T-Bone Steak

Noooo completely disagree with that. Your always taught in a kitchen not to keep fannying about with steak, just let it cook a leave it alone. If the steaks that big then finish it off in the pan in the oven

You can't "disagree" with it, it's a scientific fact. You'll end up with a steak that is cooked more evenly and retains more juices.

Edit - I think we need some kind of "best way to cook steak" sticky with the available evidence. It is a topic that comes up a lot!
 
I have, that's how I used to do it. Flipping regularly gives better steak though so I do them like that now.

I guess the not turning it method is more visually appealing which is why ive always liked it, im sure there is not a lot in it with taste.

For a normal sized steak though theres no other way :)
 
What you mean mistaught principles? like what?

There's loads of them

Sealing meat, to seal in the juices is a myth.

Any fat in egg whites mean they won't whisk up, again a myth.


There's a massive list of commonly mist aught cooking principles and not just to laymens. Just look at cooking books and what celebrity proffesional chefs say especially 10-20 years ago.
 
There's loads of them

Sealing meat, to seal in the juices is a myth.

Any fat in egg whites mean they won't whisk up, again a myth.


There's a massive list of commonly mist aught cooking principles and not just to laymens. Just look at cooking books and what celebrity proffesional chefs say especially 10-20 years ago.

How is that a myth? If you have nice light crust on the outside of meat which the juices cant escape from then surely that will help?
 
Its not scientific fact is it? It will retain just as much juices by not turning it

It won't. You'll cook it less evenly, overcooking the edges which will result in more juice lost.

It's the same reason a steak cooked well done will factually have less moisture in it than one that is cooked rare.
 
I have to agree with Oli on this one. I find turning every 30 seconds retains more juices then just turning the steak once during cooking. That's from my own experiences.
 
How is that a myth? If you have nice light crust on the outside of meat which the juices cant escape from then surely that will help?

Juices can escape. It's not a solid crust. It's a total and utter myth.

You seal meat for the Maillard reaction that developers flavour. Which is why, you now hear sear meat more often than seal.

Can see this, take your steak out the pan and rest it, are there juices on the dish? So what happened to that imperviuse crust. I thought it was meant to keep juices in.
 
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It won't. You'll cook it less evenly, overcooking the edges which will result in more juice lost.

It's the same reason a steak cooked well done will factually have less moisture in it than one that is cooked rare.

You don't have to overcook the edge by not turning it? Im not saying wack your pan on as hot as it will go and cook the arse out of it!

Its different if you wanted a steak well done, id cook it slower on a lower heat to avoid a crusty bit of leather :)
 
Argh the science of cooking steak.

I've used both methods, and I've enjoyed steaks from both methods :)

A sticky thread would be great though....but I imagine it'd be like opening a can of worms!
 
You don't have to overcook the edge by not turning it? Im not saying wack your pan on as hot as it will go and cook the arse out of it!

Its different if you wanted a steak well done, id cook it slower on a lower heat to avoid a crusty bit of leather :)

You will overcook it though. Look at the links posted above. People have done tests, side by side, flipping more frequently cooks more evenly.
 
You will overcook it though. Look at the links posted above. People have done tests, side by side, flipping more frequently cooks more evenly.

Its a great link and everything but you cant go by one article to definitivley say this is the best way to cook is A. Im sure if that was the case then all of the top restaurants would adopt this method if it was
 
Its a great link and everything but you cant go by one article to definitivley say this is the best way to cook is A. Im sure if that was the case then all of the top restaurants would adopt this method if it was

OK.

I believe Harold McGee first wrote about this method. He's probably the most respected food science/chemist person in the world.

Modernist Cuisine, the most up to date cookery bible available that went through tons of research, advocate this method.

Heston Blumenthal, as mentioned above, advocates this method. I know Jack O'Shea (probably the best butcher in the world) advocates it too and did a demonstration with some of the chefs from the fat duck about it in front of the likes of the Bras brothers.

If there's other people out there doing it differently, then good for them. But the fact is, it isn't going to produce as good a steak as this method, unless your idea of a good steak is one which is drier and unevenly cooked.

So to summarise - If you understand this method and want to carry on doing a single flip, go for it. But if you want to learn how to become a better cook, or in fact if you want to learn about anything in general, you might want to review the evidence and check whether you're position is logically sound.

Edit: Just thought, what makes you think top restaurants don't sear meat like this???
 
Yeah i used to like him before he turned into another ramsay and turn into a tv presenter. Fat Duck is pretty amazing though
 
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