cooking steaks
 

uhh. is there a good way to do this? i eat them pretty often but i haven't the slighest idea on how to cook them properly. usually i just through them on the foreman and wait till they're done. sometimes i'll put some random spices on them. anyways i'm getting tired of that. how do you go about making an easy marinate, and what's the best way to cook these? i really only have access to a stove and the GFG.

also i have worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and some garlic stuff. could i mix these together and make something reasonable?

Re: cooking steaks
 

marinate them in beer

melch

Re: cooking steaks
 

Marinate in soy sauce with a little sugar is my favorite way. Pan sear with garlic, onion.

NT

Re: cooking steaks
 

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Marinate in soy sauce with a little sugar is my favorite way. Pan sear with garlic, onion.

NT

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just plain soy sauce and sugar huh? that's easy enough. how long do you marinate it, and what exactly is pan sear, just turn the heat on high and throw them on there?

Re: cooking steaks
 

I just let them sit in the fridge for a few hours with the soy sauce, sugar is really optional and if you use it use ONLY A LITTLE BIT.

Pan seared usually means the steak is cooked at a high temperature and the outside gets crispy fast while the inside stays relatively uncooked. If you prefer a more medium or evenly cooked steak you can do it on a lower temperature or even cover the pan.

You really need very little to oil the pan, if anything. Don't put in more soy sauce as it will just burn off. A little butter is fine.

Most important thing about steak is to have some good stuff with it. Creamy garlic mashed potatoes are the nuts. After boiling and mashing the potatoes, put them in an open pot on low heat and mix in cream and butter gradually. I like to whip them until you can mix a regular tablespoon through 1.5 pounds of mashed potatoes without moving the pot, leaving waves.

NT

Re: cooking steaks
 

Marinate in teriyaki and grill.

Re: cooking steaks
 

Something else fun to try is making your own barbecue sauce. I make a tomato based barbecue sauce - you'll need tomato paste, molasses, salt, vinegar, and some spices/flavors. I have never measured mine and each batch is different, or I would give you recipes. However I usually use some pretty simple stuff, i.e. chili powder, pearl onions, garlic, peppers of some variety, honey, lemon and/or lime juice, salt, pepper, et al.

It's really a lot, lot easier than you might think and it's really cool to serve/use your own BBQ. Just make in small batches as it's hard to keep. The best part is, you can just keep adding as need be until you like it.

NT

Re: cooking steaks
 

I learned that anyone who uses soy sauce on a steak is looked down upon by upper classes of society. I say that having grown up putting soy sauce on my steak.

Want a great steak, or for that matter any meat, even if it's been frozen? Throw that George Foreman grill in the garbage where it belongs and get a convection oven. Can get a cheap one for like 30 bucks. Makes frozen pizza taste fresh. I'm tellin' ya. Makes cheapie steak so juicy that you have to drain it before you eat it. Add salt and pepper for taste. Don't overcook. If there's not some red to it, you've gone too far. Toss a bunch of sauteed mushrooms on top and you are good to go.

Re: cooking steaks
 

1) buy a grill (one of those cheapie round Weber grills works just fine. Charcoal, not gas)

2) marinating depends on the cut of meat. If it is a tougher cut, you will want to add some sort of acid (lemon juice, coke, etc) to your marinade. Marinades should be simple but good. I cooked a few strip steaks the other night that turned out phenomenally. (It was more of a rub, though, than a marinade) Garlic salt, pepper, oregano, and greek seasoning, left on for about an hour before grilling.

3) get your grill nice and hot. The coals should just about all be ashy white. (usually takes about 15-30 minutes)

4) slap the steaks on the grill, and leave them alone for about 4.5-5 minutes. Flip once. Leave them alone for another 4.5-5 minutes. Grab a plate and pull them off the heat.

5) let the meat "rest" for at least 5 minutes.

6) pig out.


Seriously, get a grill. Grilling steaks on a Foreman outta be outlawed. (I know you don't have much choice)

Re: cooking steaks
 

This is the correct answer.

Generally, for steaks I prefer rubs to marinades. Marinades are okay for some cuts of meat, but for a strip steak or a filet, not need.

If you like some spice to it, find a recipe for (or buy) a cajun spice and rub it on the meat.

Also, for pan searing you can finish it off in the oven (450 degrees) after getting a nice crust on it. Basically a really hot skillet, sear the steaks on both sides (about 2-3 minutes per side) then finish in the oven -- 8 minutes for medium (adjust time up or down depending on how you like it done.)

Also, kosher salt works better on steaks than table salt.