Great steaks

[dlbpharmd]

The best steak I ever had was a filet mignon at Besh Steakhouse, located inside the Harrah's Casino in New Orleans. It was about 10-12 ounces of pure heaven!

[drew]

Ah, steak...easy to cook well, just as easy to cook poorly.

I almost NEVER order steak when I eat out; too expensive for something my wife can cook (probebly better) at home.

There was this restraunt in Halifax called Steak and Stein...just a cheap hole in the wall steakhouse, but you could order their 'Derby Style' which was marrinated for what seemed like a few weeks...it was pretty good...nay it was Excellent.

Unfortuanatly after about ten years, the place finally got popular...the build a second one, then rebuilt the first one, and it went so far downhill, it's kind of a joke around town now.

[Cail]

Well, there's this place, which is the best I've ever had out...
www.lewnessteakhouse.com/

But I prefer to do it myself. I use a gas grille in the winter, and a charcoal grille in the summer. I prefer ribeyes, nice and marbled, though I've done a few fillets. I have a kick-butt marinate that I've concocted, I let the meat soak for at least 24 hours, and I'm meticulous about the cooking. Gotta be medium rare, that way you can still taste the meat.

I have no time for chain restaurant steaks (Outback, Ruby Tuesdays, etc.), and can't stand it when someone either fries them on the stove or bakes them in the oven.

Every once in a while I'll grille 'em up naked (the steaks, not me) with just some pepper and a bit of garlic.

I've been known to throttle people for using A-1 Sauce, or God forbid, catsup.

[dlbpharmd]

I use a gas grill exclusively. I'm too impatient to wait on charcoal to get ready. I use a rub, not a marinade (sp?) I do either ribeyes or filets, bought from a small mom and pop grocery store here in town. My steaks are good, but not great. It's as if I'm missing some fundamental secret to grilling great steaks. But I agree it has to be medium rare. If you like your steak well done, you ought to have to apologize to the cow.

The very first time I went to an Outback, maybe 10 years ago, I thought the ribeye was excellent. I haven't had a steak from there since that I couldn't have done better at home myself.

Some of the finer steakhouses offer a merlot-based steak sauce that is actually really good. I'd love to find a good recipe for that.

[The Laughing Man]

<uses A1 when the steak itself requires it.....cringes when: a filet mignon gets butterfly split by a.) an incompetent fool who doesn't know how to cook a filet well done, or b.) (heaven forbid) an ignorant fool requests it be split when ordering....if you're not prepared to wait for the delicious reward of a filet cooked properly, however you like it, pittsburgh rare to shoe leather, you are only cheating yourself...

Del Monaco rules, definitley.... ...I've heard of Kobe steak, never had it...

[drew]

**a nice treat with a good steak...mozzerella cheese.

No, not melted on the steak or anything crazy like that; but a few cubes of a good mozza with your steak is a nice surprise.

and Beer...ice cold beer makes even the crapiest steak taste great.

[Cail]

Try butter DLB. Butter your steak, then apply the rub (that's what Ruth's Chris does).

Charcoal takes more time, but the added flavor is worth it. I've got a nice Weber gas grille, and it does a passable job when it's 20 degrees outside, but nothing tops the flavor of a char-grilled steak.

[dlbpharmd]

Try butter DLB. Butter your steak, then apply the rub (that's what Ruth's Chris does).

Interesting tip, thanks!

One of the best steaks I ever had was at the Ruth's Criss in Memphis. However, recently I ate at another Ruth's Criss, and the steak was - well, almost gross. For some reason, it was presented in the grease straight from the grill, and not with merlot sauce like I mentioned before.

[Cail]

I wasn't that impressed with RC. It's good, but for the money I've been to better steak houses.

[Menolly]

I prefer Delmonico, or NY Strip. I've heard tri-tip is good, but have never seen one.

Thank you Esmer! Pittsburgh black and blue rare is exactly how I like my steaks. Nice to see someone else who knows of it.

I like to use this marinade on cheaper steaks. On a good quality steak, Montreal Steak Seasoning and some granulated garlic is all I need.

Balsamic Steak Marinade

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 TBS Montreal Steak Seasoning

Combine all in a gallon ziplock bag. Seal and shake well. Place steaks in bag and marinate at least 8 hours.
Remove steaks and place on grill. Cook to desired doneness.

On the cooking boards I frequent, I've heard good things about this marinade. But, I haven't tried it yet.

Cliff's Elbow Room Marinade
Compliments of Mary

1 cup soy sauce
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tsp beau monde seasoning
1/4 cup (2 oz.) bottled gravy coloring (Kitchen Bouquet or Gravy Master)

Combine soy sauce, onion and garlic in blender. Cover and process at high speed 1 minute. Stir in beau monde seasoning and gravy coloring. Makes @ 2 1/2 cups marinade.

Marinate or brush on steaks, roasts or burgers before cooking. Marinade can be kept for several weeks in the fridge.

Diane's Notes: If I make it ahead, I always stir well to recombine before using. I always marinate for several hours to ensure great flavor. I've only ever grilled steaks marinated in this. Hands down winner here in this house!

[stonemaybe]

Menolly, your Cliff's Elbow Room Marinade looks a bit like my gf's marinade for pork chops, which I can honestly say is the tastiest thing that I have EVER eaten....
Unfortunately she doesn't use exact quantities....
Garlic clove, finely chopped
Fresh ginger, finely chopped
Half a red chilli, finely chopped
Half or less of a spring onion (scallion) finely chopped
Soy sauce
Sugar/honey to taste
Sprinking of sesame seeds

Oh I'm hungry now!

