Best Way to Cook a Steak?

[BeastMan]

This isn't a definitive "my way is the best" thread. I'm curious what everyone's favorite method that they think is the best. Sear, reverse sear, sous vide, charcoal, wood, cast iron, etc... What yall got?

[BeastMan]

My favorite method is the traditional sear over charcoal. What I do is dump all my coals on the left side of my kettle grill. They'll almost be touching the grates. I season my steak with course salt and pepper. Sear over the flame side on each side until desired level of crust (I like a good crust). Then I move it to the opposite side for indirect cooking and pop in an iGrill thermometer. Slow cook until you hit desired internal temp. 133 is my sweet spot. It will continue to cook up just a bit after you pull it off. I pull the steak and wrap it in foil with fresh minced and sauteed garlic butter, about a tablespoon. Leave covered for at least 5 mins but up to 10 is fine. When I plate I dump all the juice in the foil back over the steak. Using this method I've had very few steaks at even high-end steakhouses touch what I can do at home with choice grade meat. I think the difference is the rest. It's hard to do that in a commercial setting.

[SpeckleDawg]

My favorite method is the traditional sear over charcoal. What I do is dump all my coals on the left side of my kettle grill. They'll almost be touching the grates. I season my steak with course salt and pepper. Sear over the flame side on each side until desired level of crust (I like a good crust). Then I move it to the opposite side for indirect cooking and pop in an iGrill thermometer. Slow cook until you hit desired internal temp. 133 is my sweet spot. It will continue to cook up just a bit after you pull it off. I pull the steak and wrap it in foil with fresh minced and sauteed garlic butter, about a tablespoon. Leave covered for at least 5 mins but up to 10 is fine.

Pretty much this, but I cook to 137 and take off and let it rest for a bit without covering with foil. There's endless ways to cook a good steak, but I enjoy sitting outside by the grill.

[shoeless joe]

Gotta go charcoal.

I love a good sear with the inside as rare as possible while still achieving the desired sear. I have yet to have a restaurant be able to match my sear/desired rareness so I much prefer to prepare every steak I eat.

[viverlibre]

My favorite method is the traditional sear over charcoal. What I do is dump all my coals on the left side of my kettle grill. They'll almost be touching the grates. I season my steak with course salt and pepper. Sear over the flame side on each side until desired level of crust (I like a good crust). Then I move it to the opposite side for indirect cooking and pop in an iGrill thermometer. Slow cook until you hit desired internal temp. 133 is my sweet spot. It will continue to cook up just a bit after you pull it off. I pull the steak and wrap it in foil with fresh minced and sauteed garlic butter, about a tablespoon. Leave covered for at least 5 mins but up to 10 is fine. When I plate I dump all the juice in the foil back over the steak. Using this method I've had very few steaks at even high-end steakhouses touch what I can do at home with choice grade meat. I think the difference is the rest. It's hard to do that in a commercial setting.

This man knows what he is doing. After the sear, I let mine cool down to room temp, then cook to 135. Let them come to room temp before throwing on the grill.

[Howboutdemdogs]

Start with a marinade of Dales and Worcheshire. Put a little Montreal Steak seasoning on each side. Quick sear on the highest heat to lock in the juices and for color. Place away from the heat and cook till medium rare. Finish with melted garlic and butter lathered in both sides. Let it rest for 5 min and serve. Basil Hadden or a good Cab washes it down every time.

[starkvegasdawg]

Marinate 24-48 with pineapple juice, teriyaki, ginger, lemon pepper, and garlic. Charcoal grill sear 1-2.minutes each side and then indirect heat to desired doneness. I'll flip them often basting with reserve marinade. When they're almost to each person's order back over direct heat with more basting to get them a little more brown on outside and then on the plate they go. Medium rare to medium for me and medium well to well done for the wife.

[BeastMan]

Marinate 24-48 with pineapple juice, teriyaki, ginger, lemon pepper, and garlic. Charcoal grill sear 1-2.minutes each side and then indirect heat to desired doneness. I'll flip them often basting with reserve marinade. When they're almost to each person's order back over direct heat with more basting to get them a little more brown on outside and then on the plate they go. Medium rare to medium for me and medium well to well done for the wife.

