Steak rant.

[TN-popo]

What is it about Medium Rare that mystifies so many restaurants?

Too often, I get something that barely touched the grill or is squarely in the Medium category.

 

Every other "cook level" seems to be easily attained, but MR (the way I like mine) apparently confounds many cooks.

 

Rant off.

And yes, I'm a little bored this morning.  :)

Edited August 9, 2015 by TN-popo

[bersaguy]

You have to many kids cooking today and less adults. I like my steak very rare which I can seldom ever get. When a  waitress or waiter asks me how I want my steak cooked my reply is.........Cut off the horns and hoofs, wash it's butt and chase it through the kitchen RARE!!!  I have only found one place I can get that done properly and that is Outback Steak Houses. They know how to cook a steak. If it does not Moo when I put a fork in it, it's too well done...................jmho

[DaveTN]

I want my steak rare. I tell them “knock off its horns wipe its azz and show it a picture of a fire.” I usually don’t get rare; they tell me they aren’t allowed to do that.

[Ugly]

I have found that the best steaks are prepared at home! Once I learned to sear correctly, even low quality steaks are delish!

It is too easy to be let down at a restaurant these days inmo.

[btq96r]

I have found that the best steaks are prepared at home! Once I learned to sear correctly, even low quality steaks are delish!

It is too easy to be let down at a restaurant these days inmo.

 

I'm the same way, I only order steaks on a rare occasion, and only from a top notch steak joint.

 

I'm not a fan of rare or medium rare, instead I enjoy medium well or well done.  Good luck getting that from a franchise steak place without having the outside covered in black burn.  But at home with my grill or in my kitchen with a pan and some olive oil, I can do it just right by my tastes. 

[bersaguy]

I want my steak rare. I tell them “knock off its horns wipe its azz and show it a picture of a fire.” I usually don’t get rare; they tell me they aren’t allowed to do that.

 

 They are not allowed to cook hamburgers that way or hamburger Steaks but there is no rules about steaks. They use that as an excuse because they don't know how to actually cook a rare steak................... :up: :up:

[bersaguy]

A properly cooked rare steak the way I like it at home  is a Cast iron Skillet,  about an inch of olive oil, bring the skillet heat to the range of smoke just barely beginning to rise off the skillet, add a Nice 2 inch + thick Ribeye to the skillet over medium high heat cook for 3 minutes turn 1 time and cook for 2 minutes and put it on a plate. I watched my Mother cook steaks like that for many years as she was professional cook in some very high class restaurants. She said the biggest secret to a good steak is only turning it once. Any more than that will make it tough. My Mother had 5 sons and no daughters and she taught every one of her sons to cook in case we married a woman that could boil water without burning it............... :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[vontar]

Couple of band aids and that boy will be back out there grazing rare.

 

(i prefer med and up but I can eat rare if it comes a little under med.)

[vontar]

 They are not allowed to cook hamburgers that way or hamburger Steaks but there is no rules about steaks. They use that as an excuse because they don't know how to actually cook a rare steak................... :up: :up:

They probably confuse hamburger steak and steak. 

 

Ground meat verse a cut.

 

I

[mikegideon]

I've seen them mess up at every level. I've just seen them mess up medium rare more, because that's the only way I order. Hell, I even mess up my own steaks sometimes.

[TNMTBik3r]

The last 5 times I have been to a restaurant and ordered a medium steak, it has been well done. I complained twice, and both times they brought me back out a steak that was even worse than the first one. This includes from some places that are know for their steaks.

 

We rarely eat out anymore and if I am paying for a dinner I expect something edible not burnt crunch.

[btq96r]

This includes from some places that are know for their steaks.

 

The day I had Morton's Steakhouse outside mess up my order, I knew it was best to just leave making steak to myself. 

[john455]

I have found that the best steaks are prepared at home! Once I learned to sear correctly, even low quality steaks are delish!

It is too easy to be let down at a restaurant these days inmo.

+1 I perfected med rare at home just the way I like it good and red inside with just a little blood and brown seared on the outside. So after many disappointments at restaurants I don't order steaks out anymore or if I do its a cheap sirloin that I don't mind if it's wrong.

