Cooking Techniques For the Perfect Steak
Types of Steaks, Grading Cuts of Beef, Steak Recipes

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Grading Cuts of Beef:

For the perfectly steak, you must begin with good-quality beef and the right cut.

The USDA's grading system gives a good way to assess quality. The grading designations are largely determined by the amount of visible fat that's streaked throughout the muscle tissue, called marbling. Beef that's richly marbled gets a higher grade; it's more tender, juicy, and flavorful because the intramuscular fat melts and bastes the flesh during cooking. Also, since fat insulates, marbling provides some insurance against overcooking. Look for small, evenly distributed specks of fat rather than larger and sparser ones.

Prime - The highest grade in the U.S. meat grading system. Prime has the most marbling and is produced in limited quantities. Prime beef is most commonly sold in fine restaurants, specialty meat markets and is exported to upscale restaurants in foreign countries.

Choice - Choice has less marbling than Prime but more than Select. It is typically found in the service meat case at your local grocery store.

Select - Select has the least amount of marbling of the top three grades, making it leaner but possibly less tender, juicy or flavorful than Prime or Choice. Select is most commonly found in the self-service meat case at your local grocery store. Not recommended for top-quality steaks.


My Favorite Steak Recipes:

Beef Tenderloin Steaks Stuffed with Morels

Cabernet-Cherry Filet Mignon

Cabernet Filet Mignon

Chipotle Grilled Filets

Ginger-Soy Flank Steak

Grilled Beef Tenderloin in Cabernet Sauce

Grilled Filet Mignon

Peppered Top Sirloin Steak Steak Diane


Cooking Techniques For The Perfect Steaks

Using dry heat is the best way to cook steaks and other tender cuts of meat. Dry heat cooking causes the exterior of the meat to brown and caramelize which gives the steaks a richly browned complex flavor. This is partly a result of the sugars inherent in the meat going through a series of complex reactions called the "Maillard reaction." The moisture on the surface of the meat also evaporates and the juices becomes concentrated, forming the appealing brown crust.


Use a Meat Thermometer:
 

For best grilling results, cook steaks according to a Cooking or Meat Thermometer rather than a timetable. Remove steaks from the grill 5 degrees before your steak reaches the desired doneness. Let steaks rest 5-10 minutes before serving. During this time the meat continues to cook (meat temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees after it is removed from the oven) and the juices redistribute (add juices that accumulate from resting steaks to wine sauce).

    Rare - 120°F
    Medium Rare - 125°F
    Medium - 130°F


What constitutes rare and medium-rare cooked meat?

To satisfy government home economists, the Beef Council says rare beef means an internal temperature of 140 degrees F. Well, that is ok if you like well-done and dry meat. If you like moist, rosy meat (like I do), rare begins at 120 degrees and starts to become medium rare at 125 or 130 degrees. To cook your meat properly, you must purchase and use a good instant-read digital meat thermometer.
 


Pan-Searing:
 
In a heavy frying pan (I use my cast-iron frying pan) over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sear the steaks, moving them with tongs a little so they don't stick to the bottom, for 5 to 6 minutes per side.
Use a meat thermometer to test for doneness.

When the steaks are crusty-charred and done to your liking, remove from the pan, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest 5-10 minutes before serving. During this time the meat continues to cook (meat temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees after it is removed from the oven) and the juices redistribute; add juices that accumulate from resting steaks to any sauce you are making). Serve whole or slice thin and fan onto individual serving plates.

   

Sear-Roasting:

Preheat oven to 500°F (a very hot oven produces a juicy interior). Place 10 to 12-inch ovenproof skillet or cast-iron skillet in oven. When oven reaches 500°F temperature, remove pan from oven and place on range over high heat (the pan and the handle will be extremely hot - be careful).

Immediately place steaks in the middle of hot, dry pan (if cooking more than one piece of meat, add the pieces carefully so that they are not touching each other). Cook 1 to 2 minutes without moving; turn with tongs and cook another 1 to 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and put the cast iron skillet with the steaks in it into the oven. Cook an additional 3 to 5 minutes, depending on thickness of steaks and degree of doneness you like. Use a meat thermometer to test for doneness.

When the steaks are crusty-charred and done to your liking, remove from the pan, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest 5-10 minutes before serving. During this time the meat continues to cook (meat temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees after it is removed from the oven) and the juices redistribute (add juices that accumulate from resting steaks to wine sauce). Serve whole or slice thin and fan onto individual serving plates.
 

Grilling or Barbecuing:

Using dry heat from a grill is another great way to cook quality steaks. Remove steaks from refrigeration 1 hour before cooking and wipe any excess marinade (if used) off the steaks.

When you are ready to grill, preheat barbecue grill and coat your grill with non-stick kitchen spray before you begin to keep your steaks from sticking to the grill. Place steaks onto hot grill. Season the steaks liberally with coarse salt and grill to the desired degree of doneness, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium rare. Use a meat thermometer to test for doneness.

When the steaks are crusty-charred and done to your liking, remove from the grill and let sit 15 minutes before serving (meat temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees after it is removed from the oven).
 


Types of Steaks:


Choosing the correct cut of meat is very important when grilling. Some of the best steaks for grilling are the premium cuts. Thickness of the steak is very important. Each cut should be between 1 inch and 1 ½ inches thick. The strip steaks and top sirloin should be a little less expensive than the filet mignon, t-bone, porterhouse, and rib eye. 

Photos from Hormel Foods & CSU Meat Sciences.
 



Filet Mignon or Tenderloin -
The filet mignon is a stylish cut taken from the heart of the beef tenderloin that has outstanding taste as well as texture. They're the most tender steaks you can buy, though not the most flavorful. 

 


Filet Fraud - Don't be fooled!

Also known as mock tender steak, fish steak, chuck fillet steak, chuck tender steak, shoulder petit tender.

Some less-than-honorable butchers and restaurants serve and sell cheaper cuts of meat that they masquerade as expensive filet mignon.

Real filet has a very fine grain and a buttery texture with no connective tissue. The chuck tender has more marbling and noticeable connective tissues. In other words, it is tougher.
 

 



New York Strip -
The New York strip is such an excellent cut for grilling, many grilling experts refer to it as the "ultimate" steak for cooking out.



Porterhouse
- The Porterhouse is a very large steak that is actually a combination of two steaks: the New York strip on one side and a tender filet on the other. Many believe these to be the best of all steaks.


Rib Eye
- Another classic cut, the rib eye has marbling throughout the meat - making it one of the juiciest cuts as well as very tender.
 



T-Bone
- Named for its distinguishing T-shaped bone, this choice cut is almost identical to a Porterhouse steak, only it doesn't have as much of the tenderloin muscle in it. The T-bone steak is a succulent cut that is a favorite of steak fans. It is both a strip sirloin (with the bone) and a tender filet mignon.
 



Top Sirloin
- The sirloin is near the rump, so the meat's a bit tougher than cuts from the loin or the rib. The top sirloin is a juicy cut taken from the center of the sirloin - the most tender part - and a great cut for grilling.