Why do steaks curl up in the frying pan?

On Nov 1, 11:14 am, DJ Delorie wrote:
Doug Freyburger writes:
Alton Brown might have only been using the smaller pan for a quick
sear that turns into a bacon press,

As I said, he was cooking grilled cheese sandwiches, and there was
plenty of heat to do that. He didn't do meat that way, that was
something I thought of.


I don't know what kind of steaks your're cooking, but I've never had
this curling problem. I cook NY Strip, Porterhouse, Filet Mignon.
Most likely it's because of the thickness. If it's 1 1/2" to 2"
thick, it won't curl. Besides that, being thick makes it juicy, where
thin leads to drying out.

One thing I've learned is that the biggest thing that leads to a good
steak is the quality of what you start with. There is a local butcher
shop here that is owned by a guy that used to be a butcher in NYC.
He gets his meat from the same sources that sell Prime to the best
steakhouses in NYC. These steaks are expensive, but the taste
difference between those and what you get at the local supermarket,
even the same cuts that are claimed to be Angus, is huge. And it's
hard to screw these up. I've overcooked them on the grill and they
still taste great. There is just a tremendous amount of flavor that
you you don't get in a regular steak. These are better tasting cooked
here than I can get at any local restaurants and I would say they are
equal to or better than any steak I've had at top steak houses in NYC.

REgarding the Angus beef thing, I think if you look into it, you'll
conclude that it's more a marketing scheme than anything else. As I
recall, there is no genetic certification, stock certification, etc
that makes it Angus. It's only that the cows have characteristics
associated with Angus, which I think allows a lot of leeway as to what
you really are getting.

wrote in message
ups.com...
On Nov 1, 11:14 am, DJ Delorie wrote:
Doug Freyburger writes:
Alton Brown might have only been using the smaller pan for a quick
sear that turns into a bacon press,

As I said, he was cooking grilled cheese sandwiches, and there was
plenty of heat to do that. He didn't do meat that way, that was
something I thought of.


I don't know what kind of steaks your're cooking, but I've never had
this curling problem. I cook NY Strip, Porterhouse, Filet Mignon.
Most likely it's because of the thickness. If it's 1 1/2" to 2"
thick, it won't curl. Besides that, being thick makes it juicy, where
thin leads to drying out.

One thing I've learned is that the biggest thing that leads to a good
steak is the quality of what you start with. There is a local butcher
shop here that is owned by a guy that used to be a butcher in NYC.
He gets his meat from the same sources that sell Prime to the best
steakhouses in NYC. These steaks are expensive, but the taste
difference between those and what you get at the local supermarket,
even the same cuts that are claimed to be Angus, is huge. And it's
hard to screw these up. I've overcooked them on the grill and they
still taste great. There is just a tremendous amount of flavor that
you you don't get in a regular steak. These are better tasting cooked
here than I can get at any local restaurants and I would say they are
equal to or better than any steak I've had at top steak houses in NYC.


What makes some meat more flavorful than other meat, assuming the fat
content is about the same?

REgarding the Angus beef thing, I think if you look into it, you'll
conclude that it's more a marketing scheme than anything else. As I
recall, there is no genetic certification, stock certification, etc
that makes it Angus. It's only that the cows have characteristics
associated with Angus, which I think allows a lot of leeway as to what
you really are getting.

On Nov 2, 6:10 am, "Roger Zoul" wrote:
wrote in message

ups.com...





On Nov 1, 11:14 am, DJ Delorie wrote:
Doug Freyburger writes:
Alton Brown might have only been using the smaller pan for a quick
sear that turns into a bacon press,

As I said, he was cooking grilled cheese sandwiches, and there was
plenty of heat to do that. He didn't do meat that way, that was
something I thought of.

I don't know what kind of steaks your're cooking, but I've never had
this curling problem. I cook NY Strip, Porterhouse, Filet Mignon.
Most likely it's because of the thickness. If it's 1 1/2" to 2"
thick, it won't curl. Besides that, being thick makes it juicy, where
thin leads to drying out.

