Cooking for one!
Discussion
bodhi said:
Steak is easy, lob it on a George Foreman grill, watch TV for 5 minutes, come back, done. I use various steak seasonings to add flavour, cook some chips, serve with Ketchup and some beans. You'll also find the cheapest way to cook for one is slabs of meat (steak, pork chops, lamb steaks), and a Foreman grill will be your friend. I have one of them and a deep fat fryer (I'm scottish, can't eat without one) and that's literally all I've got apart from a frying pan. I'm also 6 foot 2 and 11st so it doesn't seem too fattening either.
What about the fat on the inside - which is the real killerTina K said:
The secret of cooking steak is to make sure the meat is at room temperature before you start. That, and a 'rest' before serving.
Melt a knob of butter in a pan (any frying pan will do) with a teaspoon or so of oil, this stops the butter burning. As soon as the butter starts to colour and smoke a bit, lob the meat in, salt the uppermost side and keep the meat moving in the pan for 30 seconds or so.
Then, turn the meat over and lightly salt the uppermost side, turn the heat down to medium and give it a minute or two on that side. Turn it again, and give it a minute or two on the other side as well.
Then, keep turning the meat until it is nicely brown on both sides, and still has a bit of 'give' when pressed with the blade of a knife.
Finally, let the meat 'rest' in a warm place for 5 minutes before you eat it.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's 'River Cottage Meat Book' is a must-have for any carnivore, not least because it gives you the 'why' of cooking, and not just the 'how'.
It's a great book.Melt a knob of butter in a pan (any frying pan will do) with a teaspoon or so of oil, this stops the butter burning. As soon as the butter starts to colour and smoke a bit, lob the meat in, salt the uppermost side and keep the meat moving in the pan for 30 seconds or so.
Then, turn the meat over and lightly salt the uppermost side, turn the heat down to medium and give it a minute or two on that side. Turn it again, and give it a minute or two on the other side as well.
Then, keep turning the meat until it is nicely brown on both sides, and still has a bit of 'give' when pressed with the blade of a knife.
Finally, let the meat 'rest' in a warm place for 5 minutes before you eat it.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's 'River Cottage Meat Book' is a must-have for any carnivore, not least because it gives you the 'why' of cooking, and not just the 'how'.
But..... you should never turn a steak, or any other cut of meat more than once.
Can't remember the reason - I saw it on Saturday Cooks a few months ago and changed my method. Have to say that it has improved the quality of my meat significantly.
I *think* it was something to do with caramelising the surface of the meat properly - which you can't do if you keep turning it, as it loses heat.
I *think* it was something to do with caramelising the surface of the meat properly - which you can't do if you keep turning it, as it loses heat.
Edited by twinspark on Saturday 4th August 19:55
twinspark said:
I *think* it was something to do with caramelising the surface of the meat properly - which you can't do if you keep turning it, as it loses heat.
Sounds about right.But as for the rest... cook it for minutes? The guy said blue, not medium.
You can tell how cooked a steak is by how squishy it feels, as it will firm up as it cooks. If you feel the squidgy muscle at the base of your thumb when it's relaxed, that's how a raw/blue steak feels. Now squeeze you thumb and first finger together, that's rare. Thumb and 2nd finger, medium rare. Thumb and 3rd finger medium. Thumb and little finger, chuck it in the bin and call for pizza
You also need to know what cut it is, as the tougher cuts need cooking a bit longer (I'll add mostly, as I'll eat pretty much any steak blue as I'm not averse to chewing
). The flipside of this is that the tougher cuts tend to be tastier.Fillet is the least tough and can be eaten raw (carpaccio/tartare), then sirloin and rump. My favourite is rib eye, but it tends to have bands of fat in which you have to work round as it's pretty unpleasant raw.
It's also worth seeking out steak that has been hung/aged as the meat becomes much more tasty. It should be aged for 21 days or more. Supermarkets tend not to be keen on this as it obviously takes time and the meat gets lighter as the water content reduces.
