disappointing Hot Tub

Brokersmoker

Was quite disappointed with my first hot tub steak. Seemed tough for a ribeye. Was it me or is letting come up tp room temp the old fashioned way just better?

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

was it thin? if it's thin it can overcook easily.

otherwise, it's not really going to change the quality of the meat (make it tougher).

Brokersmoker

not thin, 1 - 1 1/4" thick

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

honestly, cook's illustrated proposed the idea for bigger steaks like london broil for example, with the idea that it actually helped tenderize the meat. their position is that the enzymes which age meat (and one of the things that happens when you age meat is it gets tenderized), well, they kick in because of the warmer temps. accelerated aging.

not sure i buy into it.

when i hot tub, it's to raise the internal temp so that my meat has a better cross section of medium-rare when it;s done.

i can't really understand how it could possibly toughen the meat. are you sure it was choice or better?

ResQue

I am with you on the hot tub. I bought some steaks (ribeye 2" thick- 6 of them) I hot tubbed two and let two rest at room temp. I preferred the ones that rested. The hot tubbed ones seemed tougher to me also. The steaks were from the same cut so their grade of beef was the same. Maybe I messed up the hot tub...I don't know but I haven't tried to hot tub since.

3Pedals6Speeds

st!ke wrote:

when i hot tub, it's to raise the internal temp so that my meat has a better cross section of medium-rare when it;s done.

T-Rex does this for me. Even all the way through at whatever done-ness you've chosen. Not sure I'll be satisfied at a steak house again.

Chubby

I never "Hot Tub" any good quality steak!! Never!!!

Now...I know that will put me crosswise with some here, (which is ok)...but if you read Harold McGees's book...



(on which CI's article/reaserch was based)...he specifically notes that this so called "hot tubbing" method is a method that he experimented with
to speed the cooking of those specific cuts of meat, (thus hindering the developement of the "off, ("livery") flavors".

These "flavors" he deduced were caused by these specific cuts being in too long a contact with the heat during cooking... thus the method!

None of these cuts btw... were from the loin of the cow.

If you're interested...
it's a fantastic book, full if great information!

Not saying you can't "Hot Tub" a good steak...I'm just saying I don't/wouldn't!

Evans

Chubby

For me, it's not been as tough...as much as I think it produces a dryer, less flavorful result.

It's not for me either!!

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

i have that book.

Chubby

As one would x'pect!

I doooo let top/bottom round sit out (salted) for a couple hours,(when I want a London Broil type beefer for slicing on Sammies)...but that's as close as I get to tubbin!

Evans

Fidel

Salted? You'll turn it into ham.

(Just trying to get your attention. Still waiting on info on some mates from a certain Texan)

Chubby

Mee too... :S
The Fab guys are stringing me along!!

It's my fault...I never should have believed them anyway!!

Whatever "they say"...plus three weeks, I think is what My, (and TJV's) motto should be!!

Bastaad's!!

I'll let you know when I do...promise!

Evans

RRP

I've read your post and all the responses. Guess it has to be a matter of "what YOU LIKE". Personally, since I started dry aging my steaks a year ago, but loving the hot tubbed method a couple years before that I've never gone back to that "sear/rest and hope the meat comes out okay in my super heated BGE method!"

PhilsGrill

Yeah, hot tub does nothing. Just rest at room temp for at leat one hour and go from there.

FossilPeddler

Did you cook it for way less time? If it hot tubs for an hour or so at 100 to 105 degrees, it just needs a short sear (90 sec per side), and it is done. I've had great results with NY Strip and filets.