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Re: The Perfect Steak
Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2019 1:38 pm
by Mescal
Yeah, that's what the blowtorching was for....
Again, I tried it, and it worked. It tasted great and nobody got sick. Maybe I was just lucky
Re: The Perfect Steak
Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2019 7:08 am
by SR
Hype wrote: ↑Wed Jan 16, 2019 11:23 am
- Save the filet mignon for fine-dining. Get a rib-eye.
I quit reading here
Re: The Perfect Steak
Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2019 7:14 am
by SR
Skimmed this thread....if it's been mentioned, cool. There are various cuts of steak (not marinating flap meat or braising meat). Some have more intermuscular fat than others, and this will determine *some of the cooking techniques. Basically, the more fat, the better to grill. Less fat, better in the white hot pans mentioned here. And though the French say the only contribution to the arts made by Americans is cast iron, other pans can be used equally well. The less fat contained in the cut will generally benefit, but not require, some sauce work. Filets are such a cut. And btw, these rules apply to other red meats and fish too.
And seasoning is an absolute given.
Re: The Perfect Steak
Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2019 9:33 am
by Hype
Filets are special.
Re: The Perfect Steak
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2019 6:56 am
by SR
yup, cooked properly and sometimes raw as well
Re: The Perfect Steak
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:13 am
by Hype
I guess I just don't consider filet mignon steak, practically speaking, even if it is technically a steak cut. It's so different, and needs to be treated differently.
Dry-brining is a pretty universally effective technique for getting good salt-penetration in meat. But beyond that, there are so many regional and taste-related variations that it's impossible to say there's a "best" way or a "right" way. It's easier to talk about all the ways that steak can go wrong.
Re: The Perfect Steak
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:23 am
by SR
Hype wrote: ↑Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:13 am
I guess I just don't consider filet mignon steak, practically speaking, even if it is technically a steak cut. It's so different, and needs to be treated differently.
Dry-brining is a pretty universally effective technique for getting good salt-penetration in meat. But beyond that, there are so many regional and taste-related variations that it's impossible to say there's a "best" way or a "right" way. It's easier to talk about all the ways that steak can go wrong.
Weird. It's the only steak that stands alone as a cut and is also a large percentage (about a 1/3 of a Porterhouse and 1/4 of a T-Bone) of other cuts. As a Chateaubriand is to the 'roast' style and a Prime Rib is to ribeye as a roast, they aren't, but otherwise, yes.
A Top Sirlion needs to be treated differently too (no pan cooking), I say.
Re: The Perfect Steak
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:25 am
by SR
SR wrote: ↑Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:23 am
Hype wrote: ↑Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:13 am
I guess I just don't consider filet mignon steak, practically speaking, even if it is technically a steak cut. It's so different, and needs to be treated differently.
Dry-brining is a pretty universally effective technique for getting good salt-penetration in meat. But beyond that, there are so many regional and taste-related variations that it's impossible to say there's a "best" way or a "right" way. It's easier to talk about all the ways that steak can go wrong.
Weird. It's the only steak that stands alone as a cut and is also a large percentage (about a 1/3 of a Porterhouse and 1/4 of a T-Bone) of other cuts. As a Chateaubriand is to the 'roast' style and a Prime Rib is to ribeye as a roast, they aren't, but otherwise, yes.
A Top Sirlion needs to be treated differently too (no pan cooking), I say.,,,nor a tri=tip
Re: The Perfect Steak
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:32 am
by SR
As for French chefs, in my experience they all have their own quirks and believe them to be unassailable, but if they are credible at all it starts with Escoffier
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/273 ... r_Cookbook
Re: The Perfect Steak
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2019 10:49 am
by Hype
SR wrote: ↑Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:23 am
Hype wrote: ↑Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:13 am
I guess I just don't consider filet mignon steak, practically speaking, even if it is technically a steak cut. It's so different, and needs to be treated differently.
