Bringing cold steaks up to room temp

[roadfix]

Quite by accident last night I discovered a very efficient way to bring cold steaks up to room temperature before grilling. I simply placed a large piece of steak on a thick cast iron griddle and in less than half hour the steak reached near room temp. The cast iron at room temp sucked all the chill out of the meat.
Perhaps this is a commonly used technique but it was completely new to me. I don't know why I didn't think of this before. It's simple physics.

 

[Rocklobster]

They used to sell this pewter tray that was marketed as a Magic Defrosting Tray. I picked one up at a yard sale once. I think I ended up using it under the trailer hitch of my boat trailer to stop it from sinking into my gravel parking lot.

 

[Andy M.]

A thick slab of aluminum would work even better but most people don't have a thick slab of aluminum hanging around.

 

[Kayelle]

I have a thick slab of aluminum I use to defrost meat, and it works slick. It was a leftover piece from building a race boat in my former life.

I never thought of using it for bringing meat up to room temp, but it makes sense. Thanks Road.

 

[roadfix]

A thick slab of aluminum isn't cheap but is a better conductor of heat.

 

[Andy M.]

I have found my countertop material (engineered stone), is a great conductor and works onders in defrosting small items.

 

[FrankZ]

We have an enameled metal counter for our sink. It works a treat.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I recalled an odd bit of trivia, and just verified it online. In metals the best electrical conductors are also the best thermal conductors. In order of best first they are:

1. silver
2. copper
3. gold
4. brass
5. aluminum
6. iron
7. steel

Of course there are good non-metallic thermal conductors too.

 

[Aunt Bea]

How about a cast aluminum pan?

I have an old Magnalite roaster, I will have to give it a try!

 

[gadzooks]

Geez...I'm gonna have to spread out the gold bars every time a I want to grill a steak...and then clean them before I put them back under the b...you didn't see that.

 

[buckytom]

lol, zooks.

i'm curious: is the reason you bring a steak to room temp before grilling so it is more easily cooked medium to well done?

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Geez...I'm gonna have to spread out the gold bars every time a I want to grill a steak...and then clean them before I put them back under the b...you didn't see that.

Copper and silver are better. Or just use your cast iron pan and plan ahead...

lol, zooks.

i'm curious: is the reason you bring a steak to room temp before grilling so it is more easily cooked medium to well done?

The reason is because if your steak is icy cold it will be difficult to achieve a nice medium rare middle without overcooking the surface.

 

[buckytom]

don't you want a good char or sear on the surface?

 

[roadfix]

don't you want a good char or sear on the surface?

I get that in a couple or three minutes at most on each side.

 

[buckytom]

oh, ok. you must be cooking at really high temps. like north of 800 degrees.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

don't you want a good char or sear on the surface?

Of course I want a good "char" but I don't want the middle uncooked.

Please understand that I'd accept the middle almost "tartare." I want a nice char on the outside and a rare to medium rare in the middle.

If your steak is icy cold when it goes on the grill it's difficult to get that.

I want a narrower char and a wider band of rare or medium rare in the middle. But I don't really want any raw.

 

[roadfix]

oh, ok. you must be cooking at really high temps. like north of 800 degrees.

I don't know about 800 degrees but this is stove top cast iron griddle.

 

[buckytom]

i understand, thanks.

i've never rested a steak to bring up the temp before cooking in many different ways: broiling, grilling (charcoal or gas), grill pan, pan fried, or even over campfire coals on a backpack grate, and i've never had a problem achieving rare and medium rare through and through. in fact, i think it's easier with a cold steak. now medium to well done, then i can see how that would work.

 

[jennyema]

I have an all clad griddle that I use to defrost ... Now I'll use it to bring meat up to temp.

dUH!!!

Thanks y'all!!

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

i understand, thanks.

i've never rested a steak to bring up the temp before cooking in many different ways: broiling, grilling (charcoal or gas), grill pan, pan fried, or even over campfire coals on a backpack grate, and i've never had a problem achieving rare and medium rare through and through. in fact, i think it's easier with a cold steak. now medium to well done, then i can see how that would work.

BT, take it to the extreme. Imagine you are cooking a totally frozen steak. You just took it out of your freezer and now you want to throw it on the grill.

Or imagine it has been sitting on your kitchen counter for 24 hours and has achieved room temperature.

Do you see some mean here? (Mean in terms of mean average or middle ground.)