olive oil on steaks

BillB2002

I tried this once and thought the flavors collided awfully. But I see that it is recommended by many knowledgeable people. What do y'all think?

Unknown

Olive oil burns at 350oF. Because steaks are frequently cooked at temperatures higher than that - the bad taste you are experiencing is burnt olive oil - which tastes awful.

I prefer dry rubs for steaks myself. However, I have heard of people using A 90/10 or 80/20 canola/extra virgin oil because it it has a higher smokepoint.

Richard Fl

I agree with Tweev-tip, however I like to use some porcini mushroom evoo after the cook. No affiliation, just up the road 15 minutes. They have some great oils and vinegars.

http://www.shopfromolivesandgrapes.com/index.php?app=ccp0&ns=prodall&ref=&count=10&offset=10

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

i think it leads to the flavor of burnt bitter oil on your steak

it's a perversion of a technique sometimes used for pan searing. when using a cast iron pan, sometimes a little (very little) oil is used to increase the contact area, or (like with steak au poivre) to cook something the steak is coated with as well as the steak itself.

when you sear over ridiculous heat (and lump at 1200 is pretty high heat) anything good in the olive oil (like the aromatics and flavor) is long gone when it hits your plate, and what's left is fatty unctuous soot. mmm mmmm gooooood (not)

Cpt'n Cook

I believe that is the first use of the word "unctuous" on the forum. You collect an additional 10 points for that one Stike.

NibbleMeThis

If someone is really craving the flavor of olive oil with the steak, you can do what Adam Lang does and cut the steak on a plate drizzled with olive oil and herbs. I forget what he called that, but saw him do it in a video I think with Jimmy Kimmel.

RVH

Cpt'n Cook wrote:

I believe that is the first use of the word "unctuous" on the forum. You collect an additional 10 points for that one Stike.

Gdenby used this word back on April 1st of this year in reference to cooking tongue..... :P

greenfan

Okay, I'm cooking steaks tonight. I usually put olive oil on them because I cover them with Char Crust and that helps it stick. but apparently a little bit of regular oil would be better, eh?

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

well.. if you like true char, black, etc. then the oil you use is of little consequence. you'd be fine with olive oil, or peanut oil, or whatever.

the lump sears at 1100-1200. no oil is going to survive that. and i think the char crust is INTENDED to burn isn't it?

so you'd be fine whatever you used, since you are intending to burn it anyway.

i think if someone is looking for a simple sear (salt, sear, season after), then oil would be generally less preferable.

the only char on this is the grill marks, the rest is caramelized from the sear. brown, but not blackened.

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

irishrog used it November 23rd of last year...

http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=765917&catid=1

and i used it (spelled incorrectly) in december.

http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=778341&catid=1

seems to be a (semi)popular word around here.

RVH

I used to use it in reports, until the DA asked me to refrain. It's a good word, like "groovy"...can't put that in reports either.

Large Marge

I like to use it Tuscan-style, drizzle some olive oil on the steaks after they've finished to doneness, serve it hot on the plate. Smells great IMO...quite 'redolent'...actually...

Frobozz

The smoke point of various olive oils varies considerably and is actually higher than most people think. The point of putting any oil on a steak pre-cooking is to 1)help seasonings adhere and 2)help create a char. Some extra light olive oils have a smoke point of over 450 degrees; even some extra virgin olive oils can have a smoke point above 400. Here's some good info:

http://www.oliveoilsource.com/page/heating-olive-oil

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

charcoal sears in the neighborhood of 1000+ degrees.... you won't be getting any oil that'll outlast that.

char is carbon, plain and simple. if you want the surface of your steakto char don't put anything in between it that is wet. the oil needs to be burnt off before the char will form. if the oil were hjot, like at 400 in a cast iron pan, you'd get browning. essentially frying the steak. that's not what happens when the infrared heat of the coals goes to work on your steak. it may allow seasoning to adhere, but if that seasoning is anything other than salt, it will burn too at high temps.

i dunno... char is a preference.

but olive oil is not going to survive a true temp of
1000+. the dome temp is merely an indicator of how much 1000+ degree lump you have.

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

tuscan style is something i used to do every steak when i got the BGE. man. i forgot how good that was. thanks for the reminder

gotta do it again