Help me cook a tender steak?!
Help me cook a tender steak?
I love to cook but my biggest challenge is beef. Every time I cook beef whether it's steak or something eles, it comes out tough. I am tired of waisting money on a piece of meat that I end up not being able to eat. Is there any way to buy an inexpensive piece of meat and make it tender?
Answers:
As a chef I use the sear-roasting method in my restaurant as well as at home. The preparation combines two common forms of cooking. First, sear the meat in a heavy skillet over high heat to brown it. Then transfer it to a moderate oven to finish cooking. The result is a flavorful browned crust that roasting alone cannot produce in a short amount of time and an even doneness that is hard to achieve on the stove top. Sear-roasting works with almost any tender cut of meat or fish.
Start with a heavy, ovenproof pan, one that can absorb and retain heat. I'm partial to my worn cast-iron skillet, but good stainless-steel skillets also do the job. Nonstick pans generally aren't up for the task, as the polytetrafluoroethylene surface (and the handles, if they are plastic), don't hold up well to high heat. It's best if the skillet is at least 12 inches wide, large enough to properly brown and roast four chicken breasts, salmon fillets or beef tenderloin steaks at one time. Pork chops, which tend to be a little bulkier, are best seared two at a time.
The primary sear relies on a powerful initial blast of heat. Although the natural tendency when cooking with high heat is to fiddle with food for fear of burning, it is crucial to let the meat cook untouched, for two or three minutes, to achieve the perfect sear and avoid its sticking to the skillet. After searing the meat, transfer it to a 200deg C. oven, where the constant temperature will finish cooking the meat gently and evenly.
In restaurants, practiced chefs roast the meat or fish until it feels just so. But if you're not comfortable checking doneness by touch, or if you want to be more certain, an instant-read thermometer or an ovenproof digital thermometer displays a temperature reading that will let you know the moment to pull the skillet from the oven.
Once the meat (or fish) is cooked to the desired doneness, remove it from the oven -- taking care to use potholders since the skillet's handle will be extremely hot -- and set aside to rest for about five minutes. This will allow the food's juices to redistribute and will ensure that the steak, chop or fillet will be wonderfully juicy.
From my years in restaurant kitchens, I've learned there are plenty of ways to build on this technique, but at home I like to keep it simple, adding a few pats of butter, some chopped herbs such as rosemary, sage or thyme, and aromatics such as garlic or shallots to the pan before transferring the dish to the oven. The flavors of the herbs and aromatics meld to form a subtly flavored, browned butter sauce, which then perfumes the roast meat -- as well as the rest of the house. While the meat is resting, I baste it with the infused butter from the skillet. Then I drizzle the remaining butter over the meat just before serving. You could also make a pan sauce by omitting the butter and instead adding a flavorful liquid such as vinegar, wine or chicken broth after the skillet comes out of the oven. Then reduce it slightly on the stove top to make a jus.
Though the combination of sear-roasting adds an extra step to your basic sear or roast, it actually can be less stressful and time-consuming than either of the individual techniques. The sear is relatively quick, so you won't have to worry about any burning. And roast affords you a couple of minutes of hands-free time -- enough to set the table, complete any side dishes and allow a busy weeknight to slow down to a tranquil pace.
Basic Sear-Roasting Method
4 servings
To impart flavor to a basic sear-roast technique, choose one of the pairings below using aromatic vegetables and herbs, or create your own combination.
If you wish to make more than four servings, sear the meat or fish in two batches and then place in a large roasting pan before transferring to the oven, being sure to also transfer all of the flavorful juices from the skillet.
1 3/4 to 3 pounds meat, poultry or fish (such as thick beef steaks, thick-cut pork chops, skin-on chicken breasts or fish fillets)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
Fresh herbs
Aromatic vegetables
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Turn the exhaust fan to high.
Sprinkle both sides of the meat or fish generously with salt and pepper.
Place a large, heavy, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking and a drop of water instantly vaporizes on its surface, about 2 minutes. Add the oil and carefully tilt the skillet to slide the oil around. Place the meat or fish in the skillet, spacing it evenly.
(Note: If the pieces of meat or fish do not fit with plenty of space on all sides, sear the meat in 2 batches.)
