My best steak yet…..

[Fisherdv]

I tried something different because I was tired of tough, dry steak.

I started by brining the NY steak with just kosher salt on both sides then put it on a rack, uncovered in the fridge for 24 hours. Add black pepper to taste after.

Heated the oven to 200 degrees , and cooked for about 35 minutes or until the internal temperature of the steak reaches 100 degrees.

I then heated some olive oil in a cast iron pan until the oil just started to lightly smoke.

Put the steak in and swirl it around in the hot oil for about 1-2 minutes. Flip over and add some onion, 4 cloves of garlic, thyme, and butter. Cook for about another 1-2 minutes. Check with a thermometer so you don't overcook. It cooks very fast. I like a good medium or so steak at about 130-135 degrees. Cook to whatever you prefer. Take out and let rest for about 4-5 minutes.

I have to say without a doubt this is the best steak I have ever made! It was so good. The crust from the brining was incredible. The salt flavor was all the way through the meat. Not to salty at all. Tender and juicy.

It was so good, I just had to share with you guys.

I'd put it up against any high end steak restaurant.

Just what we needed after a long day of fishing.

[AJFishin]

Very delicious looking steak you made there, medium done and everything you put on your steak sounds perfect, very nice!

I will be giving your cooking method a try soon, my steaks come out like a leather boot most of the time where I pretty much gave up cooking them.

That steak you made would have paired well with the lobster tail I cooked for my dinner tonight.

[Fisherdv]

Very delicious looking steak you made there, medium done and everything you put on your steak sounds perfect, very nice!

I will be giving your cooking method a try soon, my steaks come out like a leather boot most of the time where I pretty much gave up cooking them.

That steak you made would have paired well with the lobster tail I cooked for my dinner tonight.

OMG, that looks amazing. My wife actually said all we needed with our steak was a lobster tail. 

Definitely give that recipe a try next time you make a steak. Game changer for me.

[AJFishin]

OMG, that looks amazing. My wife actually said all we needed with our steak was a lobster tail. 

Definitely give that recipe a try next time you make a steak. Game changer for me.

Thanks and that's funny, I told my wife tonight the only thing I'm missing is a good steak and that I need to learn how to cook a good one, then here's yours post!  
I will for sure be giving this a try, those pictures are calling me to make that steak.

[croaker stroker]

That's how I do it. Amazing what a little salt does to a steak.

When dining at Ruths https://ruthschris.com , I asked the server what they did to make the steak so delicious. He said "we just salt it".

[Danno]

Hmm, reverse sear method. 

[Yachter Yat]

   Yeah....what Danno said. Generally, pre-cooking by pan searing on high heat to 'crust' the outside will seal-in moisture.   BTW, you might try a little Soy Sauce. I don't cook a steak without it.

Yat

[Wiley]

Yeah....what Danno said. Generally, pre-cooking by pan searing on high heat to 'crust' the outside will seal-in moisture.   BTW, you might try a little Soy Sauce. I don't cook a steak without it.

Yat

And Worcestershire, and don't forget the butter on top while it's resting yummm

[Fisherdv]

Yeah....what Danno said. Generally, pre-cooking by pan searing on high heat to 'crust' the outside will seal-in moisture.   BTW, you might try a little Soy Sauce. I don't cook a steak without it.

Yat

And Worcestershire, and don't forget the butter on top while it's resting yummm

Yes, the butter and onions, garlic, thyme gets spooned over the steak.

[Fisherdv]

Hmm, reverse sear method. 

Yes

[gtboosted]

That looks really good. I never had luck making it in similar fashion, I always overcook it or don't get a good crust unless its a very thick steak. Maybe I have to give it another shot.

What works for me is a cast iron on high heat and avocado oil since it has a higher smoking point. Then I season the ribeye that has been out of the fridge for a bit with salt and pepper. I then throw it on cast iron and get a good crust on all sides, usually by then its done.

[gliderflyer]

Wow, did you bring enough for the whole class? We're getting hangry here!
I've struggled with that method as well, plus I'm lazy. My go to method is season with truffle salt an hour ahead of time. Cast iron dutch oven literally smoking hot on the stove. Drop the steak in dry, no oil. It'll stick at first but not for long. Flip it once every minute. For me 6 minutes total is perfect. Just before pulling it out of the pan throw in some butter and fresh cut garlic, swirl it around on both sides and let it rest on a plate. The truffle salt has been a game changer and wins every time.

[Fisherdv]

Brining for 24hrs gives almost the same look/glaze as Salmon when brined. Since the steak is already cooked to an internal temperature of 100 degrees out of the oven, the sear/crust comes extremely fast. Only a minute or two. The swirling motion of the steak with tongs, keeps the sear nice and even.

[Batsquatch]

Great, now I'm starving and it's not even 3:00 in the morning.  Thanks, guys...
 

[fishmeister]

I haven't always been an electrician.  I spent 4 years working as a cook in a local independent steak house.  I learned, from a couple of "old-school" chefs, that it is possible to over-season meat.

This particular restaurant was known for prime rib.  They had their own custom, made-in-house blend of seasoning for that.  I memorized the recipe and use it for holiday prime rib.  But, when cooking steaks, I keep it simple.  I use salt and a bit of granulated garlic.  I try to pre-season the steaks for at least an hour before cooking.  Nothing else.  I let the natural flavor of the meat do the rest.

m2c

[Kimbrey]

Hmm, reverse sear method. 

That's what I noticed.  I usually got a cast iron skillet as hot as I could, seared each side for 2 minutes and then finished off in a hot oven.  This method would be less smokey I think.  I'll have to give it a try.

