Steak: Anyone think this is worth trying?

[LL21]

Hey guys,

Love steak...and am curious as to whether searing on both sides simultaneously might be better than one side first, and then the next. Think this would be worth getting to do that? If i heat up the pan to superheat and also this cast iron plate (over 3lbs)...wonder if that keeps even a bit more juice inside by searing both sides simultaneously. I have spoken with the guys at the Palm Restaurant...and they have a gigantic heated press that cooks the steak on both sides...

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

I'd like the answer or opinion on this as well. It's something I've considered as my steaks are done on the stovetop (not allowed a BBQ in my building).

 

[GaryProtein]

YES! It is worth using.

I know, some people will say it squeezes the juices out, but that only happens when you press on a partially cooked piece of meat. If you keep the press, not necessarily a heavy one, on the meat from the start of cooking when it is cold, the press holds the meat evenly on the grids for even grill marks and heat conduction into the meat and does NOT squeeze out the juice. The big benefit is that the second side against the flame will have equally good grill marks--something that is lacking when you don't use a press because cooking the first side causes some curling in the meat which prevents optimal grill marks on the second side.

 

[LL21]

YES! It is worth using.

I know, some people will say it squeezes the juices out, but that only happens when you press on a partially cooked piece of meat. If you keep the press, not necessarily a heavy one, on the meat from the start of cooking when it is cold, the press holds the meat evenly on the grids for even grill marks and heat conduction into the meat and does NOT squeeze out the juice. The big benefit is that the second side against the flame will have equally good grill marks--something that is lacking when you don't use a press because cooking the first side causes some curling in the meat which prevents optimal grill marks on the second side.

Thanks!

 

[treitz3]

Good morning, lloydelee21. I have one of those [cast iron] and I use it all of the time. I've been planning to get two or three more of them. Mr. Protein had made some very good points that I will also echo but I'd like to also add that it is a godsend when it comes to cooking bacon, especially thick bacon. The curling can get quite extensive and it drives me nuts to have overcooked bacon in the middle of the strips with raw or undercooked bacon on the edges due to curling. You can also use it to keep food that "pops" under high heat contained in the pan. Highly recommended.

I do have a question for you, though. The one I have is a relatively small 5" x 7" Lodge press. It may be the photo but the one you have shown above looks to be bigger and also cast iron. You wouldn't happen to know the size and type of metallurgy, would you? The reason I ask is that I'm interested in acquiring bigger ones this go around.

BTW, I really do enjoy the Palm restaurant!

Tom

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

Tom - To prevent or minimize "curling"...cook the bacon at a lower temp. I cook mine at med-low....maybe even more to the low side. Takes longer, but that just makes my place smell more wonderful!

 

[treitz3]

Hello, John. Eh, to be honest I hadn't really thought about that. Here's why...with the bacon I usually get, it already takes more than a half an hour to cook on the griddle and usually end up doing two batches so that I can use the precooked bacon on other recipes. While it may be frustrating to slow the process down even further since everything else in the morning takes minutes to whip up, it sure wouldn't hurt to try it.

Tom

 

[Steve Williams]

Gentlemen

don't you know how unhealthy bacon is to eat whether it be cooked slow or normal.

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

Gentlemen

don't you know how unhealthy bacon is to eat whether it be cooked slow or normal.

Party -pooper!

It's BACON. There is nothing better than bacon!

 

[Steve Williams]

with all that saturated fat and sodium, I decided long ago that as good as it smells and tastes it isn't conducive to a long life

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

with all that saturated fat and sodium, I decided long ago that as good as it smells and tastes it isn't conducive to a long life

To be honest I don't eat a lot of bacon for those very reasons, but sometimes.....you just gotta have some! I probably have some bacon about twice a month, not more.

 

[Mosin]

A properly seasoned de Buyer steel pan will sear the sides of a steak very quickly and nicely without any sticking at all. It is another approach that works well.

 

[LL21]

Good morning, lloydelee21. I have one of those [cast iron] and I use it all of the time. I've been planning to get two or three more of them. Mr. Protein had made some very good points that I will also echo but I'd like to also add that it is a godsend when it comes to cooking bacon, especially thick bacon. The curling can get quite extensive and it drives me nuts to have overcooked bacon in the middle of the strips with raw or undercooked bacon on the edges due to curling. You can also use it to keep food that "pops" under high heat contained in the pan. Highly recommended.

I do have a question for you, though. The one I have is a relatively small 5" x 7" Lodge press. It may be the photo but the one you have shown above looks to be bigger and also cast iron. You wouldn't happen to know the size and type of metallurgy, would you? The reason I ask is that I'm interested in acquiring bigger ones this go around.

BTW, I really do enjoy the Palm restaurant!

Tom

$34 on Amazon! It is 9"x9" and is made of cast iron. Enjoy! It weighs over 3lbs. http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003D5KS88/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&smid=AYGKCOJFHNN9W

 

[treitz3]

Sweet! Thank you, sir. That looks to be right up my alley and with that size, I'll only need two of them. As for the bacon, I might purchase 3-4 packages of bacon a year. I'll trade off a little unhealthy for one of the greatest foods ever known to man.

Tom

 

[LL21]

Sweet! Thank you, sir. That looks to be right up my alley and with that size, I'll only need two of them. As for the bacon, I might purchase 3-4 packages of bacon a year. I'll trade off a little unhealthy for one of the greatest foods ever known to man.

Tom

Enjoy! I have just ordered mine! Cannot wait to throw on some steaks! I'll let you know how it goes...just make sure to do the same! Probably next weekend?

 

[Tom1356]

with all that saturated fat and sodium, I decided long ago that as good as it smells and tastes it isn't conducive to a long life

You call that living?

 

[Steve Williams]

yup

It's called life choices

Just one slice of bacon has 1.1 g saturated fat and 185 mg sodium.

 

[Tom1356]

yup

It's called life choices

Just one slice of bacon has 1.1 g saturated fat and 185 mg sodium.

Even if bacon shortened your life by a few years it's the crappy ones at the end anyway.

 

[LL21]

Even if bacon shortened your life by a few years it's the crappy ones at the end anyway.

Hah!

 

[treitz3]

yup

It's called life choices

Just one slice of bacon has 1.1 g saturated fat and 185 mg sodium.

but, but, but.........it's also one of the few slices of Heaven one can experience here on Earth.

Perhaps I tend to like living on the edge...hehe

I know it's bad for you but self control gets the better of me and there is far worse I could to harm my body. Call me a rebel but I can't go without my bacon.

Tom