Steak. Cut, Time & Temperature
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For carnivores there's
nothing quite like the sizzle of a perfectly seared steak. Be it on a charcoal
flame, gas grilled or stovetop skillet. Steak is a culinary delight that comes
in various cuts, each with its own unique flavor profile, tenderness, and
cooking method. In this guide, let’s take you on a journey through the world of
steaks, exploring different cuts and sharing tips on how to cook them to
perfection.
If you are like me nothing beats
a well-prepared steak. Juicy, perfectly cooked and well-seasoned. Slurp!
Well let’s talk steak, beef to be
precise. I named this article ‘Cut, Time & Temperature’. I will try to breakdown
my logic.
Cut: Before you cook or order steak you need
to identify the cut you like because there are a variety of cuts out there and
they all have different characteristics. To mention a few T-bone, Strip, Flank,
Filet, Ribeye, Round, Sirloin, Skirt, Top, Flat iron, Brisket, Shank, Prime rib…
I could go on and on. The point is there are as many cuts out there as there
are butchers and steak lovers. So, do you like a lean cut? Filet mignon. Do you
like marbled steak? Ribeye. Do you mind some melt in your mouth fat? Picanha. Do
you want to gnaw on a bone? T-Bone. Want to spend and arm and leg? Wagyu.
Get the drift? Know your cuts and what part of
the cow they come from. The rule of thumb I find helpful is the often-used
muscles equal tougher cuts of meat. FYI, I cook beef tongue and made tacos out of
it. It took me three hours to cook. That is arguably the most used organ on a bovine.
The less the muscle is used the more tender the cut. Your filet mignon sits atop
the bovine. Rarely used. This will become important later. Time and
temperature.
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Time: Cooking
time is key and depends on the cut! The tougher the cut of meat the longer the
cook time and lower the temperature, right? That is generally true with a twist. London broil is a tough cut. Recommended
cooking method is high temperature and quick. So, there are some exceptions to
the above rule of thumb. But it does hold some general truth. Time is key when
cooking or ordering steak. Do not go for brisket if all you have is an hour to
cook. You will get a severely undercooked tough cut of meat. Brisket needs
time, loads and loads of time.
Temperature: High
heat is your go to on quick cooking cuts that are tender, marbled and require
less time. High heat sears the meat, locking in the juices and making the steak
look aesthetically appealing. Who doesn’t like good grill marks. Sear it, seal
the juices, get those wonderful grill marks on them, let it rest and serve. Low
and slow for those tougher cuts (brisket, top round, etc.). If you get this
part wrong, you risk a hard, dry, tough piece of meat or an extremely under-cooked
piece of meat. Either way temperature is important.
My favorite cut is a Tomahawk.
Why? It’s majestic, well marbled, it has some lean parts to it and it makes a BIG
juicy statement when it hits the table. I cook mine on high heat, on charcoal to
get that good smokiness. I cook it to medium which gives me a warm pink center.
I use a 2 pound, 2-inch-thick
Tomahawk with the bone-in. I grill it 4 minutes a side turning every 2 minutes
to give me cross hatch grill marks. All the seasoning I need for this majestic
cut is just salt and pepper. I let it rest for 2 minutes and carve it right on
a butcher block for aesthetics and showing off to whoever graced my table.
Hopefully this was helpful.
Cut of beef determines length of
cooking time and temperature.
Bon Appetit!
Written by Walter Cole. Justcookdc
corpa. Visit my channel on YouTube if you would like to see more.
Check out and subscribe to my Youtube channel
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