Cooking steak

[susan423]

I love eating steak in a restuarant. It is so tender and flavorful. Every single time I cook steak at home it is so tough. Don't understand what the do in resturants to make it so tender. Last night we had tbone. I marinated it in olive oil and seasoning. Seared it on top of the stove and then finished it in the oven. Was just like chewing leather. I've tried all differrent kinds of steak and different methods of cooking. I bought quite a bit of steak on sale the other day and hate to think about eating more shoe leather. How do you guys cook steak so it's nice and tender?

[SunnySmile501]

I have a gas grill. What I do to a great steak on a stove should be a crime. It still needs to be a little pink in the middle, or it will be tough every time--even on the grill.

[not2late]

It also depends on the cut of the steak. Lean steaks, like sirloin, turn into leather really fast---especially if you cook them past medium. But the fattier cuts, like ribeye or even a t-bone, can stand cooking to well done. The cuts at the steakhouses are really well marbled with fat (that's why they taste so good and are so tender.)

I cook steaks on the stove top only. I cook them medium high heat on each side. Then I use an instant read meat thermometer to test if they are done. And I let the steaks rest about 15 minutes before eating (rest them by putting them on a plate and loosely covering them with foil. They will continue to cook even after you remove them from the heat and will increase about 5 to 10 degrees. So when you use the thermometer, remove them from the pan when they are about 5 degress below the temperature you want. For example, if medium is 160 degrees F, take the steaks out when they are 155 degrees.)

[not2late]

Also, some the really high-end steakhouses sneak a piece of maitre'd butter onto the hot steak. That butter melts on the steak, giving it a slightly herby-lemony-buttery-savory flavor you don't get with a home-made steak.

Here's a recipe for maitre'd butter:
Gretchen’s Cookbook - Maitre d' Butter recipe

[barbecuer]

This is what I do...when I can't go outside and grill.

Turn the oven on broil and move the rack to the highest setting. Move the second rack on the next lowest level.

First I sear the steak. Sear it on all sides...not just the top and bottom. Use tonges if need be.

Once seared, move the steak to the highest rack and place the skillet you seared the steaks in on the 2nd rack directly below the steak to catch ony drippings.

Cook for as long as needed to get the steak up to the temp you want (meduim-rare being the best at 2 minutes per side).

This is probably as close to restaurant as you are going to get at home.

[susan423]

Thanks guys. I've tried all those methods. I don't normally grill but I've had them grilled. It sounds to me like the best steaks start with the best choice at the store.
I also try to cook it quite well done so maybe I should cook it a shorter time. (Although I always order it well done at resturants.)
Megs, That butter sounds awesome. Will have to try that.

[not2late]

No problem. The butter is one of those sneaky restaurant tricks. It enhances the flavor of the steak or any other grill meat, without it tasting like lemon, herbs, etc.

But if you like it well done, use a meat thermometer. My mom will only eat well done steaks (habit from childhood.) So when she's over here (or I'm over there ), i remove her steak from the pan when it's about 5 degrees below the "well done" stage. And I let it rest before she digs in. The resting phase redistributes the juices within the meat. If you don't let it rest and cut into it immediately, all the juices spill onto the plate.

[tfek70]

There are a few tricks that I use, and I will share them freely with you fine folks. First of all, the better the cut of meat, the less you should cook it. Filets and ribeyes should not get cooked past medium. A high temp sear is essential. Your high end steakhouses have the ability to sear at close to 2000 degrees. I can get my gas grill up to 800 if I turn on all of the burners and let it heat for about 15 minutes. A thicker steak grills much better than a thin one, so if I want an 8 oz ribeye, I buy a 16 oz one and cut it in half. I put my steaks in the freezer for an hour before I grill them so that I can sear them for 90 seconds per side. It lets the outside get done and the inside to stay pink. I use marinades that have acid in them like balsamic vinegar or citrus juice. This breaks down the meat very well. Also, the butter on top trick is a staple as well as letting the steak rest for at least 5 minutes prior to serving. After the searing, cook your steak at 400 degrees for 4 minutes per side. Turn your steaks 60 degrees instead of 90 degrees for the diamond shaped grill marks when you flip them.

[fresh]

You can try meat tenderizer, its at almost any store or carniceria.

[Sashie]

I also use an acid and an oil to tenderize my steaks. I was watching tv lastnight and they mentioned scoring, seasoning, and then freezing the steaks. Resting is a must! Thinly slice the steaks across the grain.

Paula Deen has a pretty good stovetop recipe in her book that has to do with black pepper on the steak, oil/butter in a cast iron skillet, mushrooms, red wine, beef bullion reduction yummy!!

Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics: The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook and The Lady & Sons, Too!