Sear the meat, without touching, until the edges of the meat or fish are well browned and its surface easily releases from the pan, 2 to 3 minutes. Check by using a pair of tongs and gently picking up one corner of the meat or fish; if it sticks, wait another minute before trying again. Turn and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add the butter, herbs and aromatics to the skillet and transfer to the oven (see Variations).
Roast until the meat or fish reaches the desired doneness, 4 to 20 minutes, depending on the size and type of ingredient. Check for doneness using an instant-read or digital thermometer. Remove the skillet from the oven -- take care to use potholders as it will be extremely hot -- and set aside to allow the meat or fish to rest for 5 minutes, basting occasionally with the infused butter. You may wish to leave the potholder on the handle as a reminder that the pan is hot. Serve immediately with a drizzle of the butter. Remove and discard the herbs and the aromatics, if they are too charred.
VARIATIONS
Chicken Use 4 chicken breasts (bone-in or boneless, skin-on), 10 sprigs thyme and 5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed. Cook until the meat registers 170 degrees.
Pork Use 4 center-cut, bone-in pork chops (about 3 pounds), 8 sage leaves and 3 shallots, peeled and quartered. Cook until the meat registers 160 degrees.
Salmon Use four 6-ounce salmon fillets, 4 sprigs rosemary and four 1-inch pieces of lemon zest. Cook until the fish registers 135 degrees for medium.
Beef Use four 8-ounce beef tenderloin steaks, 4 sprigs rosemary, 3 shallots, peeled and quartered. Cook until the meat registers 125 degrees for medium-rare.
You can pound it out and dont turn the heat up too high.
Generally, tender steaks are had from rib, loin and siroin cuts.
Anything else will be tough. The reason is the meat from the rib, loin and sirloin are muscle that are not used a lot by the steer so the muscles are not tough.
For other cuts of meat, you can use a mallet or a tenderizer but the meat will still be slightly tough.
Cut the meat thin and pound it thinner... so you can make cheesesteaks and fajitas. The cutting thin and pounding shortens the tough muscle fibers so it's easier to chew.
Try marinating and also cooking slower at a lower temperature. Here are a few recipes to give you an idea of what you need to do and good luck
TENDER-UP BEEF MARINADE
2 1/2 c. vinegar
2 1/2 c. water
3 onions, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
12 whole cloves
2 or 3 bay leaves
6 pepper corns
1 1/2 tbsp. salt
Combine all ingredients; let stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Then add a 3 to 4 pound rump or chuck roast. For a mild flavor, let meat marinade 24 hours in refrigerator. For tenderizing and more flavor, refrigerate in marinade 2 or 3 days. Grill for 15 to 20 minutes on each side.
MARINATED BEEF ROAST
4 or 5 lbs. eye round beef
1 tbsp. meat tenderizer
3 c. white wine
3/4 c. salad oil
1 tbsp. salt
1 tsp. rosemary
Pinch of sage
Pinch of thyme
1 tbsp. black pepper
2 onions
2 tbsp. melted butter
1 tsp. celery seeds
Pierce surface of the roast in many places with a fork or skewer and sprinkle with meat tenderizer. Put beef in a deep bowl and pour in marinade mixture of wine, salad oil, salt, rosemary, sage, thyme, pepper, and sliced onions. Cover bowl and let meat stand for 24 hours in refrigerator, turning occasionally to flavor and tenderize all areas. At the end of marinating time, drain meat (save marinade) and insert spit through center. Combine 2 cups of marinade, melted butter and celery seed. Baste meat frequently with this mixture. Roast in an electric rotisserie for about 1 hour and 20 minutes or until meat thermometer registers desired degree of doneness. Follow manufacturer's directions for using rotisserie.
GARLIC BEEF STEAK
2 beef rib fillets
4 cloves garlic
1 chili pepper
1 scallion
1/2 T cooking wine
1/2 T cornstarch
1 tsp salt
1 T rice wine
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1/2 T cornstarch mixed with 2 T water
Cut each rib fillet into three equal portions.
Prepare a marinade with 1/2 T cooking wine, 1/2 T and 1 tsp salt. Marinate steak for 20 minutes.
Mince garlic, shred chili pepper and scallion finely.
