Marinated steak: Wipe off marinade before cooking?

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

Beef fat has a low smoke point so you could be facing a smoky kitchen if you pan fry steaks at a high temp as is recommended.

I often have a smoky kitchen, which drives my wife crazy.

I use chicken fat if I'm stir frying chicken, pork fat if I'm pan frying pork, etc.

I use veggie oil if I'm stir-frying veggies. Go figure.

I use butter for eggs, lard for making pie crusts.

Oh, and bacon fat can be substitued for all of the above, except for the pie crust.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

[Greg Who Cooks]

(I'm just waking up...)

I put a small amount of EVOO on a paper towel and gave the pan a very light swipe, threw on some sea salt and then the steak.

My smoking problem was much less than the previous time that I didn't wipe off the marinade.

My steak would have come out fine if I hadn't been fussing with the computer instead of watching my steak. It was okay even with that, one side having gotten a little too much crust (slightly burned in appearance but not much burn taste).

So resolved: It works better to wipe off most of the marinade before cooking a marinated steak.

[FrankZ]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

Beef fat has a low smoke point so you could be facing a smoky kitchen if you pan fry steaks at a high temp as is recommended.

Beef tallow seems to have a smoke point around 420F. That looks like (from charts) to be in the lower end of the middle but higher than some oils that people might use like canola.

Now unrendered beef fat I don't know about.

[taxlady]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

Beef fat has a low smoke point so you could be facing a smoky kitchen if you pan fry steaks at a high temp as is recommended.

I figure it's not worse than leaving that piece of fat on the steak when I fry it.

[Greg Who Cooks]

That's what I was thinking too.

[Steve Kroll]

I realize my two cents is far too late but, yes, I would wipe off the marinade, too.

Now as far as oiling the pan, I don't do that. I read a tip many years back that suggested rubbing oil on the steak and not the pan, so that's how I've done it. And if you want to know the whole truth, I rub my steaks with lard. Yes, lard. I realize it's not from the same family as cow, but it's animal fat and it tastes good.

[Greg Who Cooks]

Steve, I wish you had been here early enough to tell me to quit fiddling with the Internet and pay attention to cooking my steak! But anyway it was a clear winner over recent steak cooking on my substandard temporary cookware, the slightly rubbed steak came out much better than the marinade dripping steak, and it was also a good idea to get the garlic rubbed off, or most of it, because the garlic burned before.

I ran a quick smear of EVOO on the pan and threw the steak on before it had any chance to burn, just to prevent sticking. It probably didn't need that. Even with the mild burn it lifted right up. I think my previous sticking problem was caused by excess marinade.

Really, I hope to get back to grilling soon but unfortunately the grill didn't make my move so I'll have to get a new one. In fact I'm planning on a charcoal grill, a gas grill and a smoker too (maybe two, a vertical one and a smoke box one). I have big plans for my next home. A guy cannot have too many grills, barbecues and smokers. It's like being too rich, too thin or too good looking!

[Caslon]

I wipe off the marinade simply so it doesn't overpower the taste of the beef after cooking.