Noah's Ultimate Red Meat Thread

[NaterGator]

Noah, I suck at cooking meat. The best thing I have learned so far is to let meat sit out to get to room temp. I cooked a Ribeye after doing this and it was the best I have ever made. Tomorrow I am cooking 4 New Yorkers and need a down and dirty method on what temp I should cook them at using a gas grill and whether i should let them sit out--how long?

Any other important tips?

IMO letting meat 'rest' up to room temp is always advised. It keeps you from charring the outside to properly cook the inside.

This is gonna sound crazy, but this was how the people at Berns told me to cook my steaks and I've been doing it since:
There is a muscle across your palm just under your thumb; you should be able to pinch it with the other hand. You cook your meat so that it has the same relative 'squeeze feel' as that muscle in various positions. IOW when cooking your meat, you want to squeeze it to tell how done it is.
If you want it rare it is like that muscle with an relaxed palm.
To get med-rare you aim for the same as the muscle when you touch your thumb to your index finger.
Med is thumb to middle finger.
Med-well is thumb to ring finger.
Well is thumb to pinky.

That's a pretty convoluted explanation, but it's much easier to show someone in person. I've been cooking my steaks that way since and they always come out juicy and just how I like them

 

[MR.SIGINT]

IMO letting meat 'rest' up to room temp is always advised. It keeps you from charring the outside to properly cook the inside.

This is gonna sound crazy, but this was how the people at Berns told me to cook my steaks and I've been doing it since:
There is a muscle across your palm just under your thumb; you should be able to pinch it with the other hand. You cook your meat so that it has the same relative 'squeeze feel' as that muscle in various positions. IOW when cooking your meat, you want to squeeze it to tell how done it is.
If you want it rare it is like that muscle with an relaxed palm.
To get med-rare you aim for the same as the muscle when you touch your thumb to your index finger.
Med is thumb to middle finger.
Med-well is thumb to ring finger.
Well is thumb to pinky.

That's a pretty convoluted explanation, but it's much easier to show someone in person. I've been cooking my steaks that way since and they always come out juicy and just how I like them

Great explanation...I understand that. Now--with regard to temp--how hot should the grill be? I've heard cook beef slow, chicken fast (or hotter grill). Should beef be cooked uncovered? Or does that have to do with thickness of the meat?

 

[Atticus]

Cook beef hot. The hotter the better. Sear (which is different than burn) the outside of the steak on both sides. It traps the juices in, then cook until no more done than medium rare. Then eat.

I thought you were a Marine or something. Don't they teach you this s*** on the Island?

 

[NorCalDoug]

Great explanation...I understand that. Now--with regard to temp--how hot should the grill be? I've heard cook beef slow, chicken fast (or hotter grill). Should beef be cooked uncovered? Or does that have to do with thickness of the meat?

beef?

you can't use general rules with "beef" because there are so many different cuts that can be cooked in many different ways.

If you're talking about steaks -- cook them over high heat and fast.

Do not cook covered (i.e. in a pan covered with a lid).

Are you going to pan sear or grill or ???

how thick are your steaks? 1" 1.5" 2" ? thicker?

 

[monniepoo]

What if its really long and thick? Do you have to put the lid down on the grill? How many minutes should it take?

 

[Atticus]

Doug's right. I conflated beef with steak. That was wrong of me. I am ashamed.

 

[MR.SIGINT]

Cook beef hot. The hotter the better. Sear (which is different than burn) the outside of the steak on both sides. It traps the juices in, then cook until no more done than medium rare. Then eat.

I thought you were a Marine or something. Don't they teach you this **** on the Island?

We're too busy learning how to kill things and break stuff--the only thing they teach us about meat is to not get it shot off.

 

[MR.SIGINT]

beef?

you can't use general rules with "beef" because there are so many different cuts that can be cooked in many different ways.

If you're talking about steaks -- cook them over high heat and fast.

Do not cook covered (i.e. in a pan covered with a lid).

Are you going to pan sear or grill or ???

how thick are your steaks? 1" 1.5" 2" ? thicker?

Cooking them on the grill--1" New Yorks. Wos wondering if I should cook them with the grill closed or open.

 

[Atticus]

We're too busy learning how to kill things and break stuff--the only thing they teach us about meat is to not get it shot off.

Clinton really scaled you guys down, huh?

 

[MR.SIGINT]

Clinton really scaled you guys down, huh?

Oh yeah--I almost forgot the portion of our training and our annual refresher on "Sensitivity Training".

 

[Liam]

Great explanation...I understand that. Now--with regard to temp--how hot should the grill be? I've heard cook beef slow, chicken fast (or hotter grill). Should beef be cooked uncovered? Or does that have to do with thickness of the meat?

You get the grill as fxxxing hot as humanly possible. If it is a gas grill turn it on high and let it go for 10-15minutes and then give it a good tit scrubbing and let heat up again for 5 minutes.

you want to leave your steaks out at room temp for about an hour or so in order to let the meat relax and cook evenly.

as far as cooking temp - i usually dont cook anything past medrare and all of the beef i eat is very rare (maybe a minute on each side)....it also depends on how thick the steaks are. your best method is time and the temp of the grill. If you go by the touch method and you dont know what you are doing you could really fxxx up the meat. Different cuts will feel different to the touch. Example - filets will still feel tender when cooked past med...whereas a sirloin will feel past med when it is still rare inside...

only use olive oil, kosher salt and pepper. A good steak should not need anything more..