One thing I've learned is that the biggest thing that leads to a good
steak is the quality of what you start with. There is a local butcher
shop here that is owned by a guy that used to be a butcher in NYC.
He gets his meat from the same sources that sell Prime to the best
steakhouses in NYC. These steaks are expensive, but the taste
difference between those and what you get at the local supermarket,
even the same cuts that are claimed to be Angus, is huge. And it's
hard to screw these up. I've overcooked them on the grill and they
still taste great. There is just a tremendous amount of flavor that
you you don't get in a regular steak. These are better tasting cooked
here than I can get at any local restaurants and I would say they are
equal to or better than any steak I've had at top steak houses in NYC.

What makes some meat more flavorful than other meat, assuming the fat
content is about the same?



REgarding the Angus beef thing, I think if you look into it, you'll
conclude that it's more a marketing scheme than anything else. As I
recall, there is no genetic certification, stock certification, etc
that makes it Angus. It's only that the cows have characteristics
associated with Angus, which I think allows a lot of leeway as to what
you really are getting.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

The cattle genetics that you start with, what you feed them, how old
they are, how much excercise they get, are all factors. In the case
of Kobe beef, in Japan they even feed them beer and give them
massages, which of course is an extreme. There is Kobe beef from the
US now too, but I don't know exactly how close to the Japanese methods
they use.

Another big factor is how the meat is aged after it's butchered. The
steaks you get at the supermarket or most butcher shops are wet aged,
which is done in a vacuum sealed bag and takes less time. The best
steaks are dry aged, which takes longer and is done in a cool room
with the meat exposed to air, which causes it to lose weight, and then
the crust that develops has to be cut off before it's sold, so it adds
to the cost. But dry aging concentrates and improves the flavoring.

Only a few percent of steaks are really Prime and they get reserved
for the special established customers like the top steakhouses. So,
the best don't even make it to the typical supermarket or butcher shop.

" wrote:
"Roger Zoul" wrote:

What makes some meat more flavorful than other meat, assuming the fat
content is about the same?

For the purposes of USDA rating, the fat content is not the same.
Prime has more fat and better marbling than choice. Choice has
more fat and better marbling than the next grade down ...

The fat content has a large impact on flavor but it isn't the only
determinent ...

The cattle genetics that you start with, what you feed them, how old
they are, how much excercise they get, are all factors. In the case
of Kobe beef, in Japan they even feed them beer and give them
massages, which of course is an extreme. There is Kobe beef from the
US now too, but I don't know exactly how close to the Japanese methods
they use.

Another big factor is how the meat is aged after it's butchered. The
steaks you get at the supermarket or most butcher shops are wet aged,
which is done in a vacuum sealed bag and takes less time. The best
steaks are dry aged, which takes longer and is done in a cool room
with the meat exposed to air, which causes it to lose weight, and then
the crust that develops has to be cut off before it's sold, so it adds
to the cost. But dry aging concentrates and improves the flavoring.

Only a few percent of steaks are really Prime and they get reserved
for the special established customers like the top steakhouses. So,
the best don't even make it to the typical supermarket or butcher shop.

wrote:
REgarding the Angus beef thing, I think if you look into it, you'll
conclude that it's more a marketing scheme than anything else. As I
recall, there is no genetic certification, stock certification, etc
that makes it Angus.

I think they have to moo in a Scottish accent to be classed as true Angus.

Hollywood wrote:
On Nov 1, 2:13 am, "em" wrote:
And how do you keep them from doing that?

For thin meats:
Use a bacon press or a foreman style grill.

For all meats, you can make cuts around the circumfrence
of the steak about about .5-1" intervals. You want to cut
non-meat, non-bone stuff. So, connective tissue and fat.

Lastly, buy thicker steaks. Pan sear for a minute or two
to a side. Then transfer to a 400-450 over for some time,
depending on thickness and desired doneness, 4-8 minutes,
approximately. Superior method anyway to pan fry.

I agree with doing the pan sear first, but I use a 300 degree F. oven to
finish with a digital thermometer sensor stuck in the middle. When the
meter (outside the oven) reads 135, I pull it, place on a wood cutting
board and cover loosely with aluminum foil for 3 to 5 minutes. Comes
out perfect.
ed