Dry-brining is a pretty universally effective technique for getting good salt-penetration in meat. But beyond that, there are so many regional and taste-related variations that it's impossible to say there's a "best" way or a "right" way. It's easier to talk about all the ways that steak can go wrong.
Weird. It's the only steak that stands alone as a cut and is also a large percentage (about a 1/3 of a Porterhouse and 1/4 of a T-Bone) of other cuts. As a Chateaubriand is to the 'roast' style and a Prime Rib is to ribeye as a roast, they aren't, but otherwise, yes.
A Top Sirlion needs to be treated differently too (no pan cooking), I say.
My reasoning is that a filet on its own is subtle and needs to be helped to really make it stand out. One reason why porterhouse/t-bone etc., are so popular (besides usually being quite large steaks) is that they tend to offer greater variation in flavour and texture.
I'd go so far as to place filet mignon in the same category as round and sirloin, not because they are similar in terms of toughness. They are obviously not. But, rather, they require similar degrees attention to flavour and texture (through appropriate cooking method) that, imho, rib, short loin and chuck cuts don't.
I'm being a bit silly, obviously. I think my thinking is really just: which steaks stand on their own with just salt (and maybe pepper), from a straight pan-fry or grill? And imho filet doesn't make that cut. It needs a sauce or more complex seasoning.
Re: The Perfect Steak
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2019 12:26 pm
by SR
Well I agree here. The PH and t bone are literally the ny and filet as they run through the animal. The ny part ends where the top begins and on the other end, the ribeye. I crave the tenderloin though as I’m usually a ribeye and to a lesser degree a top (marinated) guy, it makes me get either creative or completely retro...even as a Wellington.
And I really only mentioned it because it a how to cook steak thread. Well, it depends on the steak
Re: The Perfect Steak
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2019 12:28 pm
by Mescal
SR wrote: ↑Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:32 am
As for French chefs
Just for the record, Heston is an English chef
Re: The Perfect Steak
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2019 12:30 pm
by SR
I don’t know of him
. I’ll go back and read up on him. But to be classically trained, it goes directly to escoffier.
Re: The Perfect Steak
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2019 12:32 pm
by Mescal
He's the chef of the Fat Duck, which is one of the most renowned restaurants in the world
Re: The Perfect Steak
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2019 12:34 pm
by Mescal
Re: The Perfect Steak
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2019 1:04 pm
by Hype
Honestly, one of the worst steaks I've ever eaten was in Paris.
Re: The Perfect Steak
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2019 2:07 pm
by SR
Ah, yup. I know of the fat duck and el burro too. They battled some years ago. He’s def classically trained.
Re: The Perfect Steak
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2019 2:29 pm
by SR
Just read his take, though need to watch vid (eating alone in restaurant)...end of ride treat...no steak. Really interesting. And just the opposite of virtually every credible steak house I know of. They fire well over 1000 degrees to achieve the sear.
Photo looked delish too
Re: The Perfect Steak
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2019 12:52 am
by Juana
I think a lot of it plays into whomever is cooking it and their taste. I have found many methods over the years but it also depends on your own preference and the preference of the people you're cooking for. That said the hot as fuck grilling a cowboy ribeye on both sides is a tried and true method. Knowing a few ranchers I get whatever cuts I want and normally depending on the cut I change up my methods between indoors or outdoors or if I don't feel like manning the pit I have reverse seared. But for me it comes down to preference.
Re: The Perfect Steak
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2019 9:59 am
by Hype
Imho, objective factors:
- Quality of the beef.
- Salt.
- Proper done=ness / internal temp.
- Maillard reaction.
Everything else is either an attempt to maximize or optimize some aspect of those details or just a traditional/regional/preference-based variation that may or may not actually make a difference to the end product.
Re: The Perfect Steak
Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2019 8:45 pm
by Juana
Ain't no steak but I'm about to go on an adventure prepping this here fella for Sunday, I will post more pics as I prep. This is about 23lbs though so it should be tons of fun.