[peejman]

I like medium rare too, but only if I know where the cow came from. I typically order medium when out, but I don't get steak very often. I'd rather cook it myself.

[BigK]

My grill at home doesn't get hot enough to properly sear a steak, so I have to pan sear them in a cast iron skillet. They're still good, but not as good as a quality steak house.

 

If any of you ever get over to Smyrna on a Fri or Sat around 5:30 or 6:00, give Hickory Falls prime rib a shot. Best I ever had.

[TNWNGR]

OK. I prefer my steaks med rare but am alright with rare to med, beyond that it loses flavor but to each their own selection. Here's an alternative where you can a moist tender steak a pink as you like it in the center. Pan seared before serving and it's got the perfect texture...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sous-vide

 

But still, a good cast iron skillet at the perfect temperature is really hard to beat for a fantastic steak.

[Oh Shoot]

Must say every medium rare I've ever gotten at Texas Roadhouse has been right on.

 

- OS

[dralarms]

A properly cooked rare steak the way I like it at home  is a Cast iron Skillet,  about an inch of olive oil, bring the skillet heat to the range of smoke just barely beginning to rise off the skillet, add a Nice 2 inch + thick Ribeye to the skillet over medium high heat cook for 3 minutes turn 1 time and cook for 2 minutes and put it on a plate. I watched my Mother cook steaks like that for many years as she was professional cook in some very high class restaurants. She said the biggest secret to a good steak is only turning it once. Any more than that will make it tough. My Mother had 5 sons and no daughters and she taught every one of her sons to cook in case we married a woman that could boil water without burning it............... :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I've been cooking steaks for years, and today sir, you taught me something. I've always flipped them back and forth to get an even cook, but tonight I cooked them (in a george forman) and didn't flip them at all. Best steak I've ever cooked.

[mikegideon]

Must say every medium rare I've ever gotten at Texas Roadhouse has been right on.

 

- OS

 

They screwed me hard in Memphis one night. The steak went back twice. Thank god they did a better job with the beer.

[dralarms]

Must say every medium rare I've ever gotten at Texas Roadhouse has been right on.
 
- OS

I get sick every time I eat at texas roadhouse.

[Oh Shoot]

I get sick every time I eat at texas roadhouse.

 

Obviously they couldn't stay in biz if they made folks sick.

 

Maybe you're allergic to cinnamon in the butter. :)

 

- OS

[jhc77]

Best steak for me is at home. 500-525 degrees for 15 minutes, flip once, let it rest and eat. I gave up restaurant steaks long ago. Probably 12 years actually.

[dralarms]

Obviously they couldn't stay in biz if they made folks sick.
 
Maybe you're allergic to cinnamon in the butter. :)
 
- OS

Don't mind cinnamon in butter, don't want it in my sweet potato though.

[NextExit]

Best place I've had a steak at in this area is Puleo's (exit 398).  I'd like to try Ruth's Chris but too expensive.
I always get mine well done.  If it's red, it ain't dead. :2cents:

[dats82]

If it is a good cut of meat, cooking them anything past medium rare will ruin the meat.  No sense in paying for a nice cut of meat if you're going to ruin it by over cooking it.

 

Two of my biggest complaints with steak houses is: (1) not getting the cut of meat that is actually ordered and (2) putting too much seasoning and other crap on the steak.  My undergraduate degree is in Animal Science, and one of my classes was "Meats Judging.". We literally learned to judge cuts of meat.  Most folks don't know a ribeye from a sirloin, so I guess places just take their chances and get away with it.  I also enjoy the taste of the cut, so if there is so much other junk on there that I can't even taste the steak, I might as well to have ordered chicken.  A good piece of meat either needs nothing at all or only the slightest amount of salt and maybe a hint of pepper.  Mushrooms, onions, cheese, cracked pepper, A1, etc. are all an insult to good meat. For these reasons, I have about quit ordering steaks at restaurants.  Sucks paying that much for something when you could do twice as good at home for a fraction of the price.