How to Turn Cheap "Choice" Steaks into Gucci "Prime" Steaks
(Grilled Porterhouse with Garlic-Herb Butter, Shoestring Fries and Spinach with Garlic Chips. Thank you Kelly for cooking my spinach while I tended to my rugrat children who thought it would be funny to watch Mom trip over the marbles that they dumped down the stairs. Ha. Ha. That was funny boys.)
If you are a meat-lover, I hope that the title of this post + luscious photo is enticing enough for you to read though the entire article. Because I promise you that it's worth it. Even if you don't eat meat, this is a must-read...as you can impress the hell outta your carnivorean friends. (and sometimes, when you're a vegetarian in a herd of carnivores...it would just be nice to have that extra, "dude....you didn't know that about steak???!" in your pocket.)
My entire family (including the 2 yr old kid) just adores steak...you could probably classify us as professional steak-eaters. In fact, it is my husband's life-long quest to hone his grilling technique so that our steaks at home turn out charred crusty on the outside and perfectly medium-rare on the inside. With grill marks for show, of course. Seriously, we are too cheap to eat out at nice steak restaurants. For the past 4 months, we have been experimenting with how to get full, juicy, beefy flavor of a ribeye with butter-knife tenderness of a filet mignon without paying up-the-butt for Prime cuts.
And after 4 months of eating steak 2x a week, I think we've figured it out.
So, my friends, I am offering you a very juicy secret, one that will turn an ordinary "Choice" cut of steak into a gucci "Prime" cut. Do you know the joy of buying Choice and eating Prime? It's like buying a Hyundai and getting a free mail-in rebate for a BMW upgrade!!!
The secret after the jump.....
Massively salt your steaks 15 min - 1 hour before grilling.
Notice that I didn't say, "sprinkle liberally" or even "season generously." I'm talking about literally coating your meat until you can't see red.
It should resemble a salt lick.
Let that meat be totally overwhelmed with the salt for 1 hour or less. Rinse, pat dry dry dry and then you’re ready to grill.
Before y'all throw a hissy fit, just hear me out. I first learned of this technique from Judy Rodgers' Zuni Café Cookbook. Judy massively salts her chicken before roasting, and I've adapted the practice to steaks. Thanks to a couple of other books (McGee's On Food and Cooking and Alton Brown's I'm Just Here For the Food), and a few fellow bloggers, I have somewhat of an explanation of how it works.
But just so you know...I slept through high school biology and chemistry, especially during the chapter on osmosis. I'm asking for any researchers, doctors, scientists, butchers, plumbers, professional chefs, mechanics....basically anyone who didn't sleep through school to add to this conversation. Mainly because maybe, there might be as many holes in my slideshow as there are in my pea-head.
Oh, and if the drawings look like a 3rd grader did it, too bad....I'm not a artist, dammit!!! YOU try drawing with a laptop touch-pad and a glass of bourbon on the rocks.
Slide #1:
All of you who season JUST before grilling - this is what you are really doing to the meat. Did you know that? All the water comes to the surface and if you don't pat super-dry, you're basically STEAMING the meat.
But if you let it sit for a while...this is what happens: cue Slide #2:
August 28th, 2007 at 11:56 pm
Sweet jesus, that middle pic of sliced meat is amazing. It's almost midnight but I feel the need to buy a steak, fire up the grill and start salting immediately. Must. Have. Steak.
August 28th, 2007 at 11:59 pm
Jaden, this is a very informative and funny post. I love it.
August 29th, 2007 at 12:14 am
ok, yeah yum. I shall jerky my next slab o' cheap meat (fiance notwithstanding)
August 29th, 2007 at 1:05 am
Any ideas on just how low you can go with the cut of meat before the salting won't work? I mean, I'm guessing I don't want to do this with london broil or brisket. Um, btw, I'm just pretending like I know cuts of cow.
August 29th, 2007 at 1:15 am
Great illustrations. I'd love to eat steak more often but price is sometimes a factor. These are some great tips, I'll have to try it out.
August 29th, 2007 at 1:19 am
Great post and I love the high school science lesson! I slept through my classes as well and remember nothing now!
