Steak Advice...Help!

[PBS Poll-435]

I went to the store today and purchased 2 very nice 16oz ribeye steaks.

I have a pretty nice grill that gets very hot. But every time I cook steak, they come out medium-well and nice looking, but they don't taste like "steakhouse".


What spices/marinades/etc do you guys use to get that rich taste?

I appreciate any advice (today is a special occasion!)


Thanks Lounge!

[Bunny]

1. Don't they cook it with a lot of butter? I think that makes it taste

richer. You should ignore anything I say on the matter, though - I can burn a steak like no one else. :eyes:

[MiddleFingerMom]

2. I like mine with just freshly ground black pepper, but try...

.
.
.
...black pepper, garlic and Worcestershire sauce (the latter only if you're not vegetarian).
.
.
.

[KamaAina]

14. If s/he were vegetarian,

why in the ring-tailed rambling hell would s/he be seeking steak advice??!!

[MiddleFingerMom]

17. My humor doesn't ALWAYS hit with sledgehammer force.

.
.
.
:rofl::rofl::rofl:
.
.
.

[siligut]

21. I thought it was hilarious

But I am getting to know your humor a bit.

[darkstar3]

3. The first thing you need to do to cook a perfect steak is have two heat areas.

You need a high heat area on the grill, and a low heat area. You have to sear each side with the really high heat, then move the steak to the low heat in order to move it from rare-ish to medium-whatever. I have a small grill, so I actually stack the charcoal high for the searing, and then use a poker to flatten the stack out wide for lower heat for the cooking. That searing is REALLY important for that steakhouse taste. That's how you get that nice surface texture even when the inside of the steak is pink and juicy.

A few more tips I've picked up along the way:

-DON'T serve the steaks fresh off the grill. JUST before they're "the perfect temperature" for your taste, move them from the grill to a covered serving dish, and as soon as they're in the dish put a small pat of butter in the center-top of each steak. Serve after 5 minutes or so.
-Salt and pepper are usually the only seasonings you need, but keep a light touch on both.
-Bone-in steaks usually yield a better flavor on the grill.
-BE CAREFUL with online spice recipes. Some of them that I've tried are actually fairly decent, but not one of them actually comes close to that "steakhouse flavor". Some of them will be so unexpectedly peppery that you'll feel like you've been cheated.

[JVS]

4. High temps quickly on each side are what you want.

[Bennyboy]

5. For rare steaks...

Press the steak with a fork. It should be the same level of softness as the fatty part of your hand under your pinky finger. For medium rare it shoudl be the same as the fatty part of your hand by the thumb.

For 3/4 to 1 inch thickness 6 minutes a side.

[trof]

10. Fork? Naw, FINGER.

It takes some time and experience (trial and error), but I can do anywhere from rare to well done just using my index finger.
Don't worry, you won't 'contaminate' the meat with any germs.

And I started by using the resistance of that muscle on the top of your hand between thumb and forefinger.

As a guide, 'relaxed' is rare.
Clinched is well done.
(yuck)
Just put your index finger on that spot and clinch and unclinch your fist.
You'll see.
:-)

[Bennyboy]

15. I dont mean pierce the steak...

use the back of the fork. or spoon, or tongs or what have you.

[trof]

18. Didn't think you did. Finger is more sensitive.

[ThomWV]

6. 3/4" thick, very hot coals, 4 minutes per side - only turn once, let it rest

Start with room temperature beef. Rub it with salt, but not pepper - pepper burns. Toss it on and watch the clock, flip it right at 4 minutes (rare, 6 minutes Medium, 7 minutes well done), take it off right at 8 minutes. Let is set a few minutes before you serve it.

[PBS Poll-435]

7. All of you guys rock. Thanks so much for the tips!

Signed,

Tired of messing up $18 steaks.



:D



:yourock:

[nolabear]

8. My husband has gone vegetarian and I'm trying to be cooperative.

I very seldom eat red meat anyway, butyou guys are making this HARD. Dammit, I'm going for steak soon.

[woo me with science]

9. Garlic and onion powder, salt, and pepper

cooked over charcoal. Any other flavors just interfere with the perfection.

[Duer 157099]

11. Let them come to room temp before cooking. Season with salt and pepper and

rub them with a little olive oil. Heat oven to 500 degrees.

Get a cast iron skillet screaming hot. Sear on each side til some browning happens.

Then, put the whole pan into the oven for 5-10 minutes, depending on how you like them done.

Remove from oven/pan, transfer to plate, top each with a pat of BUTTER (yes!); then let the steaks REST for a couple of minutes.

Works every time.

[Kali]

12. marinade + ribeye? BLAPHEMY111

You say "grill" I presume you mean a gas grill? get some mesquite charcoal (or any good flavorful wood - even real wood is better than gas)

as a last resort you can get "smoking chips" but you do NOT want to smoke a good ribeye, just want to flavor the crust a little - toss the chips on the "fire" just before you sear those babies. Don't cook them for so long and they will be less done.

not sure what is wrong with your steaks but rib-eyes are usually about the best flavored cut you can get, - bone in, room temp (but not sitting there for hours losing all the juice), good hot grill, cook for LESS time (you can always throw them back on, you can't make them less well-done)

salt and enjoy

[Zephie]

20. on gas vs. charcoal or wood...

I for one prefer anything I can get my hands on, but if I had my choice I would go for gas every time. Gas gives you more fine control of your temperatures and you can learn the hot-spots of the grill much better as they will not change much if any at all from each use where as charcoal will.

This is not to say charcoal does not have it's uses or benefits, the smokey flavour that is given is hard to match.

[Kali]

23. eh, if you grill regularly and often you get pretty skilled with the fuel

we use downed dead mesquite and catclaw acacia almost exclusively since ti is abundant and free, but the flavor of wood or charcoal is so much better than gas. Now, I sure as hell wouldn't turn down a nice gas fired steak, don't get me wrong, it isn't BAD, but the other is even BETTER.:9

[PBS Poll-435]

13. Success!

I took much of the advice given!

Who know that Worcestershire sauce can be used for more than embalming...





Hot grill, room-temp steaks with salt pepper and sauce, and sear in the juices. So much better than Outback or SaltGrass!

[Lyric]

16. We don't get steaks often.

But when we do, I let them come to room temp, make sure they're thoroughly dry on the outside, season with salt and pepper only, and grill over HOT coals for about 4 minutes per side. :)

[quickesst]

19. I'm doing t-bone steaks tonight....

My wife will put tenderizer on them, marinade them in wosteshire for about twenty to thirty minutes. I'll put them on my $39 grill for about fifteen minutes on each side, a little more, or a little less depending on how you like them. We prefer ours well done, and I am an A-1 Sauce addict which makes them perfect for me. As far as taste, looks, and texture, I haven't had one that didn't turn out exactly as I wanted in all the years I've been doing them. Sometimes the simplest, and easiest method is the best. Just my opinion. Thanks.
quickesst

[applegrove]

22. There is something called Montreal Steak Spice you can buy in Canada. Try and see if they sell it

online.

[BrendaBrick]

24. Bearnaise Sauce is a nice addition

to steak. I usually buy the Knorr brand packet.

There is also a classic: "Oscar Filet". Filet mignon then asparagus then the bearnaise and topped off with lump crap meat.