 

[Liam]

Cooking them on the grill--1" New Yorks. Wos wondering if I should cook them with the grill closed or open.

always closed......always

 

[MR.SIGINT]

You get the grill as ****ing hot as humanly possible. If it is a gas grill turn it on high and let it go for 10-15minutes and then give it a good tit scrubbing and let heat up again for 5 minutes.

you want to leave your steaks out at room temp for about an hour or so in order to let the meat relax and cook evenly.

as far as cooking temp - i usually dont cook anything past medrare and all of the beef i eat is very rare (maybe a minute on each side)....it also depends on how thick the steaks are. your best method is time and the temp of the grill. If you go by the touch method and you dont know what you are doing you could really **** up the meat. Different cuts will feel different to the touch. Example - filets will still feel tender when cooked past med...whereas a sirloin will feel past med when it is still rare inside...

only use olive oil, kosher salt and pepper. A good steak should not need anything more..

Jeez--it's about time. You need e-mail alerts when this thread is in action that will sound an alarm if you are sleeping.

Thanks for the "tip". And many thanks on the seasonings/olive oil. I always put too much chit on my steaks. I'm trying this tonight and will report back.

Need clarification on the grill open or closed while cooking? Me thinks closed due to what you say on temp being hot as chit but I just want to verify that. ????

 

[MR.SIGINT]

Disregard temp query.

 

[MR.SIGINT]

Thanks for the "tip". And many thanks on the seasonings/olive oil. I always put too much chit on my steaks. I'm trying this tonight and will report back.

Alright--when I put them on the grill the temp guage read 650 degrees. They sat at room temp for 2 hours. Some observations--instead of the meat turning out brown when done (like I usually get) it was off white with grill marks on the outside but I cooked them too long I think. Flavor was excellent and they were mega moist but they were tough to chew. I think I overcooked them. I did 120 seconds on the first side, 120 seconds on the other side--let them rest for 5 minutes before cutting into them.

All in all--better results than usual but I am going to try 1 minute per side next time.--Grill temp okay or too hot? I can't get it any hotter--had all three burners going full steam. Should I let them rest longer?

I know it isn't that great a cut of meat but I must perfect the New York before I move on to better cuts.

 

[Liam]

Alright--when I put them on the grill the temp guage read 650 degrees. They sat at room temp for 2 hours. Some observations--instead of the meat turning out brown when done (like I usually get) it was off white with grill marks on the outside but I cooked them too long I think. Flavor was excellent and they were mega moist but they were tough to chew. I think I overcooked them. I did 120 seconds on the first side, 120 seconds on the other side--let them rest for 5 minutes before cutting into them.

All in all--better results than usual but I am going to try 1 minute per side next time.--Grill temp okay or too hot? I can't get it any hotter--had all three burners going full steam. Should I let them rest longer?

I know it isn't that great a cut of meat but I must perfect the New York before I move on to better cuts.

your temp is fine....that is pretty much what a gas grill temp will get up to.

did you cook up a New york Sirloin or a New York Strip?? that makes a huge difference on tenderness.....also, what grade of meat was it...USDA choice or prime or was it less?

two minutes each side isnt long, so your steaks were not too thick - i am assuming...you should have known how they were cooked after you cut into them......

if you cook a thick steak 1 minute each side it will be semi cold in the middle.....which i think is perfect, but most people would be turned off...

the key is the quality of the beef...

 

[MR.SIGINT]

your temp is fine....that is pretty much what a gas grill temp will get up to.

did you cook up a New york Sirloin or a New York Strip?? that makes a huge difference on tenderness.....also, what grade of meat was it...USDA choice or prime or was it less?

two minutes each side isnt long, so your steaks were not too thick - i am assuming...you should have known how they were cooked after you cut into them......

if you cook a thick steak 1 minute each side it will be semi cold in the middle.....which i think is perfect, but most people would be turned off...

the key is the quality of the beef...

Grade was USDA select? No good?

I believe it was strip--package said New York Steak--3 steaks, 2 lbs total weight and cost 11 bones. Center was pink but not as red as I like it--while they rested there was no redness in the juices seeping out.

Chit meat?

 

[alvarorb]

Noah,

What do you think about CO and meat?

Alvaro

 

[Liam]

Grade was USDA select? No good?

I believe it was strip--package said New York Steak--3 steaks, 2 lbs total weight and cost 11 bones. Center was pink but not as red as I like it--while they rested there was no redness in the juices seeping out.

Chit meat?

Select meat is usually not considered great meat.....not near enough marbling and the animals will usually be much older - both leading to tough meat.

if the center was pink then you prolly cooked it to med or medwell - again both would cause meat to tighten up.

one thing you have to know about resting is the meat will continue to cook. If you take it off at med the steak will cook to medwell. Although, if you take it off at rare the steak will not cook nearly as much resting due to the lack of trapped heat within the steak.

stick with Choice or better meat...CAB (certified angus beef) is recommended.

 

[Liam]

Noah,

What do you think about CO and meat?

Alvaro

this is a huge issue in the retail sector at the moment. adding CO to meat allows it to keep that cherry red color that consumer want to see. The problem with that is the meat never looks like it is rotten eventhough it has passed its expire date by a month....i think this is more of a retailers problem than a consumers.

i am not a big fan of adding things to meat for extended shelflife. CO allows the retailer to keep the meat "fresh" for 21days whereas other MAP (modified atmosphere pack) packaging only allows for 10days and that is pushing it.

is it safe - yes
does it allow the retailer to cheat at the consumers expense - yes

you will now start to see more packaging moving away from MAP using CO and moving towards a skin pack, which gives you the 20-21 days of shelf life but at the expense of the meat color.