One question though - I'm not very salt-savvy so can you use sea salt instead of kosher salt?
August 29th, 2007 at 1:22 am
- a big applause to you Jaden. For the informations, the slides and the pictures...well it's not a surprise that they are gorgeous!
This post just changed my life.
August 29th, 2007 at 1:22 am
One of the best posts I've read anywhere in a while. Mongo must get steak now.
August 29th, 2007 at 1:46 am
I was gonna ask the same thing, can I use sea salt instead of kosher? Will definitely try this soon
August 29th, 2007 at 1:48 am
Jaden, I think if you'd taught high school biology, more of us would have stayed awake through it. Although I confess that when my high school biology teach asserted the "average" menstrual cycle lasted two days, I dismissed everything she had to say for the remainder of the semester as hoo-haa.
Looking forward to trying your take on grilled steak!
August 29th, 2007 at 2:42 am
Such a lovely pieces of meat you have there. "So tender, so juicy, so full of flavour...... will make me hunger for more."
Thanks again for your award. Did you see the two piglets that I posted at http://www.bigboysoven.blogspot.com?
August 29th, 2007 at 3:01 am
Jaden, you crack me up. Your artwork is absolutely fantastic I am sure you and my 5 year old would have a ball!! Now to the steak - I am drooling and dying and on my knees, begging for a tiny bite. That looks soooo good!
August 29th, 2007 at 4:08 am
Marbles! Hehe, you should see my latest post. We are so on the same wave-length.
BTW, this method works great with chicken. Ssssh! That's the secret to fabulous roast chicken but don't tell people it's so simple or they won't be so impressed when I make it anymore.
My mom, however, douses her cheap steaks with baking soda, lets it absorb, then rinses it off. Then salt.
August 29th, 2007 at 5:27 am
Oh man....I just got back from the butcher with a week's worth of meat! Now, I have a wait a whole week just to try this....it looks SOOO good! Oh, and I did pay attention in bio class...and I don't even remember any of that anyways. It's been too long and who cares anyways if it works and tastes good! Thanks for sharing!
August 29th, 2007 at 5:29 am
Ah, so you're not saying which of the books was wrong, eh?
Here it is, 5:30 a.m., and steak and eggs is sounding sooooo good. Maybe it's not a good thing that the nearest Kroger is open 24/7!
BTW, I'm wondering how well sea salt will do in this? Oh, and as an Aside, where the Hell is the recipe for your shoestrings and/or chips? Yer not gettin' off easy there, lady!
August 29th, 2007 at 8:35 am
What an awesome write-up and I LOVED the pictures - personally I thought they were excellent - did you go MS Paint on those? Will have to make steak soon - this made me really hungry!
August 29th, 2007 at 8:41 am
Great Post! I can't wait to try with the giant hunk o' meat in my fridge! THANKS! I'm thinking of blitzing the garlic/rosemary in the food processor with the salt...to extract more flavor? Think that might work, or will it be too much.
Labor Day Weekend Fun!
August 29th, 2007 at 9:45 am
Jaden, This was such a informative post. As someone else also noted, wish our biology teachers had explained concepts in such an interesting and involved manner. Loved it.
August 29th, 2007 at 10:05 am
I love this post! Very creative way to present the information...you are braver than I with designing your own graphics! I love, love, love a good steak but despise giving up an entire month's dining out budget for it, so I think I will be experimenting with this very soon. Labor Day weekend, in fact!
August 29th, 2007 at 10:34 am
Great slide show! I feel like I'm back in high school. I should be doodling on something. Except your lesson contained information I could actually use. I think you should call you fabulous technique dry-brining. It will be the centerpiece of your best-selling cookbook.
August 29th, 2007 at 11:19 am
I am quite the carnivore. Love your drawings on the whole osmosis -reverse osmosis process! I attended a 3-day seminar by Harold McGee, and I tell you that man is a walking encyclopedia of Food Science.
August 29th, 2007 at 11:43 am
food never was so much fun....
every post is just so hilarious... and innovative.
but what in the sweet name of europe is kosher salt?
we don't get that stuff here...
