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Steak - The harder I try to further away I get

Everyone in this fourm has cooked a steak every which way possible.  But for me, im chasing a flavor in my head.  I know its simple.  But it aint

The restaurant name is unimportant.  But ever go some place, am outback, or long horn, or a fancy Jeff Rubys over priced place and the flavor of the steak is just memorable.  You can almost smell it now.

They all say the same thing.  Just S.P.G. is all they use.  Simple seasonings just before the grill.  No marinade, no over night.  Just cooked and served.

Meanwhile I have 3 cabinets of seasonings and I swear my steaks come out blah.  

Ive seared, reversed seared, 80,000 btu seared, smoked, rotisseried, slow cooked torched.  Just cant seem to find it.

Any real tips or shared experiences.  My steaks look incredible just missing something.  I have fine finish salts, Himalayan salt, sea salt, salt scrub and good old fashioned sand.  Nadda.

Chime in please
Columbus, Ohio
«13

Comments

  • ColbyLang
    ColbyLang Posts: 3,381
    Sous vide, salt and pepper. Sear in cast iron in butter. 
  • I have found that the biggest factors are meat quality and cooking method not seasoning. Sometimes those places will cook steaks over hardwood which you can’t replicate with seasoning. Or they are using a gas searer that gets to 1,100 degrees which you can’t always replicate at home. The best steaks I’ve ever eaten I went to a butcher shop to get the cuts and paid for that luxury. Then took them home and used good quality wood to replicate that open flame primal cooking method. Simple Salt and Pepper, Smoke and Heat nothing else


    Rockwall, Tx    LBGE, Minimax, 22" Blackstone, Pizza Party Bollore. Cast Iron Hoarder.

  • jdMyers
    jdMyers Posts: 1,336
    Thanks.  Ive tried sousvide and seared.  It has to be the quality of meat.  I have the ability to 1800 degree sear.  Flavor is just different.  Ive never done a demi glaze or anything like that.  Just thought it was me.
    Columbus, Ohio
  • Foghorn
    Foghorn Posts: 9,795
    My steaks went to a new level earlier this year (immediately pre-COVID) when  I learned that a friend of mine who competes uses Chupacabra Steak rub.  He came in 3rd out of 300+ teams in "Ribeye".

    I frankly think the key is the MSG but whatever.  It makes my steaks better - and it would make sense that restaurants wouldn't want to fess up about it.  It is ground pretty fine so I put it on first and then add a second layer of Montreal Steak or John Henry Mojave Garlic.

    https://2gringoschupacabra.com/all-products/handcrafted-steak-seasoning/

    The other thing that might help is to add a little seasoning after the sear.  Just a thought.  

    XXL BGE, Karebecue, Klose BYC, Chargiller Akorn Kamado, Weber Smokey Mountain, Grand Turbo gasser, Weber Smoky Joe, and the wheelbarrow that my grandfather used to cook steaks from his cattle

    San Antonio, TX

  • I play around with compound butters. I do agree with the quality of the meat.
    Greensboro North Carolina
    When in doubt Accelerate....
  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 14,602
    Hard sear in ghee in a screaming hot ci pan is worth a shot if you haven’t tried that.
  • QDude
    QDude Posts: 1,052
    jdMyers said:
    Thanks.  Ive tried sousvide and seared.  It has to be the quality of meat.  I have the ability to 1800 degree sear.  Flavor is just different.  Ive never done a demi glaze or anything like that.  Just thought it was me.
    Where are you buying your meat?  I have rarely bought a good steak from Kroger or Safeway.  I have had great luck at Sam's and even better at Costco.  I recently had my son go to Costco for some sirlion steak - $8 a pound.  He came back instead with some $16 per pound steaks and I had a cow!  After I got over how much he spent, we put them on the egg.  The result was one of the best steaks I have ever had.  As others have said, look for some quality meat!

    Northern Colorado Egghead since 2012.

    XL BGE and a KBQ.

