I Have A Steak Question

[Suicane75]

Please don't revoke my man card here. I never eat steak and I cook it less often than that. I bought a London Broil today and it's mostly juicy and red but there are these very dark spots on it that are causing me distress over eating it. Is it normal for parts of a steak to be off color? Like, these spots are very heavy brown/gray compared to the bright red rest of the meat.

[Bobble]

Post pics please.

[Suicane75]

I aint got no camera. First time I actually wish I did.

[Eaglesfan27]

My wife says that it should be all red if it is fresh... but it can sometimes become discolored if it is not so fresh. Might be a problem. Pics would be helpful.

[NobodyHere]

You should be fine eating it if it smells okay.

[Groundhog]

Is it flank steak? If so I wouldn't be overly worried, but yeah hard to say more without pics - amount of spots and size.

[dubb93]

I've never grilled a London Broil, but I don't think there are many problems with an aged steak. I would smell it. If it didn't smell bad I would grill it. This philosophy hasn't killed me yet (I have tossed steaks that didn't smell good before).

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by dubb93

(I have tossed steaks that didn't smell good before).

That's a really shitty thing to do.

[Suicane75]

Smelled okay. Did some net research that said it can sometimes be discolored in spots where air does or doesn't hit it pre packaging, one or the other. Anyhoo it cooked up looking normal so here I go. If I die before I wake, I pray to god you blame the steak.

[jeff061]

Originally Posted by Suicane75

Smelled okay. Did some net research that said it can sometimes be discolored in spots where air does or doesn't hit it pre packaging, one or the other. Anyhoo it cooked up looking normal so here I go. If I die before I wake, I pray to god you blame the steak.

I was going to mention it can turn brown if it doesn't have access to air. Should regain most of it's color a few minutes after unwrapping. Brown discoloration is not bad, it's grey that's a warning sign.

[Flasch186]

shit, aged steaks are great!

[Suicane75]

Being reminded of why I don't eat steak. Started cooking this thing around an hour ago. I'm sorry man, but I refuse to eat anything pink.

[larrymcg421]

A steak cooked beyond pink sounds as appetizing as my dog's rawhide.

[nilodor]

London broil are normally ground flank steak and sausage, so depending on the type of sausage it could be a bit different in colour. Also if it's been in the freezer or if some of the meat is touching the plastic wrap then it could be an issue. Since it has sausage meat you should be cooking it until it's done all the way through so unless it has been sitting in your fridge for over a week I would say you're ok.

[Tigercat]

Originally Posted by nilodor

London broil are normally ground flank steak and sausage, so depending on the type of sausage it could be a bit different in colour. Also if it's been in the freezer or if some of the meat is touching the plastic wrap then it could be an issue. Since it has sausage meat you should be cooking it until it's done all the way through so unless it has been sitting in your fridge for over a week I would say you're ok.

Thats the Canadian variety you are thinking of. If he has a hunk of meat labeled as "London Broil" in America, it is most likely a flank steak, or another cut of meat cut in a style that resembles what a flank steak would look like.

[Matthean]

Originally Posted by Suicane75

Being reminded of why I don't eat steak. Started cooking this thing around an hour ago. I'm sorry man, but I refuse to eat anything pink.

Don't let that cow die in vain.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Suicane75

Being reminded of why I don't eat steak. Started cooking this thing around an hour ago. I'm sorry man, but I refuse to eat anything pink.

No responses to this?

FOFC slipping

[Blackadar]

Originally Posted by Flasch186

shit, aged steaks are great!

If aged properly. Sitting too long in the meat section of the supermarket doesn't quite qualify.

[Blackadar]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

No responses to this?

FOFC slipping

Salmon. The other pink meat.

[Easy Mac]

How to cook steak:
Get hot fire under pan.
Get cold beer.
Put steak on pan.
Chug beer.
Take off steak and eat it.

[Julio Riddols]

I like to get an iron skillet, heat the oven to 500 with the skillet in it, drop the steak (rib eye please) on the skillet and move it to the stove top with the eye the stove on high for a few minutes each side. flip it one more time, drop it back in the oven (still at 500) for 5 more minutes.

EAT.

[Breeze]

london broil/flank steak cooked beyond medium is going to be very similar to beef jerky...