August 29th, 2007 at 11:47 am
Your witty prose and those informative drawings just got you added to my daily reading list, yo.
As for your idea, it's awesomazing, but I am shocked the steak does not taste like an oversized salt lick. Will have to try as soon as possible.
August 29th, 2007 at 12:01 pm
Brilynn - go get yourself some BIG HUNK O MEAT!!!
Anh- Thank you!
Foodie- What's wrong with your fiance??? He doesn't like meat?
Nathan - I've only used Porterhouse, Strip, Ribeye and TBone. I think Sirloin would work as well, but I don't think Brisket or Skirt would work - as they are pretty grisley.
Kelly- I know what you mean!! I hate paying so much money for good meat. Me ...cheap.
Wok & Spoon- YOu slep through high school too?!? Good. I'm not the only one.
Rose- I've been known to change lives through food.
Mongo- Mongo must try new technique now....
Kat- Yes! Use sea salt!
Dolores- If I had taught high school biology, we'd be eating everyday.
Meeta- One day we shall meet and our kids will have a blast with us in the kitchen. xoxo j
WC- I've tried with chicken too....and it is so delish! I used to drink the marble drink too. How did you get the marble out???
Nicole- thank you sweetie
LPC- Ahhh...i've anticipated your inquiries, old grasshoppa....links to the fries and chips are live now.
Radish- I stumbled my way through Illustrator. Though I guess I coulda used MS Paint - much easier to manipulate.
Scott - I think maybe a rough chop - but not much more than that or it may just overwhelm the steak.
Pragyan- thank you very much!
Lynn- I don't know if I have the patience to write a cookbook - we'll see. But either way, it is a juicy post, eh?
Jamie Anne- Thank you and nice to meet you. Just use sea salt.
Jim-
Love that word..."awesomazing" and no it doesn't taste like a salt lick - you have to wash away the surface salt.
Veron- Thanks to you my friend - you got me asking all those questions. I would love to one day meet Harold McGee. Actually, I'd love to cook for him.
August 29th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
Wow, nice diagrams. Very Good Eats and Alton Brown-esque. I am by no means part of AB's research team, but I'm pretty sure you are correct with your extrapolations. Nice job! Mmmmm, bourbon.
August 29th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
I'm not even a huge steak fan, and I *still* drooled over your photos (and it's not even dinner time)! If anyone else drew those slides, I wouldn't have bothered reading them, but I knew you would make them really funny (and you did).
Now...for those of us without an outdoor grill...ya think this would work on a Foreman? =)
August 29th, 2007 at 1:06 pm
[...] on Steamy Kitchen, Jaden has posted a method for cooking steaks perfectly, each and every time. There are lots of little scientific diagrams, but the photos are what [...]
August 29th, 2007 at 1:22 pm
Jaden,
I bet your boys would have a ball trying to figure that out.
Just unscrew the top.
August 29th, 2007 at 2:15 pm
I found your website through another food blogger website and have lurked at various scrumptious post that you've done. This is the first recipe that I feel I can definitely try without having levels of error in the cooking
It looks delicious and I can't wait to cook steak this week. Thank you
August 29th, 2007 at 2:24 pm
Wow! Can't wait to try it for dinner tonight!
August 29th, 2007 at 3:45 pm
I am a PhD student in Biochemistry and I think you did a fantastic job on your explanation and drawings. The one discrepancy I can see is that the water only leaves the steak while the "salty water" does not go in. So how does the steak get more salty? There is already salt (or sodium ions) in the steak but they are diluted with water. When you put the salt on the steak the water is sucked out (by osmosis) this increases the concentration of the salt already in the stake. This increased salt concentration causes the proteins to unfold (or denature) as does the high heat of cooking and this is what makes a more tender steak. Very good post.
August 29th, 2007 at 4:36 pm
I just slept through your biology-chemistry class but when I sniffed and saw the steak, I woke up! But at least your humor in class kept me there. I would have skipped the class if it was another boring instructor. There's a PhD in you - Permanent Head Damages (PhD) ?! Buahahah!
