Which Cooking Are You?

[EdipisReks1]

Looks good, Chris.  Did you figure a temperature where you were both happy with the results?

[Dreadhead]

That was a 2+ hour 129F cook followed by searing in smoking hot grill pan. I was happy and I think she was happy too. I tried to rush with a 131F 1 hour cook with a similar steak and it wasn't nearly as good. I see more steak/chicken on the way as we're doing a "carb cleanse" for 8 weeks and eating almost no carbs (though I don't plan to be crazy strict).

[Aura]

When you find yourself missing carbs, cook up a pound of bacon. All will feel right in the world. 

[Dusty Chalk]

Thai red curry beef

Pretty sure I'm not doing it right (the meat was "boiled" more than wokked), but it came out fine and was perfectly tender

[swt61]

Carbs can give you a six pack...

[cetoole]

One or more variations on this (cheese is cowgirl creamery mt tam):

Gochujang instant pot chicken.

Edited January 28, 2017 by cetoole

[swt61]

OMFG! Al bought my Mom and I some Cowgirl Creamery cheese for our road trip back to Texas. It was absolutely delicious!

Everything pictured looks fantastic! My oatmeal is not worthy!

[cetoole]

SV steak shallow fried in leftover goose fat, with (not pictured) brussels sprouts fried in same.

[EdipisReks1]

Colin remains the only person on H-C, other than me, who sears a steak properly.  Of course, I'm a vegetarian, but still. A crust and deep caremelization is the goal. 

Edited February 1, 2017 by EdipisReks1

[Dreadhead]

I agree with you Jacob but I am unable to achieve that with my current setup and unwilling to fry it.

My most recent attempt:


I do better on the grill but still nothing like that.

[Hopstretch]

Searzall?

[Dreadhead]

I mentioned that concept to my wife and she was not amused and basically accused me of wanting to burn our children or house or both.

[EdipisReks1]

3 hours ago, Dreadhead said:

I agree with you Jacob but I am unable to achieve that with my current setup and unwilling to fry it.

My most recent attempt:


I do better on the grill but still nothing like that.

 

You need to make sure that the grill (or pan) is scorching hot, and you have to make sure the surface of the meat is dry.  One way to ensure the latter is to liberally salt both surfaces, which sucks moisture out, and then brush the excess salt off, before cooking.  You won't be able to get the steak house charring in just a hot pan (I use a Searzall in combo with a pan), but you can with a grill.  Hardwood lump charcoal burns very hot.  I would suggest getting a baking steel or a cast iron Plancha, as you want continuous surface area, for a perfect crust (this is why a scorching hot pan works so well, but pans are unwieldy on the grill). One way of achieving the crust on a grill is the Alton Brown Chimney method: light a blazing fire in a chimney starter, and set that over your steak.  Flip and repeat (flip the steak, not the chimney starter, unless you like your hair to be on fire).  

Attached are pics of one of the last steaks I did.  Notice that while the crust is deeply caramelized, there is very little in the way of a grey ring, and the center is perfectly rare (this was probably in the water bath at 118 for several hours).  If it were a prettier cut of meat, this looks like what you would get from a really good steakhouse.  You can see remnants of salt from where I salted both sides to dry them out.  I sear in a combination of butter and olive oil.  Add the oil and butter right before you add the steak. It still makes plenty of smoke, but it should.  The butter helps add that deep caramel color of the crust, but it's not strictly necessary.

Now I want a steak.

[Hopstretch]

You are the world's least likely veggie, Reks. I really hope it doesn't stick.

[EdipisReks1]

2 minutes ago, Hopstretch said:

You are the world's least likely veggie, Reks. I really hope it doesn't stick.

My blood pressure and general cardiovascular health would strongly disagree with you.

[Hopstretch]

But what do you have to live for? [emoji6]

[EdipisReks1]

cheese, kimchi, and booze.

[Dreadhead]

Moderation is the key Reks but you do what works for you. I did mostly veggie for about 2 years with my wife and it worked well for us. I got my meat fix when we went out or ordered food.

This Korean Fried Chicken place that we tried recently has kimchi coleslaw. It is amazing! Their kimchi is also great.

[EdipisReks1]

Well, keep in mind that I became a vegetarian for ethical reasons.  The health component has been a bonus.  I still eat seafood sometimes (scallops and other sessile filter feeders, primarily), but I've had very few cheat days.  My diet is a lot more varied than it used to be, and I've introduced a lot of really delicious ethnic food to my diet and my home menu.

[swt61]

I would be right there with you Reks, but a gay guy that doesn't swallow meat is extremely unpopular on the dating scene.

[EdipisReks1]

1 hour ago, swt61 said:

I would be right there with you Reks, but a gay guy that doesn't swallow meat is extremely unpopular on the dating scene.

Surely there is a vegan, no-meat, no soy, alternative product available for the ethical blowjobist. 

[kevin gilmore]

kimchi ---yum

my local Korean grocery store has like 7 different kinds 

some in buckets equivalent to a gallon or more.

But I would rather have the steak

 

[EdipisReks1]

So does my local Asian grocery store, and it's heaven.  I have consumed many a gallon bucket of the stuff.  Kimchi on a steak would probably be delicious. 

[Dusty Chalk]

8 hours ago, Dreadhead said:

This Korean Fried Chicken place that we tried recently has kimchi coleslaw. It is amazing! Their kimchi is also great.

Oh, do tell!  I fell in love with Bonchon for a while, but I noticed every time I ate there, I got a little sick to my stomach, so I stopped.  I'm hoping it's not something inherent in Korean Fried Chicken, so I'd like to try a different one...

Jacob -- that steak is a thing of beauty.

[Dreadhead]

Dusty - Dak chicken in Shirlington