[Blackadar]

Originally Posted by Breeze

london broil/flank steak cooked beyond medium is going to be very similar to beef jerky...

My wife prefers her beef well cooked, so I make sure that cuts like flank steak are well marinated which helps considerably with the toughness of the meat. I could cook it to the optimal temp, slice it and throw her slices back on the grill or in the pan, but that truly creates beef jerky so I just use marinades.

[Scarecrow]

This is how flank steak should look. About the only uses for flank steak (IMHO) are fajitas and salads.

If you can't eat steak that looks like this, then save your money and stick to vegetables and seafood.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by Julio Riddols

I like to get an iron skillet, heat the oven to 500 with the skillet in it, drop the steak (rib eye please) on the skillet and move it to the stove top with the eye the stove on high for a few minutes each side. flip it one more time, drop it back in the oven (still at 500) for 5 more minutes.

EAT.

While this is a very good technique (which was either created by or popularized by Alton Brown), it does have the unfortunate side effect of filling your house up with smoke.

When I cook steak (as opposed to smoking steak in a smoker), it's on a volcano-hot grill outside. In any weather.

[Suicane75]

Yeah, I made it through the night so I guess it was ok. That being said, it definitely ended up tasting more like a roast than what I imagine a good steak should taste like. Oh, and there was so much blood.

[cartman]

Speaking of dry aging, here is a company that makes vacuum sealer bags that allow you to dry age at home. I really want to give these a try.

Dry Age Steak At Home - Dry Aging Beef - Charcuterie & Salumi Kits

[Scarecrow]

Originally Posted by Suicane75

...Oh, and there was so much blood.

It's not blood.

Originally Posted by From Today I Found Out...

Today I found out the red juice in raw red meat is not blood. Nearly all blood is removed from meat during slaughter, which is also why you don’t see blood in raw “white meat”; only an extremely small amount of blood remains within the muscle tissue when you get it from the store.

So what is that red liquid you are seeing in red meat? Red meats, such as beef, are composed of quite a bit of water. This water, mixed with a protein called myoglobin, ends up comprising most of that red liquid.

In fact, red meat is distinguished from white meat primarily based on the levels of myoglobin in the meat. The more myoglobin, the redder the meat. Thus most animals, such as mammals, with a high amount of myoglobin, are considered “red meat”, while animals with low levels of myoglobin, like most poultry, or no myoglobin, like some sea-life, are considered “white meat”.

Myoglobin is a protein, that stores oxygen in muscle cells, very similar to its cousin, hemoglobin, that stores oxygen in red blood cells. This is necessary for muscles which need immediate oxygen for energy during frequent, continual usage. Myoglobin is highly pigmented, specifically red; so the more myoglobin, the redder the meat will look and the darker it will get when you cook it.

This darkening effect of the meat when you cook it is also due to the myoglobin; or more specifically, the charge of the iron atom in myoglobin. When the meat is cooked, the iron atom moves from a +2 oxidation state to a +3 oxidation state, having lost an electron."

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by Suicane75

I'm sorry man, but I refuse to eat anything pink.

Originally Posted by Suicane75

Oh, and there was so much blood.

I'm guessing the feeling of the latter leads to feelings of the former. It's not a problem I'm familiar with however. I personally, love a nice, warm, pink center. And while the latter is a bit inconvenient at times there are steps that can be taken to minimize actual loss, thereby rendering the inconvenience to nearly nil.

Good luck with your problems.

[Radii]

Lets take this thread another way from the blasphemy of "I refuse to eat anything pink"!

So I have the house to myself for a few days this weekend/early next week, which as a 37 year old means something totally different than when I was 16 and the parents were gone for a day or two :P I want to buy myself a nice steak that I wouldn't normally splurge for. Now, I'm not talking kobe or anything, and I don't want some beautiful but tiny 6 oz piece of pristine meat either. I want something substantial (12-16 oz) but I'm willing to spend $25-$30 if convinced that its worth the price. What cut? From where? Is grass fed worth it? Or does it not matter and just going with a nice standard ribeye as long as its cooked properly really all I need to worry about?

[cartman]

Costco is stellar, IMHO, for beef. My favorite steak is a porterhouse, which is a combo of strip loin and tenderloin. A good porterhouse probably starts in the 24 ounce range. A T-bone is the same thing in the less than 24 ounce range. USDA prime or choice are the grades you'd want to look at. The only prime or choice that matters on the packaging is what also contains USDA. Anything like 'Ranchers Choice' or 'Range Prime' is just marketing.