[DeskJockey]

I keep hearing about the reverse seer method. Sounds interesting but also a lot more work.  I'd like to try it at some point.

I'm a Ribeye or Tenderloin man myself.  I keep trying strip or sirloin from a price point and just can't get into them. Anything past medium rare is ruined. S&P, the choice for me.

[christianbrat]

i watched this the other day and was impressed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZY8xbdHfWk&ab_channel=ChrisYoung

[PNWMatt2023]

Looks good! I've found that if you want a really good steak you need to:  1.) Buy a quality cut. That right there can make or break your meal. If you need to reserve your funds for boat parts and accessories, lol, I would stick with USDA Choice. Stepping up to Prime is a price jump, but fat marbling is way more even and plentiful. I aim for CAB (Certified Angus Beef) Prime. CAB is a step above USDA grading, they look at neck hump size, yield of fat marbling per 2 square inches, on ribeyes they must have at least 5 inches of eye before it hits the fat edge and spinalis section. One other thing that CAB does is aged their sub primals for at least 23 days. Many manufacturers claim they age product, but that is counting shelf life of product before it hits the store shelf. Also, another way to make sure that you are getting a good piece of Beef is to verify it is Angus. Costco for instance has pretty cuts, but they use Holstein Cattle, which are milkers. 2.) Let it rest. Retail Grocers usually are going through a lot of material, so they are constantly cutting all day. When those pieces are cut and wrapped, they go right to a controlled fridge and sit in a chilled environment. The muscle system needs to relax before its cooked. I let my cuts sit on the counter for an hour before I grill. 3.) Less is more. Salt is your friend and limiting your spice/seasonings ensures that you get to taste the beef, not the seasoning. Make sure you are coating the entire cut in salt; Depending on how thick/large the piece is, it may need more salt that what you put on. When you season the steak, it is only touching the outside, you need that salt to penetrate the cut so the flavor is solid in every bite (I also use Olive oil to coat the steak, which helps with moisture penetration and char). 4.) Don't over cook. (unless you like it brown, then forget steps 1,2,3). Use a quality thermometer and pull it when it's 10* from your optimal liking. 5.) Butter is a great ally either during or after your done cooking. 6.) Cut cross grain for a less chewy bite.

[Always Fishing]

I buy USDA Prime (sometimes Choice) from Costco. Add sea salt (generously), fresh grounded peppers, some fresh rosemary, and a piece of butter. Vacuum seal and put them in the sous vide for about 2–2.5 hours at 130°. Take them out of the vacuum-sealed bags, pat them dry, and sear them on a very hot cast iron pan with butter for about 1 minute on each side. Put them on a cooling rack for a few minutes, and enjoy.

[Fisherdv]

I buy USDA Prime (sometimes Choice) from Costco. Add sea salt (generously), fresh grounded peppers, some fresh rosemary, and a piece of butter. Vacuum seal and put them in the sous vide for about 2–2.5 hours at 130°. Take them out of the vacuum-sealed bags, pat them dry, and sear them on a very hot cast iron pan with butter for about 1 minute on each side. Put them on a cooling rack for a few minutes, and enjoy.

I have been wanting to try it that way too. Same reverse sear method. I'm pretty much sold on the 24hr brine first.

[Danno]

I have not done the reverse sear on a steak but I have with a rib roast. The sear was done in an oven at 425F. Very tasty and my preferred method.

I have been doing my steaks in the cast iron pan for a while now but searing first in a very hot pan for 3 to 5 min a side then turning down the burner until the steak is at desired temp less 5F. If the steak is a Costco thick Filet cut, I'll usually do it n a cast iron pan in the BBQ so that I get more heating as in an oven to cook the center. Both of these have been really good but I'll try the reverse sear next time.

I have experimented with Sous Vide but have not been thrilled with the results. I like the idea the video promotes of deep frying but don't want to hassle with the oil. I may have to try again.

If you look at the Choice and Prime cuts at Costco, some of the choice looks as good as the Prime and some of the Prime looks more like Choice. I am about 60% successful finding a Choice cut that's marbled well. And by marbled, I mean that the fat shows itself in fine spots over most of the cut. Thick areas of fat or thin veins of fat isn't marbled fat.

[Tunacious]

My son taught me how to reverse sear a steak.
Way better method to control how done the steak is 
The best way to cook a steak for sure

[Yachter Yat]

   Based on what Tunacious just said, I guess one has to wonder which is better; searing first, or searing later??    I was always made to understand that searing first was done in order to create that outer "crust" which then serves to retain the juices during the final slower cooking process. I just don't know.  Needless to say, I'm no expert, but it's a damn good question.

Yat     

[Whiskeytango101]

Easy answer... reverse sear brings temp up very controllably. The low temp (220-250) prevents evaporation of moisture and (generally) creates even temps within the cut of meat. After hitting desired temp for steak(115-118 for us), you can transfer to high heat for the sear... you end up with steak that's consistent in temp from top to bottom/side to side... no uneven cooking, medium rare for every bite.

For us, another advantage is flavor. I use wood or coal 100% of the time. I am able to add a chunk of cherry, pecan or red wine oak cask to the fire for a kiss of flavor while bringing the temp up if desired.

Based on the cook, I will crank the fire up and add a cast iron with butter/oil, garlic and Rosemary direct over the fire. After the sear, rest the meat as normal. If we aren't being fancy, we pull the steaks at temp and crank up the fire. Steaks get thrown right on the engulfed coals for the sear...

I only cook steaks with reverse sear and refuse to order steak at a restaurant... feels like a waste of money. Reverse sear allows far more control (for us) and flavor options if we choose.