As far as cooking a steak goes, you want the pan or griddle as hot as possible so leave it on a high heat for 10 minutes before chucking your steak in for 30 seconds each side. Bear in mind though that if you use butter or oil in a pan this hot the neighbours will be calling the fire brigade before you get a chance to eat
I just serve it with french beans tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper. Or in a ciabatta with field mushrooms (cooked whole and quickly in butter) and rocket, but use a tender cut unless you like sandwiches to wrestle with.
Hungry now !
There is a great Nigel Slater steak sandwich rec, where you mash up some butter with garlic, mustard lemon juice, and parsley and slather that all over the bread. Very nice.
I wonder if the steak "turning once" rule is more for grilled meat ? If you turn before the meat has had a chance to sear properly (actually a Maillard reaction, not a caramelisation - but that is a bit pedantic )it will stick to the bars. Once it has blackened it becomes naturally non-stick.
However the downside with "turn once" is that you can get uneven cooking. You need longer on the first, cool, side, than you do on the second. So it doesn't have as much of a chance to brown. So when pan-frying a steak I tend to turn once, and season as a I go.
There is a great Nigel Slater steak sandwich rec, where you mash up some butter with garlic, mustard lemon juice, and parsley and slather that all over the bread. Very nice.
I wonder if the steak "turning once" rule is more for grilled meat ? If you turn before the meat has had a chance to sear properly (actually a Maillard reaction, not a caramelisation - but that is a bit pedantic
)it will stick to the bars. Once it has blackened it becomes naturally non-stick.However the downside with "turn once" is that you can get uneven cooking. You need longer on the first, cool, side, than you do on the second. So it doesn't have as much of a chance to brown. So when pan-frying a steak I tend to turn once, and season as a I go.
Dougs guide to the perfect steak (and now I've read this thread, what I'll be having for dinner tonight)
You will need:
A well aged (21 day minimum) 3/4 inch think piece of Ribeye.
A couple of handfuls of good meaty mushrooms, roughly chopped.
A handful of rocket or other strong flavoured salad leaves.
Parmesan (block of, not that horrible powdered rubbish)
Butter
Olive Oil
Black pepper
Stick a griddle pan on a high heat and leave
Throw the butter, a bit of oil and the mushrooms into another frying pan and put on a high heat.
Brush the steak with olive oil and grind a bit of pepper over each side.
By now the griddle pan should be smoking hot.
Put the steak in the pan and leave for 45 seconds
Turn the steak over and leave for another 45 seconds
Take the steak out of the pan, put on a warm plate, cover loosely with foil and leave well alone for a couple of minutes.
Put the mushrooms and their juices onto a warmed plate.
Throw the salad leaves on top
Use a potato peeler to make some shavings of parmesan over the salad.
Put the steak on the top of the lot.
Consume with a Keith Floyd portion of red wine.
You will need:
A well aged (21 day minimum) 3/4 inch think piece of Ribeye.
A couple of handfuls of good meaty mushrooms, roughly chopped.
A handful of rocket or other strong flavoured salad leaves.
Parmesan (block of, not that horrible powdered rubbish)
Butter
Olive Oil
Black pepper
Stick a griddle pan on a high heat and leave
Throw the butter, a bit of oil and the mushrooms into another frying pan and put on a high heat.
Brush the steak with olive oil and grind a bit of pepper over each side.
By now the griddle pan should be smoking hot.
Put the steak in the pan and leave for 45 seconds
Turn the steak over and leave for another 45 seconds
Take the steak out of the pan, put on a warm plate, cover loosely with foil and leave well alone for a couple of minutes.
Put the mushrooms and their juices onto a warmed plate.
Throw the salad leaves on top
Use a potato peeler to make some shavings of parmesan over the salad.
Put the steak on the top of the lot.
Consume with a Keith Floyd portion of red wine.
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