[Lathum]

Vegeterian checking in...

[Scarecrow]

My favorite steak is a 2" dry-aged USDA prime bone-in Ribeye at ~ 24-28 oz.

1. Set steaks out for 30 minutes to an hour. They must be at room temperature.
2. Coat with a light oil, preferably canola or vegetable. Sprinkle generous amount of salt and pepper on each side.
3. Preheat a gas (gasp) grill with all burners on high for 10 minutes. A thermometer in the lid should reach 475-500 degrees.
4. Place steaks on one side of the grill. Keep burners under the steaks on high, while dropping the opposite burners to low.
5. After two minutes, flip steaks and keep on high burners.
6. After another two minutes, flip again, but place on low burners (and turn at 45 degrees to get those fancy grill marks).
7. After five minutes, flip and keep on low burners.
8. After another five minutes, transfer to a serving platter. If you can, warm platter slightly.
9. Cover steaks with aluminum foil.
10. Let rest for 10-15 minutes.
11. Enjoy!

Note: this is my prefered method, and will result in a rare to medium-rare steak. For a more medium-rare to medium steak, increase the time under the low burners to 6-7 minutes a side. Do not ruin this steak by cooking it beyond medium.

[Breeze]

Originally Posted by Radii

Lets take this thread another way from the blasphemy of "I refuse to eat anything pink"!

So I have the house to myself for a few days this weekend/early next week, which as a 37 year old means something totally different than when I was 16 and the parents were gone for a day or two :P I want to buy myself a nice steak that I wouldn't normally splurge for. Now, I'm not talking kobe or anything, and I don't want some beautiful but tiny 6 oz piece of pristine meat either. I want something substantial (12-16 oz) but I'm willing to spend $25-$30 if convinced that its worth the price. What cut? From where? Is grass fed worth it? Or does it not matter and just going with a nice standard ribeye as long as its cooked properly really all I need to worry about?

So if you are looking for the best Steak types...

Porterhouse (Cartman mentions above)
T-Bone (Cartman again mentions it)
Rib-eye
NY Strip
Filet (Tenderloin)

I stick with the above when I'm doing steak. Some people like Sirloin, but I've found they can be very inconsistent with texture/flavor.

[Easy Mac]

Originally Posted by Radii

Lets take this thread another way from the blasphemy of "I refuse to eat anything pink"!

So I have the house to myself for a few days this weekend/early next week, which as a 37 year old means something totally different than when I was 16 and the parents were gone for a day or two :P I want to buy myself a nice steak that I wouldn't normally splurge for. Now, I'm not talking kobe or anything, and I don't want some beautiful but tiny 6 oz piece of pristine meat either. I want something substantial (12-16 oz) but I'm willing to spend $25-$30 if convinced that its worth the price. What cut? From where? Is grass fed worth it? Or does it not matter and just going with a nice standard ribeye as long as its cooked properly really all I need to worry about?

I have nothing useful to add in response, but I would like to say I'm glad I'm not the only one who does this when my wife and/or child are out of town for some reason. I finally get to eat all the things that aren't high on her list/agreeable to a 5 year old.

[Autumn]

Yeah, that's pretty much SOP here when I'm in the house alone too. It's not like we don't eat steak otherwise, but I guess I don't have to feel like a pig about eating it all. Me No Share!

[nilodor]

Originally Posted by Tigercat

Thats the Canadian variety you are thinking of. If he has a hunk of meat labeled as "London Broil" in America, it is most likely a flank steak, or another cut of meat cut in a style that resembles what a flank steak would look like.

Why does flank steak need another name? It's like the whole iced tea thing all over again.

[weegeebored]

Originally Posted by Radii

Lets take this thread another way from the blasphemy of "I refuse to eat anything pink"!

So I have the house to myself for a few days this weekend/early next week, which as a 37 year old means something totally different than when I was 16 and the parents were gone for a day or two :P I want to buy myself a nice steak that I wouldn't normally splurge for. Now, I'm not talking kobe or anything, and I don't want some beautiful but tiny 6 oz piece of pristine meat either. I want something substantial (12-16 oz) but I'm willing to spend $25-$30 if convinced that its worth the price. What cut? From where? Is grass fed worth it? Or does it not matter and just going with a nice standard ribeye as long as its cooked properly really all I need to worry about?

