Which steak?

[rollonthesummer]

I love steak in restaurants but never have it at home and think it's about time we tried it! Can anyone give me a rundown on which is my best bet to try myself? DH likes it rare and I like it well done- don't like it chewy or any gristle.

Is fillet the most expensive? Is rib eye thick and cheap?

Is there a knack to cooking it??

I like rib eye best. By far the most succulent and flavourful.

Pan fried for 2 minutes either side, then transferred to a hot oven still in the pan for a further 5 minutes, maybe 8 minutes if you prefer it well done.

Serve with fresh green salad and fried portobello mushrooms.

Perfect.

Fillet is lovely, but not worth the extra cost and it would be sacrilegious to have Fillet well done! I'm with Beryl, Rib-eye done just as she says.

Yup ribeye - buy the best you can afford and don't overcook it. Blob a bit of herby butter on it when it's done and that will make it all the more lovely

Oh no, they are too chewy. A fillet from Aldi for a fiver-deeeelicious!

Buy the best you can afford. Ribeye is the fattiest of the usual cuts of steak, it's popularity is mostly down to the fact that it's cheap, I think. Sirloin is the least sinewy of the top and rump cuts.

To cook: pat dry and season your steak. Get a heavy based pan as hot as you can, put a small amount of ordinary oil and a little bit of butter in the pan. The oil will help prevent the butter from burning. Don't use any more salt at this stage. Using the palm of the hand test (you can google it) cook the steak on one side then the other, do not flip back and forth as that will encourage the juices to run and make it tough. A steak weight is useful and speeds the cooking process.

Rest and season your steak once it is done to your satisfaction. My own preference for a sauce is horseradish mixed with english mustard, but there are loads you could try. A tangy green leaf salad goes right well too.

You could try dry brining it, or marinading.

You should let it come up from fridge temperature for a few minutes before cooking and let it rest afterwards.

a high temperature hotplate helps as well, as it sears the outside and stops leakage. A steel spatula so you can press it down, or a fry iron to press it. finally turn frequently, its not so much the cut rather than the cooking. Also the time from abotior to kitchten, most meat takes about 20 -30 days from slaughter to plate, plus there is the evaporation of the juices during that time which can alter the texture.

Another vote for rib eye and not because it's cheap at all! It's got the best flavour due to the marbelling of fat and its tender, however ribeye should not be eaten rare it's best medium. I also like sirloin which is good rare to medium

Well I've just had a meh! steak in a hallmark hotel, it was a bit like chewy liver, The meat was stale and cooked at too cold a temperature, no caramelising on the outside (char) the fat was almost gristly and not rendered by being cooked too cold.

Fillet is the best, imo. Expensive but worth it (for me).

Having any steak well done is terrible though. Makes me sad

Asda do a lovely wagu ribeye. It's lovely! Much nicer than I've had in proper steak restaurants. And it's must be cooked medium rare

Any steak from Aldi .

Hot pan ideally a griddle.

2 or 3 mins either side.

Wrap in foil and leave for 5 mins so residual heat cooks it and it rests properly.

I'm actually a veggie but my husband is a big meat eater so I cook it a lot

He loves filet and I buy a huge filet from Costco for around £70 and cut it into steaks myself

I get about 12/15 for that then freeze them

He says they are very nice

Cooking in a hot pan does not seal in juices at all, this has been debunked. The hot pan is there to ensure maximum Maillard reaction, or the 'char' on the meat, which adds flavour and texture. Without this, steak is very underwhelming indeed.

I'm also not sure why everyone is advocating pressing the meat down. In my experience, all you're going to do by doing that is squeeze juices out into the pan. Use a thick piece of meat and there is no need to press down. I would always choose a good thick cut if I was eating steak as a steak, if you see what I mean.

Pressing down just means the juices escape which you don't want to happen.

Waitrose often have 3 for £10 on rumpsteak, and it is as tender as fillet steak. I just cut off the fat.

Obvious, I think you are right in the sense that its not possible to 'seal' in the juices, just to limit doing what will make the juices run like flipping back and forth. The weight is good when you want maximum contact of the meat with the griddle or pan on the bottom side, IME it helps reduce the cooking time and doesn't press out the juices unduly. I wouldn't recommend pressing down onto the meat with a utensil if anyone is thinking of doing that.

If you buy from a good local butcher they can often give some useful tips on cooking meat and making the best of cheaper cuts.

Rib eye is not at all cheap, after fillet it is the next most expensive cut. It is also tender like fillet but because it has marbled fat is more tasty than fillet.

Rump and sirloin are cheaper cuts, both can be a bit chewy but can also be wonderful if chosen well.

Oil and season the meat with salt and pepper.

Use a very hot frying pan. Cook for four minutes on one side, do not touch it at all during that four minutes.

Turn over and cook four more mins for medium, two for rare and six for done. Dont touch it or mess with it. Leave to rest for the same as total cooking time. (ie 8 mins for medium, 10 for done and 6 for rare).

I agreed that rib is best eaten medium rare, not rare.

I get the sirloin steak from Aldi it's really nice.