them in a cast iron for about 6 minutes a side, tented them for 10 minutes, and served em up. Oh, and while they were resting I made a simple pan sauce by throwing a tbsp of butter and a tbsp of flour in the cast iron over medium heat, making a roux, then deglazing the pan with chicken stock and adding more stock until it was the right viscosity. Delish. red wine, beef broth..and some herbs and you elevate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheikYerbuti Posted April 27, 2010 Author Share Posted April 27, 2010 red wine, beef broth.. I was out of both. . [clinteastwood]Improvise, adapt, overcome[/clinteastwood] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bier Meister Posted April 27, 2010 Share Posted April 27, 2010 I was out of both. . [clinteastwood]Improvise, adapt, overcome[/clinteastwood] i'll give you the beef broth, but i won't eat steak w/out red wine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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