USDA Prime Ribeye cooked slightly past medium rare is the best tasting steak for me. Finding a place that will sell you one is tougher as it seems that there still is a difference in quality even though they are labeled Prime. I went to three different butcher shops and only one was any good.

I was raised in a family of cooks that believed that if it was pink it was raw. Thankfully my wife got me to (gradually) eat steak toward the medium rare side. World of difference taste-wise. I guess if one chooses to use a steak sauce then the meat won't seem as dry if cooked longer. I will make a sauce when I grill at home but still cook as above. Ordering out - medium rare.

[Marmel]

Originally Posted by Breeze

So if you are looking for the best Steak types...

Porterhouse (Cartman mentions above)
T-Bone (Cartman again mentions it)
Rib-eye
NY Strip
Filet (Tenderloin)

I stick with the above when I'm doing steak. Some people like Sirloin, but I've found they can be very inconsistent with texture/flavor.

It is obviously all personal preference, but these 5 are the only ones to consider and I would put them in the following order:

Filet
.
.
.
Rib Eye
NY Strip
.
.
.
.
Porterhouse
T-bone

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by Marmel

It is obviously all personal preference, but these 5 are the only ones to consider and I would put them in the following order:

Filet
.
.
.
Rib Eye
NY Strip
.
.
.
.
Porterhouse
T-bone

Interesting because a T-Bne is literally A NY strip and a Filet with a bone separating them. A Porterhouse is the same thing but with a "marketable sized" filet.

[Easy Mac]

A well cooked hanger steak.

[DanGarion]

There are bone in ribeyes and there is everything else.

[Karlifornia]

A nice treat is the Ducasse method. Turn the burner on medium, stand the steak on its edge to render the fat (doubles as cooking oil...if steak has very little fat on the outside, put a little olive oil in the pan). The lay it flat, let one side brown for a couple minutes, then flip. Then melt a decent size pat of of butter in the pan. Roll the melted butter in the pan, and spoon it onto the steak. Keep flipping every minute or two until desired doneness is reached. The crust on your steak will be restaurant quality. The butter really does wonders for increasing the maillard reaction

[Neon_Chaos]

I just heat up a pan woth a spoonfull of olive oil as hot as it can get, drop in a 2-inch steak for 1 minute 30 sec, flip over, wait the same time, remove from pan and let it rest for 10 minutes. Medium-rare every time.

[Matthean]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

Interesting because a T-Bne is literally A NY strip and a Filet with a bone separating them. A Porterhouse is the same thing but with a "marketable sized" filet.

A lot of times a T-Bone won't even have any of the filet. Filet and rib eye are my favorites. Porterhouse after that.

[lungs]

Doing some things around the farm that will allow me to raise some of my own beef. Beef steers do a great job eating up the feed that my milking ladies don't eat, so it's going to be relatively cheap to raise.

As for cuts, when I'm looking to pig out, Porterhouse. But I do love cooking a filet in a cast iron skillet. I mostly get my meat fresh from a local butcher that also owns the steer lots.

[Julio Riddols]

Originally Posted by Karlifornia

A nice treat is the Ducasse method. Turn the burner on medium, stand the steak on its edge to render the fat (doubles as cooking oil...if steak has very little fat on the outside, put a little olive oil in the pan). The lay it flat, let one side brown for a couple minutes, then flip. Then melt a decent size pat of of butter in the pan. Roll the melted butter in the pan, and spoon it onto the steak. Keep flipping every minute or two until desired doneness is reached. The crust on your steak will be restaurant quality. The butter really does wonders for increasing the maillard reaction

I'm going to try this soon.

[Radii]

So my family ended up not going out of town, but I was set on getting something nice anyway, I ended up getting 2.5 pounds of dry aged ribeye at a local shop that only carries prime/choice cuts (so 3 12-14 oz steaks), and pan searing/pan frying in a mix of olive oil/butter. Was able to get them between rare-medium rare I would say, and we were all very happy with how they came out. I'm not entirely sure that I can really completely tell the difference between a $9/pound ribeye and a $28/pound dry-aged ribeye, but whatever, it was damn good and a very nice little treat.