How do you like your steak?

[BigT]

Thanks to this thread I tried something different the other night. I have always liked my steaks rare, but I was at a restuarant and had a sirloin steak. Remembering the advice on here I decided to get it a bit more cooked than normal to render the fat down, so I ordered medium. Slightly too much cooking I think, but the texture and taste was signifiacntly better than when I'd had the same dish rare in the past. Could have been that particular cut of meat on the day but gave me food for thought.

I had tartare for only the second or third time in my life earlier last year and they served it in a very different way to what I'd had in the past (brandy and a raw egg on it). This time it was minced very finely and mixed with herbs and seasoning and the locals were treating it like pate, smearing it on bread. Somewhat unusual but tasty. I do wonder if this is known as something else but the locals were calling it tartare. Does tartare mean simply the absence of cooking?

 

[shuzzbutt]

I only eat steak that I have cooked myself: CAVEMAN STYLE!

I have tasted nothing that comes close to a nice piece of sirloin/ribeye/t-bone heavily seasoned with salt/pepper/ground mustard seeds placed directly over white hot lumpwood charcoal!

 

[Uther]

I like meat cooked so well done thanks.

 

[DominicStar]

I only eat steak that I have cooked myself: CAVEMAN STYLE!

Same here. Pull off it's horns, wipe it's harris, stick it on a plate

 

[alexakasloth]

Medium rare for me.

 

[spudbynight]

I like meat cooked so well done thanks.

Dennis Leary has a routine where he says that the only ways a "real man" should have is steak are either "blue and still twitching" or "burnt to a crisp"

 

[spudbynight]

Anthony Bourdain in Kitchen Confidential says that chefs in restaurants will save the crappier, older cuts of meat for well-done unfortunately

This is true. As a chef would see it - why waste a good piece of meat.

 

[spudbynight]

I love sushi and carpaccio as well as steak tartare. All renown for not being cooked. Perfectly edible to me...

It's not for everyone, granted. However, saying that one is "wrong" is just myopic and close minded.

I love carpaccio - it is great when prepared properly. I have seen the likes of Jamie Oliver searing beef and slicing it. Carpaccio should be totally raw!

My wife used to eat well done steak before she met me. Now she eats blue - she tasted it and agreed it tasted better.

 

[f00b4r]

Gotta be 55° in a water bath followed by a quick sear for perfect medium rare (I would usually tend more towards rare with a traditionally cooked steak).
Need to test out the tougher cuts done as steak using the method over 24-48 hours though as the results are meant to be stunning.

 

[MooMoo444]

Very well done. No blood in sight.

I find that immensely offputting.

 

[hobobob]

Depends on the steak.

A good fresh piece of meat from my butchers or farm shop will be Med rare. Some more incriminating cuts from the supermarket I stick in the pan a little longer. ^^

 

[Dave]

I usually have my steak rare in the UK - corresponds to a medium-rare in France usually!

 

[mr.bond]

Brown on the outside, Red in the middle.

 

[spudbynight]

 

[spudbynight]

 

[j.col]

Usualy rare, but starting to change my ways. Wish I could find the original article I read. It very much depends on the cut of beef and what marbling/connective tissue it has.

This tbh,
when out i will usually ask the waiter to ask the chef what he recommends,
most seem to advise medium rare.

 

[Cliste]

Is blue steak not a bit chewy?

I like mind just cooked so it appears grey/brown. I got a medium-rare mince burger before and it was disgusting. Although it was minced, not a steak cut, so it will be different.

What's the appeal with blue steaks? I've seen it become a fashion trend for food lately.

 

[JRS]

What's the appeal with blue steaks?

Well, the appeal for me is that I can actually eat a steak without getting a Godawful stomach ache trying to digest it if it's blue or raw. And if it's the right cut of meat, cooked in the right way (very ******* hot, very ******* quickly, and then rested) then a blue steak won't be chewy.

The other night I had a raw piece of bullet steak sliced up mega thin, dressed with a bit of oyster sauce, soy and sesame oil, and a bowl of hot & sour soup which I dipped the slices in to cook them very briefly (well, warm them up a bit). Beautifully tender

 

[gibb]

I usually have my steaks medium-well but after reading this thread I went for a medium-rare last night and it was much nicer. Perhaps Ill try rare next week.

 

[Youstolemyname]

Depends on the cut really- fillet is always better towards rare whereas ribeye and sirloin need a bit more cooking to get the fat to melt and add flavour to the meat.

Interestingly, I normally cook my steaks in a fiery hot pan flipping the steak just once. I tried Heston Blumenthal's method of flipping it every 15-20 seconds tonight. It was very good and allowed for a lovely crisp deep brown outer crust while the interior stayed medium rare and perfectly cooked. I would defintely recommend this method!