what do you guys think of tenderising techniques such as mallets ? I also read that marinading it in various things will work too , coca cola was one ! does that really work ?
what do you guys think of tenderising techniques such as mallets ? I also read that marinading it in various things will work too , coca cola was one ! does that really work ?
If you follow the advice on this thread about choosing the correct cut of good quality steak and cooking it properly (don't grill it!;)), you really should not need to tenderise or marinate steak. I personally think it's sacrilege to bash the hell out of a beautiful bit of steak. Definitely stay away from the Coke (though ham that's been slow-cooked in Coke is fabulous)!
If you follow the advice on this thread about choosing the correct cut of good quality steak and cooking it properly (don't grill it!;)), you really should not need to tenderise or marinate steak. I personally think it's sacrilege to bash the hell out of a beautiful bit of steak. Definitely stay away from the Coke (though ham that's been slow-cooked in Coke is fabulous)!
If you follow the advice on this thread about choosing the correct cut of good quality steak and cooking it properly (don't grill it!;)), you really should not need to tenderise or marinate steak. I personally think it's sacrilege to bash the hell out of a beautiful bit of steak. Definitely stay away from the Coke (though ham that's been slow-cooked in Coke is fabulous)!
What Jules said :cool:
We had two ribeye steaks from Sainsbury last night - £6+ each.
I cooked them on the griddle as described earlier.
They were superb.
Grilling steak is a perfectly good way of cooking it and there's nothing wrong with releasing some of the juices if you want them. If you don't believe me Google is your friend and by the way lots of top chefs grill steak.
Grilling steak is a perfectly good way of cooking it and there's nothing wrong with releasing some of the juices if you want them. If you don't believe me Google is your friend and by the way lots of top chefs grill steak.
Evil C, you can cook your steaks however you like, of course, but the advice you gave before is just plain wrong, and actually contradicts what you are now saying.
Grilling steak is a perfectly good way of cooking it and there's nothing wrong with releasing some of the juices if you want them. If you don't believe me Google is your friend and by the way lots of top chefs grill steak.
You were right the second time. Grilling steaks does indeed release a lot of the juice, because the meat isn't sealed, resulting in a less juicy, less tender steak.
I've never seen a chef grilling a steak, although I have seen them seal the meat in a pan first and then finish it off in the oven, which is another method altogether.
Grilling steak is a perfectly good way of cooking it and there's nothing wrong with releasing some of the juices if you want them. If you don't believe me Google is your friend and by the way lots of top chefs grill steak.
Virgil, you need to learn the different cuts of meat for a start. Sirloin/Porterhouse is a good fry/grill steak but make sure it has a good strip of fat and the meat is 'marbled'. Rump steak can be fine but is better slow cooked, not great for rare or medium rare.
I disagree. Rump steak is excellent rare, as long as you make sure it's room temperature before you start cooking and you rest it afterwards. I prefer it to sirloin for flavour and always cook it rare.
Buy the best quality you can afford. A crap piece of steak will still be crap however you cook it. Take advice from a good butcher if there's one near you.
I disagree. Rump steak is excellent rare, as long as you make sure it's room temperature before you start cooking and you rest it afterwards. I prefer it to sirloin for flavour and always cook it rare.
I love rump steak and always have mine rare. I'd never slow cook a rump, what a waste! If the cut of meat is good, it's fine to have it rare.
A fillet steak is the most tender, but not always the most flavoursome. Always cook the steak after it's been out of the fridge for a while. I oil the steak, not the pan, I season the steak well with salt and black pepper. I get the frying pan smoking hot and then put the steak in. Depending on thickness, I cook it for one minute each side, turning the heat down so it doesn't burn. The best steak is thick cut. I rest it on a warm plate for thee minutes, drool.
Rump steak is lovely, with a great flavour but should always be cooked the same way as above.
what sort of oil should I use ? do some work better than others ?
Rare does = tender right ? thats always confused me about beef , the cooking terms - because 'rare' means less cooked , so it seems that would mean tougher .
If I cook braising steak I cook it with onions and beef stock for about four hours on 130 degrees fan oven.