  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    I like Prime NY strip steaks. We often SV them and sear on the egg. I like the BGE ancho chili and coffee rub. I cook SV because it’s easy. I can have dinner when I’m ready. Said another way, we can have a dang good steak done the lazy way. 
    Now - memorable? I have a different story. Usually once or twice a year I’ll pick up a Wagyu 30-45 day dry aged steak. For the $$ it costs I won’t go the lazy way. I’ll salt the steaks the night before. Then season with pepper before cooking. I usually smoke it on the offset over oak until the IT is 110-115. Then I’ll sear it on the hot plate over the firebox with butter, garlic, and maybe a sprig of rosemary. I’ll finish it with nice salt. To me that makes a memorable steak. Others may disagree. 
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
  • QDude
    QDude Posts: 1,052
    SciAggie said:
    I like Prime NY strip steaks. We often SV them and sear on the egg. I like the BGE ancho chili and coffee rub. I cook SV because it’s easy. I can have dinner when I’m ready. Said another way, we can have a dang good steak done the lazy way. 
    Now - memorable? I have a different story. Usually once or twice a year I’ll pick up a Wagyu 30-45 day dry aged steak. For the $$ it costs I won’t go the lazy way. I’ll salt the steaks the night before. Then season with pepper before cooking. I usually smoke it on the offset over oak until the IT is 110-115. Then I’ll sear it on the hot plate over the firebox with butter, garlic, and maybe a sprig of rosemary. I’ll finish it with nice salt. To me that makes a memorable steak. Others may disagree. 
    I can't imagine anyone having a disagreement on this forum!

    Northern Colorado Egghead since 2012.

    XL BGE and a KBQ.

  • ColbyLang
    ColbyLang Posts: 3,381
    QDude said:
    SciAggie said:
    I like Prime NY strip steaks. We often SV them and sear on the egg. I like the BGE ancho chili and coffee rub. I cook SV because it’s easy. I can have dinner when I’m ready. Said another way, we can have a dang good steak done the lazy way. 
    Now - memorable? I have a different story. Usually once or twice a year I’ll pick up a Wagyu 30-45 day dry aged steak. For the $$ it costs I won’t go the lazy way. I’ll salt the steaks the night before. Then season with pepper before cooking. I usually smoke it on the offset over oak until the IT is 110-115. Then I’ll sear it on the hot plate over the firebox with butter, garlic, and maybe a sprig of rosemary. I’ll finish it with nice salt. To me that makes a memorable steak. Others may disagree. 
    I can't imagine anyone having a disagreement on this forum!

    Nope, doesn’t happen
  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    I see what y’all did there, lol. 
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727
    edited December 2020
    i've found that for steaks, seasoning with a Montreal-style rub (DP Raising the Steaks), and dry aging for 3 days really elevates the home game. Then, sear in a skillet, pouring ghee over it as it sears. Flip every minute, until its done to your liking. 

    Great crust, and flavor, each time.

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • All that meat is aged, usually dry aged. 

    Dry aging makes a bigger difference than the choice vs prime
  • jdMyers said:
    Everyone in this fourm has cooked a steak every which way possible.  But for me, im chasing a flavor in my head.  I know its simple.  But it aint

    The restaurant name is unimportant.  But ever go some place, am outback, or long horn, or a fancy Jeff Rubys over priced place and the flavor of the steak is just memorable.  You can almost smell it now.

    They all say the same thing.  Just S.P.G. is all they use.  Simple seasonings just before the grill.  No marinade, no over night.  Just cooked and served.

    Meanwhile I have 3 cabinets of seasonings and I swear my steaks come out blah.  

    Ive seared, reversed seared, 80,000 btu seared, smoked, rotisseried, slow cooked torched.  Just cant seem to find it.