August 29th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
This is fascinating stuff. I'm going to scare the hell out of our little dining group when we meet in 2 weeks and they find forty bucks worth of ribeyes covered with salt, waiting their turn on the grill. I.ve always wanted to be a cooking star, and it's about to happen thanks to you, Steamy.
August 29th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
Nice!
I think Alton would smile and nod at your explanation. Are you gonna be a food-hacker now?
August 29th, 2007 at 5:16 pm
Well done! *ba dum cha*
I love Alton Brown. Thanks for the great steak tips.
August 29th, 2007 at 5:25 pm
Thanks Jaden today I have learned somenthing more about grilling steaks, your way to teach is so fun that I could stay to listen you all the time.
Thanks
August 29th, 2007 at 7:59 pm
Hey,
That's funny. You reminded me of a story. I was at my favorite charcuterie stall at the farmer's market, years ago. One of the staff and I were talking about whole chickens and related. She said that, where she works, they salt the chickens over night and cook the next day. Said they were delightful and I should try the same.
I did, but my own variation. I used some fancy Italian very coarse sea salt and used the procedure you laid down.
It was weeks later that I found out Kim had recently worked at Zuni. Der.
Biggles votes for NON-brined meat. The only time I've enjoyed it was with quail, in the smoker.
Biggles
August 29th, 2007 at 8:02 pm
Jaden - thanks for the intro, I will try this on the weekend
Kym - thanks, I totally get it now!
August 29th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
Those photos look amazing and so delicious! I am really craving steak now. I will have to try the melting herb butter on the next steak that I make.
August 29th, 2007 at 8:40 pm
Even as a serious vegetarian, I loved your illustrations, photos & write-up!
August 29th, 2007 at 11:30 pm
oh Jaden! That was great! I love your quirky and funny posts. You know, i have this urge to rush out and buy a slab of steak! hahaha. Will definitely try this method. As a poor postgrad student... this is very very practical AND useful! I bet my bf will thank you for a long time to come. =)
August 29th, 2007 at 11:50 pm
Fantastic post! Such great tips. For a minute there I thought Alton Brown had taken over your blog.
August 30th, 2007 at 12:40 am
Right! We just did my steak the way you did them....OMG, they turned out so fascinatingly superb!
August 30th, 2007 at 12:40 am
Right! We just did my steak the way you did them last night....OMG, they turned out so fascinatingly superb!
August 30th, 2007 at 2:18 am
Yum! Will definitely try this.
Did you really mean 2 teaspoons on the salt? Seems like a small handful would be more than 2 teaspoons. But I'll apply the -ish factor in any case.
August 30th, 2007 at 4:47 am
That is such a good tip! I can't afford super nice steaks, but now I have science on my side!
B
http://handtomouthkitchen.wordpress.com
August 30th, 2007 at 7:24 am
Great post, Jaden. I love your slides and the explanation of why this works. Now I'll have to try your method. Yum!
August 30th, 2007 at 9:06 am
Man that looks sooooooooo good! Thanks for the info, I've always wondered how restaurants could get their meat sooo tender...
August 30th, 2007 at 11:23 am
Wow!! What a recipe changing technique to create tender juicy steaks!!! Thanks for the tip Jaden!!!! I enjoyed your article immensely....
August 30th, 2007 at 1:29 pm
Hmm. After reading such an interesting post (with mouthwatering photography) I simply had to run home and test this last night. I picked up a couple 1.25 inch thick cuts of sirloin (about 10 oz. each). Salted with Kosher for an hour, rinsed, patted dry and grilled at high heat. While i was able to get a nice medium-rare, then leanness of the meat kept me from getting a good char. Tenderness was on par with non-salted sirloin. Most importantly, though, the steak was noticeably too salty throughout. I'd almost compare it to ham. I'm happy if others find success, but I'll probably go back to my dry-rubbed rib steaks, marinated strips, and naked filets.
August 30th, 2007 at 1:46 pm
Hey Ian, Thanks for your comment - I'm really surprised that you didn't find success in the method. I've tested over 34 steaks in different thicknesses. The biggest difference being I kept my cuts to Porterhouse, Strip, TBone and Ribeye (as I recommended in my post) - and not Sirloin as you had tried.