Heat oil in a wok, fry beef ribs until half cooked; remove and set aside; stir fry chili pepper and scallion, then garlic. Return ribs, add 1 T rice wine, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 T cornstarch water.
Saute over high heat until ribs are done. Serve.
Wrap it in foil with your favorite spices and/or marinade. Place it on a cookie sheet and into the oven (center rack) for 3 hrs at 210 degrees F. It's going to melt in your mouth.
There are many kinds of marinades that help tenderize meat. You need to look up some stuff about them though, because some take longer than others and some work REALLY fast. For example, a marinade with pineapple juice in it will work quite fast and you don't want to leave it on too long, because it actually starts breaking down some of the meat -- there is a substance in it that I can't remember the name, but that is what does it.
Also, you can use vinegar based marinades.
The thing is, if you really want to have a tender steak, you need to buy a cut that is likely to be tender in the first place. Watch your grocery store ads, as often the good cuts go on special for really reasonable prices. If you find some that you really like, you could consider buying some extras while they are still on sale and keep them in the freezer.
Another thing that helps is to pound the meat with one of those "hammer" looking thingies.
As far as marinades go though, you could google it or something -- put in something like meat tenderizing marinade -- or something to that effect.
Good luck. I know it can be frustrating. I am on a really tight budget and it is hard to get a good piece of meat for a decent price these days. Do your homework and you will come up with something wonderful!
When you choose a steak try and get a nice piece that relatively thick, with some nice marbling through it, scotch fillet, or rib eye, or even eye fillet are great, when you cook it, make sure you only turn it once, dont season it with salt until the end or it will suck out the moisture, and sorry if you like it well done, but anything over medium will dry it out. Once you have cooked it, season it with salt and take it off the heat and let it rest on a board cover it with some tin foil for about 5 mins to let the fibers relax before you eat it. Your steak will be moist, tender and juicy.
The easiest way to cook any cut of beef is to first put it in a glass bowl or pyrex dish and pour a cup of white or balsamic vinegar over it with a few peppercorns and garlic(both are optional), cover with plastic wrap .. let it sit a couple of hours up to 24 hours in the vinegar(up to 3 days if you are making Saurbraten) and then roast, fry, grill as usual. You will have a tender beef no matter what the cut, everytime!
Use a slow cooker like a Crock Pot. I cooked a chicken that way once. It was tender all right, like mush, and it looked awful pale, but it was edible. I've had better luck with beef.
Hi, here are a few rules how I learned to make an excellent beef stews or steaks.
1) You never wont to go with extra lean meat,fillet ins great but..you want to see some white lines for extra juice.
For steaks,I use strip,T-bone, ussually dont buy rib eye...
use iron skillet, heat it up until hot and you see smoke, at the same time turn on oven. For your steak, add just a fresh ground pepper, salt a little bit of olive oil, nothing else.Put steak on hot skillet,leave for about 3min,flip over,give another 2-3,depend hod you like it.Touch the steak with your finger and when still feeld kind a like a sponge,its done,put into oven for another 2-3minutes.
2)You have to let rest your steaks..it will reales the juices,let it rest on preheated plate 10min,than serve,it will be nice and juicy.If you serve right away and cut,meat will shrink and wont have any good juice.
3)Try to keep it simple when you make steaks and enjoy meat fresh flavor.
4) For stew,strips etc...alwasy cut meat AGAINTS the grain,you will notice a big difference,cook slower on low heat,add stocks.
5) For strips for taco,flank steak...use high heat or grill,cut into very thin slices and cut againts the grain-important for flank/skirt steak!!!
If you want a recipe for any easy meal,goulash,flank steak,steak and you will follow recipe,you cant get wrong.Need a good heat and pan,thats it!
The easiest way I have found to tenderise steak, is to flatten it a bit, using the bottom of a bottle or a rolling pin. Mix about 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder with about 1/4 cup of flour.(the measurements do not have to be precise) Dredge the steak in the mixture, turning it so that it is completely covered. shake all loose flour off, and place into another plate. Allow to stand for 1/2 hour, and then pat the spices on. Put into a hot pan, sear on both sides, and turn the heat down quite low. Cook until done. It comes out really soft and moist.