Favorite Way to cook a good steak

[Culinary Otter]

I've never done a reverse sear though I have heard it talked about, I really don't know what it is.

The term was kind of coined after Kenji Lopez-Alt made it popular while trying to recreate a poor-man's version of Sous Vide.

Low and slow (I do mine in the oven) until the steak hits about 90% doneness, take it out, rest, sear in a smoking hot pan (cast or carbon steel work the best for this, IMO).

The name for it is just because you sear it at the end, vs a traditional sear.

My go to methods are:
- SV/Cast Iron sear
- Reverse sear in oven/Cast iron sear
- Sear in cast, put in oven to finish

I almost always use Kewpie mayo as a fat when I sear. That was a game changer for me.

 

[civilsmoker]

Ok I missed this thread when it came out and since you mentioned santa maria style, I will say that is my all time favorite way to sear a steak......

I call this the open flame sear:

Here is a YouTube video of it in action....


Or the tread:

The X-Fire Ribeye!

Introducing the video story @ The X-Fire Ribeye! See the picture story below..... Since the last cook on the X-Fire hit the spot, the wife and boy wanted a do over tonight..... So started with some nicely marbled ribeyes Seasoned up with SPOG & a splash of lemon pepper & sugar....my go to...

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Here is the same flame sear being done in the vertical camber of my copper pot...

Here are two threads showing the Copper Pot sear....

Cherry Wood Flamed NY The Copper Pot Way

My boy found these babies at Costco @7.99/lb while I was working on my wife’s car.....he done good! he also picked up some kinders prime rib seasoning that I ran through the spice grinder. since we are having a unusually warm winter I decided to breakout the copper pot for this roast....all...

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The Copper Pot Prime NY & L Over Oak

So last year we took our son to Hells Kitchen in Vegas for his 18th.......so we are like what on earth can we do this year to at least come close........ Well to match the “scene” of Vegas we spent the morning in the Jeep cruising the local strip......this is 45 min drive from the house...

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My second to "flame seared" is reverse sear.....
This first example was a Throwdown Win:

TD Entry - Smoked, Grill Seared, & Grill Roasted 5/6 Ribs

So I did two other rib cooks and got so excited that I forgot to add the "ribs" tag both times and was getting ready to be an observer when I happened to go to Costco with the wife and did my usual look over the "sale meat" cooler and they had these babies marked 5/6 ribs on sale for...

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Reverse Seared Prime NY w/Crawfish Cream Sauce!

I happened to go with the wife to Costco yesterday and these monster thick prime NY’s screamed at me…… Ran these in the RT 1250 @ 180 (super smoke) for about 2 hours till they hit INT 105….. they got nicely kissed with smoky goodness Now for the sear……on the Weber sear station, screaming hot...

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Copper Pot Cherry Smoked Prime Tomahawks

Was on the hunt for a prime rib roast for the 4th to smoke but happened on these USDA Prime baby’s for 12.99/lb so the rib roast idea got flushed real quick! With these baby’s thickness they were primed (yes pun intended) for a reverse sear, so the copper pot got fired up for the job...

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My third is CI Seared.....

I like a heavily marbled cut for the CI.....

XTREME Surf & Turf!

So the kids finished up a successful year at the university, my daughters first year of teaching as a grad and the boy as his first year so we decided to do something special! This is the meal we finished on after and XTREME day of play......... first the view from the kitchen..... Next a...

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I have cooked a "LOT" of steaks in my day and here are a couple of rules that are critical in my book...

1-"Dropped in the sand" seasoned. at 1 inch plus steak requires more than a dusting. Of the seasoning Salt and Peper are MUST HAVES, the other seasonings are optional. For CI sear ONLY Salt and Pepper as the other seasonings just burn and go bitter, the butter finish in the CI is were the other fresh seasonings are added.

2- A hot sear temp (a +1inch thick is best, ie 1.25"-1.5"). This can be by fire, coals, grill grates, or a pre-seasoned hot gas grill (I let my Weber pre-heat for at least 20 mins preferably 30). Note a fire sear like the above can also be done in a kettle if you have a swinging grate you can add small wood splits over the coals. A 1/2 full vortex with some wood chunks can also be used.

3- A roasted finish....IE have the hard sear, then allow the steak to "roast" to the desired INT (5 degrees less). The +1 inch thickness makes this possible.

4-A elevated rack rest....Putting a cooked steak on a plate will continue the cook and even give it a boiled meat texture as the moisture leaves and is trapped on the plate.

The next two are from Gorgan Ramsey:
5- A steak needs a sauce of some kind, if butter is used it HAS to be HOT cold butter will turn the surface gray and cool it....ie cold compound butter is a NEVER....Hot compound butter is welcomed!

6- If the steak is cut like the Tomahawks above the cut slices NEED to be hit with some salt. Not a lot, but a pinch as its plated

 

[mike243]

Butter and rosemary is a winning combo, no sear needed sometimes

 

[1MoreFord]

I dry brine with a very heavy coating of salt for 1 hour or more for every inch of steak thickness. 1-1/2" steak equals at least 1-1/2 hours. Place steak on a plate or similar at room temp. When finished brining lightly rinse any remaining salt off, dry, add any desired seasoning except salt, and cook by your method of choice.
I cook hot on a gas grill, or charcoal grill, or cook in very hot cast iron skillet to desired temp and then let rest.
No other tricks involved for me but feel free to embellish.