I owe you a steak, my friend. I'll tell you what. I'll buy you a nice Strip steak and let's try again. Because I *know* it works. Email me a local butcher or supermarket phone number and I'll gladly buy you a steak!
xoxo jaden
August 30th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
One of the best posts I have ever read. Ever. Nice Job, J!
August 30th, 2007 at 3:10 pm
Very generous of you, J, but save the money for a top-shelf bottle of red to go with your steak the next time. I'm not put off the technique, and I know I'll be trying variations of this again, until I get it tweaked to my tastes. Maybe a thicker porterhouse this weekend with some applewood smoke...
Again, great post, and a beautiful blog.
August 30th, 2007 at 3:18 pm
Jaden, you kill me - this is so funny! I absolutely love your post and I don't even eat meat - that's how great your writing is!
August 30th, 2007 at 3:53 pm
I love your illustrations, they're awesome! I do this with roast chicken too, like WC, but it never occurred to me to do this with steak. Can't wait for rib eye to go on sale.
August 31st, 2007 at 4:28 am
Fantastic post!!! My husband is definitely a season-right-before-grilling guy but I'm sure he will be open to experimenting and trying your method when I show him your photos
We are so trying this ASAP!
If you were my biology teacher I would be a genius! I love those drawings!
August 31st, 2007 at 6:57 am
Hi Jaden - Excellent as always. Happy Blog 2007! You're one of my picks
August 31st, 2007 at 11:04 am
[...] Jaden's Steamy Kitchen shows you how to "Turn cheap 'choice' steaks into Gucci 'prime' steaks." [...]
August 31st, 2007 at 11:16 am
You need to stop this downright vulgar, food porn that you are practising!
I just got back from teaching my first class of the semester, it is 11.15 a.m. I have not cooked a thing and I just had some cereal so you can imagine my outrage at this post! (lol)
You are the best.
Have a great weekend!
August 31st, 2007 at 12:57 pm
Great information!
Now if you could only turn my funky old shoes in shiny Gucci loafers, I'd be even happier...
August 31st, 2007 at 10:18 pm
Awesome post - and I LOVE those step by step explanation pictures
September 2nd, 2007 at 10:48 am
I stumbled across your blog today and I have to say for the first time, I actually enjoyed science...anyway, I'll be trying the salt trick this weekend. Great blog!
September 2nd, 2007 at 11:30 am
Oh my, this looks and sounds WONDERFUL!! Hubby and I are going to be trying this little trick. Like Traci, I just stumbled across you for the first time today - I'll definitely be back - you're terrific!
September 2nd, 2007 at 12:14 pm
Made it and it was a hit! Thank you!!!
**happy dance**
September 2nd, 2007 at 6:19 pm
1) You're increasing the intracellular salt concentration, which should cause some proteins to denature, which is why the meat should be tender.
2) You're also inhibiting the loss of moisture to air during cooking, which is why the meat should be juicy (this is not negligible).
3) If you were to coat with salt and cook right away, you would not have either effect, because the osmotic gradient wouldn't have time to reach equilibrium (as you correctly describe). In fact, you'd accelerate the loss of moisture to the environment (this is how curing works).
4) The chemicals that impart flavors from spices are volatile - they evaporate easily, which is why you can smell them - and hydrophobic. They are unaffected by the process of osmosis that you describe - because they're not soluble in water - but do work through diffusion. During your marinade time, the volatile flavors are diffusing into the fat in your meat while the salt is doing its work in the water.
I'm sure this is much more complicated in reality, but that's a simple explanation that I'm pretty sure is correct.
September 2nd, 2007 at 6:20 pm
This post is dangerous to men with pregnant, meat-craving fianceés. :3 I want one. NOW.
September 2nd, 2007 at 7:57 pm
As always Jaden, you are a rock star!!! I made both your steak recipe, and the recipe for your corn at a party today and both were AMAZING!!! You helped contribute to an awesome spread of grilled goodness for a going away party for a friend. When are you getting your show, you more than deserve it! (and thanks for the nice comment yesterday!)