That sounds incredible for Asian night with some fried rice and sushi

[Matty Dispatch]

I was a charcoal fan for years until a buddy made me a steak on a cast iron skillet. Ever since then I've been cooking them that way - it's so easy to get it just right and I can have a perfect steak in 20 minutes (5 minutes to the pan to get scalding hot, 5 minutes on each side, and 5 minutes to rest). I just use salt, pepper and butter.

I'm also a fan of buying a cheap cut and then putting some crab meat, or ranchero sauce or plabano peppers, onions and rice over the steak. I actually prefer this because of the multiple flavor combinations, but there's no use in buying a nice steak if you're going to top it so it's a little cheaper (although crab is not).

[TUSK]

1) Get a killer cut of meat.
2) Put it on a plate.
3) Eat said steak.

[Matty Dispatch]

1) Get a killer cut of meat.
2) Put it on a plate.
3) Eat said steak.

I ate dinner with a guy one time at a steakhouse and he told the waiter, "slap it's butt and send it to me". He ate that thing raw and was slopping up all the blood with the bread.

[Uncle Ruckus]

Steaks at restaurants suck for what you pay
I use gas. It’s not the best, but it’s how I cook. I put a cast iron skillet on high heat and sear about a minute on each side in unsalted butter, thyme and garlic, constantly basting with a spoon. I then cook it over mediumish heat until it feels right when I poke it. It’s not scientific or timed, but it comes out right every time. I just use kosher salt and fresh ground better on the steak.

[Bully13]

Can't wait to cook my next steak in cast iron. Youtube has good videos on it. Had never cooked a steak without a lot of marinade before. just salt and pepper. next time I'm using butter as my oil.

[Bully13]

That sounds incredible for Asian night with some fried rice and sushi

LOL Beast. Hey Vegas, you know I dig you man but I guess each to his own.

I think you and your better half may wanna try something different one night. Also, medium is for burgers.

[IMissJack]

My favorite method is the traditional sear over charcoal. What I do is dump all my coals on the left side of my kettle grill. They'll almost be touching the grates. I season my steak with course salt and pepper. Sear over the flame side on each side until desired level of crust (I like a good crust). Then I move it to the opposite side for indirect cooking and pop in an iGrill thermometer. Slow cook until you hit desired internal temp. 133 is my sweet spot. It will continue to cook up just a bit after you pull it off. I pull the steak and wrap it in foil with fresh minced and sauteed garlic butter, about a tablespoon. Leave covered for at least 5 mins but up to 10 is fine. When I plate I dump all the juice in the foil back over the steak. Using this method I've had very few steaks at even high-end steakhouses touch what I can do at home with choice grade meat. I think the difference is the rest. It's hard to do that in a commercial setting.

Almost the same as you. I use lump charcoal on a komado joe. I can set ceramic on one side of the coals to cook without direct heat after searing it. I usually do not wrap in aluminum foil just let it rest on its own before eating. Top with a little garlic butter. Serve with a baked potato and I'm a happy man. I have become a firm believer though that the better the meat to start with, the better my steaks are. I now almost always buy my steaks from a local Meat Shop with a good butcher. I don't like having to dig around at Kroger to try to find something that's not going to be as good as what he has anyway.

[Bully13]

On a side note, anybody ever seen / heard of Wynco grocery stores? I get beef tenderloin that is vacuum packed for under $8 per pound. Same shit is sold at Cosco (next to Wynco) for over $14 per pound. Never underestimate the type of beef you are cooking.

[BeastMan]

Steaks at restaurants suck for what you pay
I use gas. It’s not the best, but it’s how I cook. I put a cast iron skillet on high heat and sear about a minute on each side in unsalted butter, thyme and garlic, constantly basting with a spoon. I then cook it over mediumish heat until it feels right when I poke it. It’s not scientific or timed, but it comes out right every time. I just use kosher salt and fresh ground better on the steak.

Agreed big-time. I’ve had a few subpar steaks at “high-end” local steakhouses the last 6 months so I did some asking within the food broker/vender sector and I’ve been told that a few of our local steakhouses that you think use prime beef, use choice. Last one I went to I told my wife my steak either wasn’t prime or it was the worst prime cut I’ve ever had. My food sources told me it was choice and while I was happy my inkling was on, I was shocked a place like that would do that. I had 3 steaks at the Ruth Chris in Ridgeland and they were all incredible. Reason: that company has to use prime beef. I can’t imagine the metro is the only market like that either. I’m kind of at the point now where if I want a good steak I’m going to a butcher and cooking at home. That way I know what I’m getting and I’m not paying $50 for a choice ribeye at a “high-end” steakhouse.

