MAIN COURSE
APR 9, 2022
The Essential Guide For Steak Lovers
The guide for steak lovers to better understand the dish and getting the best of out of the meat.
OVERVIEW
A steak is a meat generally sliced across the muscle fibers and maybe including a bone. It is normally grilled, though it can also be pan-fried. The steak has been around for a long time. Most of theories trace its beginnings to Italy.
Usually steak is commonly used to describe cuts of beef from cows but actually steaks can be cut from various animals like cows, fish, poultry, lamb, pig, goat, bison camel and other animals.
ORIGIN
The term of steak dates back in Scandinavia in the mid 15th century. The Norse word “steik” was used for a thick slice of meat from an animal. In fact the word “steak” comes from that “steik” word (pronounced “stick”) meaning “meat on a stick” from an old Saxon word.
Those Saxons lives in what is now Denmark, where they raised cattle and cooked on a pointed stick over a fireplace.
The Oxford English Dictionary’s first reference is to “a thick slice of meat cut for roasting or grilling or frying, sometimes used in a pie or pudding; especially a piece cut from the hind-quarters of the animal.”
MEAT QUALITY
One fact about red meat is the average of how much it can produce the meat. On average a cow is made up of 44% edible beef, which is a lot part for delicious steak.
The smell of steak can determine whether the steak is good or bad. Fresh red meat has a light bloody or metallic smell. You have to place your nose very close to smell it. Bad steak have odor that smells sour or a bit like eggs or ammonia.
WAYS TO COOK
There are many ways to cook a steak. Meat steaks are usually grilled, pan-fried or broiled. Fish steaks may also be baked. Minced meat formed into a steak shape like Salisbury steak and hamburger steak may also be referred to as steak.
In France, steaks are often served with french fries, known as steak fries or steak-frites. Sometimes salad is served along with them. Other common side dishes are baked potatoes, dinner rolls and corn on the cob.
According to many top chefs, we’ll always get the best results by grilling our steak. It’s because grilling allows it to hold onto the most delicious flavors due to the slower process thus makes the coal to heat the meat in an even, balanced way.
For fish steak, usually salmon is the best choice as well as swordfish and marlin. For meats such as pork, lamb chevon and veal these cuts are often referred to as chops.
Fish steaks are commonly cooked quicker, as the flesh cooks quickly. Tuna steaks can also be cooked with various temperatures like rare and medium rare. The steaks are cut perpendicular to the spine. Steaks using swordfish, tuna, salmon and halibut can also be grilled as well as poached or baked using wine or sauce. They frequently cooked whole or as fillets.
TYPES OF STEAKS
These are some popular steak types and their characteristics :
- Sirloin Steak
The cut comes from an animal’s hindquarters and has less marbling. many people prefer this cut because the texture remains juicy with less fat.
- T-Bone
This steak gets its name because it is cut in a T-shape over the bone. This considered as the best of both worlds, with eye fillet on one side and sirloin on the other.
- Skirt Steak
Taken from the underside of animal’s short plate it tends to be more thick-rained and therefore tougher than other steaks. but this type can make a delicious, expensive dinner with the right treatments.
- Ribeye Steak
A popular steak and comes from the animal’s rib section. the heavy fat content makes this kind of steak so tasty and tender along with lavish marbling.
- Flank Steak
This steak is taken from the abdominal muscles, which makes it lack of tenderness. Like skirt steak, flank steaks are tougher but can be cooked to perfection with the right technique and marinade.
- Onglet Steak
Oftenly called as a hanger, these are cut from an animal’s lower belly region. It has nickname “The Butcher’s Cut” as many butchers save this piece for themselves rather to sell it. Generally, this cut has lower price than other.
STEAK DEGREE
To cook the meat there are some usual degrees and everyone has different preference to how they like their steak cooked.
- Rare – cooked very quickly with mostly red parts inside, temp : 52° C / 125 ° F
- Medium Rare – cooked quickly, mostly pink with some red, temp : 55° C / 130° F
- Medium – moderately cooked, pink inside no red, temp : 63° C / 145° F
- Medium well done – mostly cooked, some pink remaining, temp : 66° C / 150° F
- Well done – cooked thoroughly, no pink remains inside some blackened outside, temp 71° C / 160° F
SAUCES
While sauces and seasoning to accompany steak including :
Béarnaise sauce, Café de Paris sauce, Compound butters such as parsley butter or garlic butter, Demi-glace, Mustard, Horseradish cream, Fresh Rosemary, Pepper, Peppercorn sauce, Sauce Nivernaise, Sautéed mushrooms, White wine, Worcestershire sauce.
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