(though ham that's been slow-cooked in Coke is fabulous)!
Just digressing to say that I tried that, and wasn't impressed. I have also tried it with ginger beer. I thought both spoiled the flavour of the ham rather than enhancing it.
Just digressing to say that I tried that, and wasn't impressed. I have also tried it with ginger beer. I thought both spoiled the flavour of the ham rather than enhancing it.
I find that the Coke taste isn't all that obvious - it just gives a slight spice/aromatic undertone to it - and I like the texture it gives to the ham. Have never heard of the ginger beer variation before. Sounds interesting!
So, if the pan is smoking hot and doesn't have any oil in it, presumably it's the non-stick surface that is smoking? Or don't you use a non-stick pan?
I don't get the "seasoning" part, either. Why do you need to put salt on a steak? I tried it and it just made for a salty steak. Boiled potatoes need salt; not much else does in my experience.
So, if the pan is smoking hot and doesn't have any oil in it, presumably it's the non-stick surface that is smoking? Or don't you use a non-stick pan?
I don't get the "seasoning" part, either. Why do you need to put salt on a steak? I tried it and it just made for a salty steak. Boiled potatoes need salt; not much else does in my experience.
Really? In my experience more or less everything (including a lot of desserts) benefits from salt.
One thing I do that I don't think has been mentioned is I hold the steaks upright with the strip of fat on the grate for about 30secs. This renders the thick bit of fat a bit and also will reduce the the chances of the steak curling.
As has been said though, a decent steak, I look for nice thin lines of fat. I always cook over a charcoal BBQ now, even in winter! Make sure they are at room temperature, season just before putting on the BBQ, put over hot coals turn once.
Comments
Each to their own, but that thing about juices and grilling is absolute rubbish,
If you follow the advice on this thread about choosing the correct cut of good quality steak and cooking it properly (don't grill it!;)), you really should not need to tenderise or marinate steak. I personally think it's sacrilege to bash the hell out of a beautiful bit of steak. Definitely stay away from the Coke (though ham that's been slow-cooked in Coke is fabulous)!
I say Flash when I just mean high heat
might try that .:D
Nigella is your friend - it's delicious!
http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/ham-in-coca-cola-171
We had two ribeye steaks from Sainsbury last night - £6+ each.
I cooked them on the griddle as described earlier.
They were superb.
Which top chefs? I would be interested to know
You were right the second time. Grilling steaks does indeed release a lot of the juice, because the meat isn't sealed, resulting in a less juicy, less tender steak.
I've never seen a chef grilling a steak, although I have seen them seal the meat in a pan first and then finish it off in the oven, which is another method altogether.
Like who? I look forward to your links.
Am I the only one who has to take the batteries out of the smoke alarm before embarking on anything like this?
Extractor fan on max, window wide open and tea towel ready to flap in the air.
:cool:
I disagree. Rump steak is excellent rare, as long as you make sure it's room temperature before you start cooking and you rest it afterwards. I prefer it to sirloin for flavour and always cook it rare.
I love rump steak and always have mine rare. I'd never slow cook a rump, what a waste! If the cut of meat is good, it's fine to have it rare.
Rump steak is lovely, with a great flavour but should always be cooked the same way as above.
If I cook braising steak I cook it with onions and beef stock for about four hours on 130 degrees fan oven.
It all depends on the cut of meat.
Just digressing to say that I tried that, and wasn't impressed. I have also tried it with ginger beer. I thought both spoiled the flavour of the ham rather than enhancing it.
I find that the Coke taste isn't all that obvious - it just gives a slight spice/aromatic undertone to it - and I like the texture it gives to the ham. Have never heard of the ginger beer variation before. Sounds interesting!
I don't get the "seasoning" part, either. Why do you need to put salt on a steak? I tried it and it just made for a salty steak. Boiled potatoes need salt; not much else does in my experience.
Really? In my experience more or less everything (including a lot of desserts) benefits from salt.
As has been said though, a decent steak, I look for nice thin lines of fat. I always cook over a charcoal BBQ now, even in winter! Make sure they are at room temperature, season just before putting on the BBQ, put over hot coals turn once.