[BeastMan]

Steaks at restaurants suck for what you pay
I use gas. It’s not the best, but it’s how I cook. I put a cast iron skillet on high heat and sear about a minute on each side in unsalted butter, thyme and garlic, constantly basting with a spoon. I then cook it over mediumish heat until it feels right when I poke it. It’s not scientific or timed, but it comes out right every time. I just use kosher salt and fresh ground better on the steak.

That’s almost verbatim the Gordon Ramsey method. I do that regularly and it’s a great way to do it

[starkvegasdawg]

That sounds incredible for Asian night with some fried rice and sushi

It's my variation of the marinade used by Harvey's and the Grill.

[huffy]

Great info here guys. Now I have to cook steaks tonight.

[TUSK]

I know only a little bit more about cooking than I do baseball (less than dick), but the best steak I ever ate went like this....

I had a fire in my firepit out back... Had a great bed of coals...

I sat my Grandmom's ole skillet down on it til it was almost glowing... Threw in a stick of butter...

Great cut of meat rubbed with fancy salt and black pepper... it almost jumped out of the skillet then stuck to it...

I pried it up with a spatula after about a minute, flipped it, pried it back up again after a minute or two...

Let it set for about 10 minutes, then knocked it out...

[SapperDawg]

I was a reverse sear guy over coals forever. Now am a sous vide tomahawk ribeye man. No matter the thickness, 4-12 hours in a sous vide then seared on a grate over your charcoal chimney is 100% the way to go.

Perfectly cooked 100% through, killer crust, and no resting required. Throw a very large pat of Kerrygold butter on top and it is ready to eat.

Ill be having steak tomorrow night...thanks.

[Bully13]

cooked a choice rib eye tonight on the cast iron tonight. Got a $5.69 lb deal at Kroger. used butter since I forgot to get that grape seed oil that won't smoke up the house too bad. the butter smoked up things pretty bad but at least the smoke alarms didn't go off. (bettern my olive & coconut oil) it was great. just salt & pepper on one side with a little Lea & Perrins and tony's on the other. was only my 2nd attempt, still trial & error. Enjoying the cast iron journey.

[BeardoMSU]

Almost the same as you. I use lump charcoal on a komado joe. I can set ceramic on one side of the coals to cook without direct heat after searing it. I usually do not wrap in aluminum foil just let it rest on its own before eating. Top with a little garlic butter. Serve with a baked potato and I'm a happy man. I have become a firm believer though that the better the meat to start with, the better my steaks are. I now almost always buy my steaks from a local Meat Shop with a good butcher. I don't like having to dig around at Kroger to try to find something that's not going to be as good as what he has anyway.
I used this method pretty much all the time up until recently. I now sous vide my steaks, then finish them by searing and basting with butter, garlic, and thyme. Sous vide really maxes out the texture of the steak; the meat is a lot more tender/supple because it isn’t getting that Maillard reaction for an extended period of time, but rather just the time needed to sear. Plus you get an edge to edge doneness.

[TUSK]

I used this method pretty much all the time up until recently. I now sous vide my steaks, then finish them by searing and basting with butter, garlic, and thyme. Sous vide really maxes out the texture of the steak; the meat is a lot more tender/supple because it isn’t getting that Maillard reaction for an extended period of time, but rather just the time needed to sear. Plus you get an edge to edge doneness.

There were a lot of suspect words in that "steak cookin" post.:confused:

[Bully13]

I used this method pretty much all the time up until recently. I now sous vide my steaks, then finish them by searing and basting with butter, garlic, and thyme. Sous vide really maxes out the texture of the steak; the meat is a lot more tender/supple because it isn’t getting that Maillard reaction for an extended period of time, but rather just the time needed to sear. Plus you get an edge to edge doneness.

You been up in Yankee Land too long Beard? Steak recipes shouldn't need a 17ing dictionary dude. damn smarty pants.

Just partially ragging on you Beard. I know you mean well sir. But still, damn.

Also, I've given up on cast iron steak cooking. Went and got me some of that fancy assed grape seed oil and still smoked up the entire 17ing house. Wife bitches about it.

[BeardoMSU]

There were a lot of suspect words in that "steak cookin" post.:confused:

Soak it in Dales for 2 days. Grill it til crispy. If it ain't all the way well done, nuke that ****er in the microwave. Slather it with some ketchup. That better?**