[Menolly]

Menolly, your Cliff's Elbow Room Marinade looks a bit like my gf's marinade for pork chops, which I can honestly say is the tastiest thing that I have EVER eaten....
Unfortunately she doesn't use exact quantities....
Garlic clove, finely chopped
Fresh ginger, finely chopped
Half a red chilli, finely chopped
Half or less of a spring onion (scallion) finely chopped
Soy sauce
Sugar/honey to taste
Sprinking of sesame seeds

Oh I'm hungry now!

Ooo, the ginger, chilli, and sesame seeds sound like a great addition!

:::ammending recipe now:::

If y'all are ever in southeast Florida, and are looking for an affordable steakhouse instead of the well known expensive The Forge on Miami Beach, head up to Pompano Beach for The Flaming Pit. While they are renowned for their broasted chicken, I have always enjoyed their NY Strip prepared Pittsburgh rare. I've been told the same steak prepared medium rare (not Pittsburgh) is excellent as well.

[onewyteduck]

I wasn't that impressed with RC. It's good, but for the money I've been to better steak houses.

We've eaten at the RC in Mobile, felt the same way, thought maybe it was just that one. And the service was mediocre at best......a real downer after all the hype!

[dlbpharmd]

I ate at a Delmonico at Las Vegas, and wasn't particularly impressed with the steak, although everything else about the meal was outstanding.

Montreal Steak seasoning is great!

[drew]

We've got some steak in the 'fridge, some Sirloin Caps..

Gunna fry them up with garlic, onions and fresh shrimp--probebly have some baked potato's with 'em

[Warmark]

For a recent BBQ i went all-out adn bought a sirloin steak - it was delicious.

[dlbpharmd]

Try butter DLB. Butter your steak, then apply the rub (that's what Ruth's Chris does).

Tried Cail's tip with the butter last night - still feel like I'm missing something. The steak was good though, and the butter helped keep the rub on.

[iQuestor]

Try butter DLB. Butter your steak, then apply the rub (that's what Ruth's Chris does).

Charcoal takes more time, but the added flavor is worth it. I've got a nice Weber gas grille, and it does a passable job when it's 20 degrees outside, but nothing tops the flavor of a char-grilled steak.

I have a Big Green Egg www.biggreenegg.com/ -- a ceramic smoker which can be used to properly sear a steak. What i do is get it up to about 700 degrees, the sear the steaks for 1 min 30 secs on one side, then the same on the other. them I damp the hear and griill them for about 2 mins a side

I prep the steaks, which need to be thick, with butter and rub on both sides. I honestly have never been served a better steak than when i do these.

[Brinn]

Filet's on the grill with grilled aparagus! Take the filet and use a montreal dry rub (can be found at any grocery store) on both sides. Melt about a 1/2 cup of butter and brush the butter on liberally while cooking. Mmmmmmm!

P.S.
Don,

Cail's right. The trick is butter and, to a lesser degree, salt. I read Anthony Bourdain's "Kitchen Confidential" and he says that many people ask him why home cooked food doesn't taste as good and rich as restaurant fare. His response; "Restaurants use butter and salt in large quantities and on everything!"

[Zarathustra]

. . . still feel like I'm missing something.

Start with the meat. I cannot stress this enough. No amount of marinade, seasonings, or butter can make a steak graded at "Select," a good steak. Do not buy Select meat. And do not buy meat from Walmart! Go to Kroger, or a specialty meat shop (Chritchfields), and buy at least a cut graded "Choice." "Prime" is even better. Again, I cannot stress this enough. The meat is the whole point.

Also, which cut you buy is nearly as important as its grade. Cail is right about ribeyes. They have the best flavor, in my opinion. You want one with even, plentiful marbling. Fat is essential to the flavor, texture, and "juiciness" of a steak. But you don't want big globs of fat. You want marbling. In fact, meat is graded in the slaughterhouse by an electronic "eye" which analyzes the degree of marbling. (Kobe steak--the best in the world--looks like a freakin' bar code!)

Now, once you have the right meat, the rest is easy. Your meat naturally will taste fantastic, because you've chosen the best meat. There is absolutely no need to marinate it or butter it. Just a little bit of seasoning will bring out its natural flavorfulness. If you look at the ingredients of most steak seasoning--including Montreal Steak seasoning and Cavender's--the first three ingredients are always the same: salt, pepper, garlic. This is all you need. Don't buy the expensive stuff. Mix these three at 4 parts black pepper, 3 parts salt, and 1/2 to 1 part garlic powder. (I prefer finely ground, McCormmick's black pepper.)

Now, a gas grill cooks a steak the best. But at this point, it's really hard to f*ck it up. Gas or charcoal--they both have their advantages. Gas gets hotter, so you can sear the outside while still achieving a medium rare inside. Cooking a steak beyond medium rare is unnecessary from a sanitary standpoint. Cooking beyond medium rare will only diminish taste, tenderness, and juiciness. In short, it ruins the steak. But you do want a nice hot fire to sear the outside, to seal in the juices, and to provide a nice "crispy" counterpoint to the tenderness inside. (But that last point is more a personal preference thing.) Gas is best for searing. But charcoal provides a smokier taste that I prefer. So if you use gas, throw in some wood chips.

And that's it. These points, taken together, will consistently produce the best steaks you've ever tasted. You don't have to spend hundreds on a grill or expensive seasoning or marinade. Spend money on the meat. Season it simply. And don't cook it too long. That's it. That's the secret.