    Any real tips or shared experiences.  My steaks look incredible just missing something.  I have fine finish salts, Himalayan salt, sea salt, salt scrub.
  • Not an eggspert but I have had success with the ol timey method of mixing worchesire sauce and mustard.  Mix in a small bowl until the mustard taste has diminished.  Put steak in a seal lock bag and pour in mixture and let it marinate  for at least an hour...but works great from 3 to 4 hrs.  If grilling filet no more than an hour because the meat is so porous.  Take the steak out of the bag an hour before you grill it and pat dry with paper towel so you can get a good sear.  The mixture of mustard and worcheshire will scare you like crazy because it looks like something  that comes out of a baby's diaper.  Believe me though, it adds a wonderful flavor to your steak.  Try it on a sirloin first if you dont believe me.  Sorry I mix the marinate to taste...just remember to keep adding worchesire until the mustard taste disappears.
  • I’ll reiterate what has been said.  Dry aging is huge!  I made two absolutely fantastic dry aged ribeyes Friday night.  Also, like Foghorn suggested, you might want to try a flavor enhancer like Accent/MSG.  
    XL BGE, Large BGE, Small BGE, Weber Summit NG                                                                                               
    Memphis  
  • Wolfpack
    Wolfpack Posts: 3,551
    As others have said- butter. 

    And use something like Kerry Gold, most steakhouses all use butter at the finish. 

    Greensboro, NC
  • shtgunal3
    shtgunal3 Posts: 5,629
    All good advice above. Another tip, drop a pat of butter on it after cooking and let rest loosely covered for 5 minutes before cutting into it. A very light dusting of garlic powder with the butter is also great.

    ___________________________________

     

     LBGE,SBGE, and a Mini makes three......Sweet home Alabama........ Stay thirsty my friends .

  • mEGG_My_Day
    mEGG_My_Day Posts: 1,653
    + 1 on the butter.  Sometimes we will use a compound butter, but not necessary. 
    Memphis, TN 

    LBGE, 2 SBGE, Hasty-Bake Gourmet
  • This is probably an echo, but the better quality steak (or pork, chicken, lamb, etc.) you buy the better the result. A crappy steak will be crappy no matter what. As my Pappaw used to say, you can't make chicken salad outta chicken ****. Find a real butcher, befriend him and you'll get what you're after.
    Formerly @dharley prior to some password bs.

    LBGE, 36" Blackstone, bad liver & a broken heart

    Three Rivers, MI
  • jdMyers
    jdMyers Posts: 1,336
    Yes sir.  Thought that at thanksgiving.  2nd day seemed so much better
    Columbus, Ohio
  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,314
    Many good steakhouses use overhead broilers, which definitely has its own unique flavor that's hard to replicate with grills & skillets. 
    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
    Longhorn and Outback use aged steaks.  I am sure all the fancy places do also. Most likely prime grade as well.  Heavily salted.  High btu broilers.
    Southeast Florida - LBGE
    In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’  Dare to think for yourself.
     
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    Longhorn and Outback use aged steaks.  I am sure all the fancy places do also. Most likely prime grade as well.  Heavily salted.  High btu broilers.
    Yep, pretty sure they are wet-aged.  There's no difference in tenderness from dry aged, just less water in the dry which concentrates the beefy flavor.  And you don't get the oxidized fats and the nutty flavor.

    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,673
    i prefer the trex method with a tweak. heavey salt for the sear (dont burn the pepper or rub) that goes on while it rests on a rack (not a cold plate) during the rest on goes the pepper or rub. then roast below 400f dome til done (123 fora strip, 127 for a ribeye. then its back on a rack for a few minutes, never directly to a cold plate
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    i prefer the trex method with a tweak. heavey salt for the sear (dont burn the pepper or rub) that goes on while it rests on a rack (not a cold plate) during the rest on goes the pepper or rub. then roast below 400f dome til done (123 fora strip, 127 for a ribeye. then its back on a rack for a few minutes, never directly to a cold plate
    Some pepper steak (steak au poivre) is cooked with the peppercorns pressed into the steak before searing (don't do this indoors).  Others it's added after.


    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,673
    i prefer the trex method with a tweak. heavey salt for the sear (dont burn the pepper or rub) that goes on while it rests on a rack (not a cold plate) during the rest on goes the pepper or rub. then roast below 400f dome til done (123 fora strip, 127 for a ribeye. then its back on a rack for a few minutes, never directly to a cold plate
    Some pepper steak (steak au poivre) is cooked with the peppercorns pressed into the steak before searing (don't do this indoors).  Others it's added after.



    straight up steak i dislike burnt pepper and usually just apply at the table. cognac sauce seems to fix that for me
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it