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The Keys to a Perfect Steak Dinner. Restaurant Secrets. The How To Guide. I: Love Your Meat II: Accompaniments III: The Menu IV: Tools V: Recipes. Love Your Meat. Grades 3 Major Grades
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The Keys to a Perfect Steak Dinner Restaurant Secrets
The How To Guide • I: Love Your Meat • II: Accompaniments • III: The Menu • IV: Tools • V: Recipes
Love Your Meat • Grades • 3 Major Grades • Select-The least amount of marbling; tends to have much more undesirable qualities (gristle, toughness, etc.) • Choice- Middle of the road; shows more marbling; small amounts of undesirable qualities; most common among major grocery stores • Prime- Best available; the most amount of marbling; hardly any, if at all, undesirable qualities http://www.boqueteguide.com/?p=9203
Love Your Meat (cont.) • Cuts • How to decide?! • Cooking method- i.e. some cuts are perfect for grilling but not braising • Texture- something that melts in your mouth or to withstand hearty accompaniments • Final product- after contemplating the first two, find your direction; some cuts are better for different meals
Love Your Meat (cont.) • Key Areas • Chuck • The area just after the neck • Majority of these cuts are best when prepared “low and slow” • Typically tough • i.e. Short ribs, chuck roast, etc. • Plate/Flank • The “belly” • “Fibrous” and can see the muscle striations • Chewy if cut wrong! • i.e. Flank steak, skirt steak
Love Your Meat (cont.) • Round • The butt and hind leg • Similar to the chuck • Usually tough with gristle • Inexpensive • i.e. “Rump roast,” top and bottom round roast, etc. • Rib/Short Loin • The BEST! • Between the chuck and the sirloin of the cow • Most flavor because of the amount of bone and fat located in this region • You will find the most tender cuts here • i.e. Ribeye, back ribs, export rib (prime rib roast), tenderloin, hanger steak, etc.
Love Your Meat (cont.) • Temperature • The Range • Rare (125-130°F)- RED, cool center, fat has just begun melting • Culinary Opinion: always recommended for a true meat lover • Medium Rare (130-135°F)- Red, slightly warm center, fat has melted • Culinary Opinion: the standard and middle ground for the balance of texture and flavor; please do not go any further • Medium (135-140°F)- Pink, warm center, fat has completely melted and rendered • Culinary Opinion: the safe temp., integrity of the meat begins to diminish and texture becomes more firm
Love Your Meat (cont.) • Medium Well (140-150°F)- Slightly pink, hot center • Culinary Opinion: integrity of the meat is essentially gone and you have ruined the texture • Well Done (150°F +)- Completely cooked through, hot center • Culinary Opinion: No.
Accompaniments • Starch • Common • Mashed Potatoes • One of the great blank canvases of the culinary world • Go classic with a roasted garlic and butter base • Be Creative! Caramelized onion and thyme (my favorite), loaded baked potato (bacon, cheddar, scallion), basil/lemon, etc. • New Trends • Roasted Fingerlings • Small, finger looking potatoes that are similar to Yukon Gold’s • Simply roasted at high temperatures with herbs
Accompaniments (cont.) • Sweet Potato Mash • A great combo with BBQ or Spicy foods • Add a touch of nutmeg, cinnamon, clove and brown sugar or molasses • Potatoes Anna (A classic re-introduced) • Thinly sliced and layered with butter, cheeses and seasonings • Great accompaniment to any dish • The hard work pays off (it is labor intensive) http://www.jeffruby.com/cincinnati/menu
Accompaniments (cont.) • Veg. • Common • Asparagus • Adds color and crisp texture • Many ways to prepare for the perfect side • Grilled, steamed, poached... You cannot go wrong • Finish with Sauce Béarnaise (stay tuned) for a classic touch • Be Creative! Honey/balsamic reduction, or tempura battered • Carrot • Easy and classic • Steamed carrots finished in a pan with a sugar based glaze (usually honey) and seasoning • Be Creative! Carrot purée (adds great color), or simply roasted with herbs (for a concentrated and sweet flavor)
Accompaniments (cont.) • New Trends • Broccolini • Looks like broccoli, tastes like broccoli, but it’s not broccoli • Hybrid between broccoli and a Chinese broccoli called Kai-lan • Smaller florets an longer stems with a flavor profile similar to the combination of both broccoli and asparagus (slightly bitter) • Treat simply like the asparagus example or steam it followed by a quick sauté in butter, garlic and red pepper flake http://www.foodismmom.com/2010/05/broccolini.html
Accompaniments (cont.) • Seasonal • Seasonal cooking in general has taken off as a huge food trend in the restaurant industry; so much so, it has almost become a standard • Purées, roasted combinations and succotashes are common preparations
Accompaniments (cont.) • Sauce • Common/Classic/Best • Demi, demi, demi! • Start with a well-made, gelatinous beef stock and reduce it by half • Usually a 48 hour process; tack on an additional 4-12 hours if you make the stock too (depending on the yield) • Your patience will be rewarded with the most delicious, rich, meaty, liquid heaven • The stem of many sauces http://www.insidecolumbia.net/Chefs-Corner/January-2013/Veal-Stock-Demi-Glace/
Accompaniments (cont.) • Hollandaise • An egg yolk and butter sauce always with a hint of lemon and spice (usually cayenne) • Heavy, rich, decadent accompaniment that makes just about anything amazing • Throw in tarragon for the classic filet accompaniment (Sauce Béarnaise) or get creative and add your own combination of herbs and spices • Sauce Au Poivre • The only thing that many be better than a straight-forward Demi-glace (DEMI Gl-ahh-ss) • Start by sautéing shallots and cracked pepper corns with a pad of butter. Add brandy or cognac. Cook out the alcohol and add the demi • Do not be creative with this sauce. You will ruin it by making any additions or substitutions.
The Menu 18 oz. Center Cut, 28 Day Dry-Aged Ribeye Sauce Au Poivre Herb Roasted Fingerling Broccolini http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/coffee-rubbed-rib-eye-recipe/index.html
Tools • Cutting board • Chef Knife • Kitchen Towels • Mixing Bowls • Tongs • Sauté pans • Sheet pan • 3 qt. sauce pan • Grill • Oven • Stovetop burners http://thechefsknives.blogspot.com/2009/10/8-inch-chefs-knifeshun-classic-8-inch.html http://nycfireplaces.com/productgallery.php?level=album&id=130&plog_page=2 http://www.cookswarehouse.com/all-clad-stainless-saute-pan-3-qt.html http://www.melcottons.com/products2.cfm/ID/1011464/name/HD-SS-TONGS http://www.houzz.com/photos/5756612/BlueStar-Platinum-Series--PrimaNovaTM-burners-with-25-000-BTU-flame-modern-gas-ranges-and-electric-ranges-philadelphia
Recipes http://www.thekitchenhacker.com/?p=1217 http://andrewhillman.me/tips-for-grilling-the-perfect-steak-2/
Recipes (cont.) http://colourfulappetite.avantagepoint.com/blanching-healthy-cooking/