September 2nd, 2007 at 10:25 pm
Well, I will give this a try tomorrow. Steak is my favorite food, as well as the favorite food of my dog, Little Filthy. We shall provide a verdict tomorrow.
More drinking and steak, please.
September 2nd, 2007 at 10:41 pm
[...] with kosher salt...very heavily. Like mascara on a whore heavily. Here, even better, look at this website that describes how to do this and why it makes your steak taste taste like [...]
September 3rd, 2007 at 3:11 am
Thank you for this article.
Today only some bloggers posts really interesting content. I love your blog and have to say that your pictures are fantastic. My mouse is watering only just looking at them
September 3rd, 2007 at 7:55 am
osmosis? what is that?
i just got a new grill pan! do you know what it's going to be christened with? I'll let you in on a secret.. some gucci prime steaks!
September 3rd, 2007 at 12:27 pm
I'm confused about the idea that you are taking a "poor" cut of meat and using your salting technique to make them good. In our neck of the woods, porterhouse, rib-eyes, etc. are already fabulous steaks. A filet would be the only one more tender.
September 3rd, 2007 at 7:51 pm
Birdie- Good question. The USDA grades beef in the following 3 main categories: Select, Choice and Prime (there are 8 or so in total, but these 3 are what you would normally find in a supermarket. Select is the cheapest stuff with less flavor and tougher quality.
Choice steaks is what most would normally classify as "pretty good stuff" - more marbling, much better flavor.
Prime is the gooooood grade - the premium quality that restaurants and high-end butchers sell. Only 2% of all beef is graded Prime and usually restaurants and hotels get dibs on the best of the best first.
This technique is for taking "choice" meats and making them as tender as the prime grade.
September 3rd, 2007 at 9:22 pm
I tried your 'salt solution' tonight on pork chops and it was a real hit. They came out so tender and flavorful. Thanks so much, I can’t wait to try in on a Chuck Eye steak, it's a cheap version of a rib eye.
Thanks again,
Rob
September 4th, 2007 at 2:10 am
Oh my gosh, does that look good! This post was perfectly written and perfectly timed! We are in the process (movers coming tomorrow) of moving into a gorgeous house with a great deck and patio which just cries out for a grill. I was just telling hubby that I can't wait to snag a grill and start actually doing some cooking, but that I didn't know where to start. You, my dear, are a Godsend. Thank you so very much for taking the time and effort to oh-so-carefully put together this incredibly detailed and funny posting. We do appreciate it! (I'll keep you posted, gal!)
September 4th, 2007 at 2:14 am
Girl, I hear you on the pre-salting the meats. I made Zuni Cafe's Short Ribs Braised in Chimay Ale and pre-salted those ribs for 24 hours. It made such a big difference! Anyways, love your post and illustrations mama!
September 4th, 2007 at 9:57 am
Great, now its 8:50 in the morning and I'm jonesin' for a steak. Can't wait to try out this method.
Also, I've ready that a good way to get the outside "restaurant charred" is to flash char it on a cooking pan (dry - no oil or nothin') in the oven at a high temp. for about a minute or two per side. and then grill to your liking. have you (or anyone) ever tried this?
September 4th, 2007 at 10:05 am
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September 4th, 2007 at 1:10 pm
This post makes me very hungry and I have a lot of weight to put on over the next couple of months
I'll be trying the salt technique soon.
September 4th, 2007 at 1:20 pm
Damn, if that's not food porn, then I don't know what is. I love the close up picture right before the recipe.
September 4th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
Where's the money shot???? Seriously, I will try this with my next cheap steak.
September 5th, 2007 at 10:09 am
Jaden, I convinced my hubby to try this on our strip steaks that we bought for our fancy anniversary dinner-in. He rubbed them up with garlic, italian seasoning and lots of salt...the results were AMAZING!!!! Of course I think it helped that I also convinced him to get the grill screaming hot and not look in every 2 minutes.
Great pics and a truly fabulous blog!
Laura
September 5th, 2007 at 12:45 pm
This is awesome! Relax protein, Relax! (pat the meat)...Relax... haha.. great funny post.
