Best Way To Cook Steak?

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GilliAnne

Senior Cook
Joined
Jul 19, 2015
Messages
158
Location
Antrim
I don't know why it is, but recently I have been having difficulty cooking steak successfully. It always turns out chewy. My husband thinks it's the meat that is at fault. We usually get it from the butcher's shop next door to us and my husband complains that it is gristly, but the meat from next door is good meat - Charolais meat in fact. Even when I use steak from another source, I still have problems getting it right.

Any advice?

Gillian
 
That's one of those personal preferences that we each need to answer for ourselves.

For me, the secret is starting with the best steak that I can afford.:ermm::ohmy::LOL:

I usually pan fry steaks in a screaming hot cast iron skillet for 3-4 minutes on each side and let them rest for 3-4 minutes before cutting into them.

Good luck!
 
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I'm with Aunt Bea. The cut and quality make a world of difference. My preference is to reverse sear over hardwood charcoal.
 
If it's gristly and tough, the meat is most likely the problem. Really good steaks are more expensive. Talk to your butcher and tell him the meat has been gristly and tough and ask him to recommend another cut.
 
If it's gristly and tough, the meat is most likely the problem. Really good steaks are more expensive. Talk to your butcher and tell him the meat has been gristly and tough and ask him to recommend another cut.

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The most tender of all steak is the tenderloin (Filet Mignon) if you can afford it. If you overcook it, even that will be "tough and chewy". If you don't like rare steak you're doomed imo.
 
Good steaks/roast etc begin at the point of purchase. Start with a place that sells USDA Choice or Prime. Learn the difference and what to look for when selecting your steaks. Fun!
 
Marinate it for at least 2 hours in a combination of soy sauce,ginger,garlic,red capsicum,spring onion and brown sugar, comes out beautiful and tender
 
Good steaks/roast etc begin at the point of purchase. Start with a place that sells USDA Choice or Prime. Learn the difference and what to look for when selecting your steaks. Fun!

The location for this person is Antrim. I think that's in Ireland, so no USDA.

Nice to "see" you Uncle Bob. Don't be a stranger.
 
Okay, I am a steak lover, and my steaks rival the best steakhouses. Yes, I said that out loud.

First, the cut of beef is extremely important. The tenderloin, AKA Filet Mignon, is the most tender. But, it is also one of the less flavorful cuts, so you will need a lot of seasoning, and probably a sauce.

Sirloin is cheap, and has great beef flavor, but it can be tough.

My favorite cut is ribeye, AKA Scotch Filet. It has good flavor, and is tender.

As for cooking, the best tenderness and taste will come from a medium rare cook (rare will be more tender, but can also be "mushy").

As others have mentioned, cooking steak "hot and fast" is the best way. On an outdoor grill, get a good bed of hot coals going. Indoors, a very hot cast iron pan is a good way to go. I use sous vide, followed by a quick sear, but if you don't have the equipment for that, it won't help you.

Always start with a steak that is completely thawed, and preferably at room temperature. Don't worry, it is perfectly safe to do that. If your steak is ice cold, it will burn on the outside before it is properly cooked inside.

As for marinading steak. If you are using a budget cut, like sirloin, a marinade will definitely help tenderize the meat. For tenderloin or ribeye, it just isn't needed.

This is just the basics. There are a lot of good videos on YouTube about cooking steak, and most of the ones I have watched have been pretty good.

it is really not difficult, once you know the basics. Once you get the hang of it, it is actually very easy to cook a great steak.

CD
 
I'm kind of surprised that nobody has mentioned dry brining. We don't eat a lot of steak, but it really does make a difference. I've had some relatively inexpensive steaks come out great with dry brining. And to reiterate, you need a good thermometer, as temperature is critical.

https://amazingribs.com/tested-reci...pes/how-grill-better-steakhouse-steaks-recipe

Dry brining will improve a steak. It will not make it more tender or remove gristle which were the OP's original issue.
 
My wife often complains about her well done and destroyed steaks coming out gristly and tough while I enjoy my tender, medium rare steaks.

Same here. My daughters, SIL's, and grands will only eat well done steaks. It hurts to ruin a good rib eye, IMO. :( We've moved on to burgers when we grill, while my brother and I enjoy separate grill outs with rare to medium rare steaks. :yum:
 
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