Thanks for always sharing!
September 5th, 2007 at 3:12 pm
This looks amazing and the salting tip really does the trick! My husband is Argentine and loves grilled meat and this is what they do when they have their 'asado". We recently had grilled strip steak with chimichurri (dried oregano, dried chili flakes and a bit of garlic, vinegar and olive oil). Try it!
September 5th, 2007 at 8:34 pm
I ended up with salty meat too although I must admit it was tender and juicy. I used kosher salt and a rib eye but I must have sensitive taste buds because a few hours later I'm still drinking water '-) I may give this another try when I'm feeling adventuresome.
Off to try the negative calorie cake '-) I really enjoy reading your blog. You're inspiring me to try new things.
September 5th, 2007 at 9:06 pm
Alright...that was awesome! I gave it a try tonight with absolute success. Thank you thank you thank you! I hope to get my readers to click over and try for themselves.
Here are my results:
http://sseichinger.blogspot.com/2007/09/salted-beef.html
September 5th, 2007 at 10:18 pm
Excellent! Thanks for an informative piece! I can't wait to try it out!
I enjoy cooking for freinds, my best buddy in particular and he's a big steak eater! This is awesome!
September 5th, 2007 at 11:29 pm
I never liked steak, it's too much meat for me. But your post just made me drool! And I can't believe that you actually made me want to try it out!
BTW, the Chinese have a traditional dish called Salted Chicken, one whole chicken will be marinated with a lot of salt then tuck in some chinese herbs into the stomach and wrap with paper (we call it oil paper), then place it in the middle of a big 'wok' filled with heated COARSE salt, practically cooking the wrapped chicken through the heat transmitted through the salt for 30-45 min. Then woala, you get a perfectly tender and moist and delicious chicken.
September 6th, 2007 at 5:25 am
Post number 89...I am way behind everyone! I have been on holiday and have just returned.
This post makes me angry at myself. I stayed awake during all the science stuff and use all these osmosis/reverse osmosis/ osmotic gradient/ diffusion/active transport principles for my work as a renal nurse. I never thought about using them for my steak grilling. It makes perfect sense to me. Yet...I have always salted just before grilling. And, not surprisingly, it does taste steamed. I am anxious to try it now. So... you are a smarty pants.
I have missed reading your posts while I was away!
September 6th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
tried this on our english steaks and have to say it was gorgggggggggeeeous!
ty so much (although i now have probs with waist line due to excess steak consumption)
xxxx
September 6th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
This looks so incredible. I'm always so afraid of salt for some reason. I think I watched too many scary news stories in my youth about salt and heart problems. I mean, I used to leave the salt out of bread and cookie recipes. Then I called my mom and was like, "Why don't my cookies or rolls turn out like yours???" And she told me to go through all the steps and then told me what an idiot I was for leaving the salt out — that there was an actual scientific reason for salt in those recipes. (It's totally OK if it's SCIENCE! How come I didn't get the memo on that one? I must have been sleeping that day, too.) These pictures, though, are enough to help me work through my fear of salt. Like aversion therapy. Thanks!
September 6th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
Fabulicious!! Can't thank you enough for this tip, so easy and scientifically simple!! Good one!
September 6th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
I just printed out your article so I can post it in the classroom. Gotta show those kids that chemistry is "useful".
Your salt rub accomplishes one of the main functions of a marinade; i.e. tenderizing. (But the salt rub is *easy* which makes a lot of us happy!) An acidic pH will also help denature proteins which is why most marinade recipes have vinegar, citrus or tomato in them. They're usually salty as well.
Another issue is cooking time: heat will also denature proteins but it takes a loooong time (that's why long-cooked soup/stew/bbq-smoked meat gets to the point where it just falls apart.) At first, though, moderately high temperature causes the proteins to clench up which results in tough-as-shoe-leather meat.
Since beef is the meat with "toughness issues," it should be cooked low and slow or really quick and hot (before the "clenching" happens.) NEVER cook beef for a medium length of time (like 1/2 hour or so) unless it's been tenderized, marinated or otherwise totally mangled.
I've seen Harold McGee speak, too, and he was definitely awesomazing.
September 6th, 2007 at 9:08 pm
A great cooking tip and really good humor: the best foodblog post I've read in some time! Well done.
September 7th, 2007 at 9:04 am
That is the sexiest steak I have seen in a long time, girl!
September 7th, 2007 at 9:20 am
Jaden,
I red your first article in CL, "Jaden voyage" and your secret to a perfect
steak. I had just brought home a bunch of Elk meat from Colorado and decided
to try it out.
After coating my very plump and jucy thick cuts of Elk with the Kosher salt
and waiting an hour, I was... well, "dismayed" would be putting it mildly to
find them sitting in about a quart of their own juice and looking (and
feeling) like old raisins. The (very expensive) meat is ruined, I thought!!!
And here I have guests coming to eat it in a half hour!! Well, ya gotta have
faith, as the song says, so I cooked it up and hoped for the best.
Now, Elk meat does have a reputation for toughness and dryness and I have to
say, this came out much better than the appearance after the salt bath would
have suggested. It was relatively tender and moist, could be cut with a
butter knife as you promised and my guests enjoyed their taste of Colorado
very much, flavored with the salt and some crushed garlic I had added.
Thanks for a great tip and keep 'em coming!
Sincerely,
Lori
September 7th, 2007 at 10:23 am
*mouth is watering* I know what I'm cooking for dinner! Steaks may be really expensive, but thankfully it's pretty easy for college students to get on food stamps
Do you know any good recipes for the leftovers???
September 8th, 2007 at 12:00 am
You are funny! Thanks for the advise. You mentioned chicken. Reckon any meat can take this salting method? Fish too? I slept during bio and chem also. (;_;)
Thanks!
Have a nice meal.
September 8th, 2007 at 2:14 am
Yum! I just tried this method with a steak I had sitting in the fridge. Turned out brilliantly. This is going to be my new method for summer BBQs!
September 8th, 2007 at 9:38 am
Hi Jaden,
I got here through an email from Deborah at Life in the Fast Lane. Glad she sent it too :o)
I was a professional chef for many years in a restaurant serving Elizabethan style food, from original recipes, until I became disabled and alas I had to give it up.
You have described the method of dry-salting very well. For those that have asked in the comments, it works equally well on joints like brisket.
Another point, people shopping for red meat always look for meats that are bright red and blood still oozing, that's a big mistake. They shy away from the meats that are brown in the belief that it is off, it isn't, that's the way it should be.
Think back to the years before the advent of refrigerators and freezers, meat was 'hung' for several days and longer. Meat, fish, poultry and game were salted and stored, retained finer texture and taste.
Mouthwatering post, great pics and love the recipe
September 8th, 2007 at 12:56 pm
these pictures are killing me! Must... have.... meat....
Love the science lesson, complete with fun graphics as well.
September 8th, 2007 at 1:06 pm
Mmmm! that looks good!
but when you say rinse the salt off, do you mean, rinse it off with water, or just try to shake off as much salt as possible?
September 8th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
Knight - rinse with water to get all of the salt off. then pat really dry.
September 8th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Isn't it unhealthy to eat something so salty?
September 8th, 2007 at 2:10 pm
Thank you. My kids love steak too! This is awesome.
September 8th, 2007 at 2:12 pm
It looks really good. Are your photos professionally done?
You give some great tips. Thanks.
We will mention you on our site http://www.barbecuebachelor.com
Thanks.
September 8th, 2007 at 2:19 pm
http://www.meat.org
September 8th, 2007 at 2:32 pm
I don't know which is prettier - Jaden, or the steak (where I come from, that's a compliment).
I am "Grill Master" at my house. I typically grill 2-3 times a week, year-round.
To comliment these tasty morsels of meat, invest in a good grill. Get a cast iron grill, or a beefy grill that will retain heat and throw some BTUs at your meat. My grill does 72,000 BTU - if yours does put out at least 40,000, you're using a lantern, and you will never get a good char on the outside, and pink goodness inside.
Want to kick up your herb butter to notches unknown? Drizzle some truffle oil into your herb butter, and then get ready to enjoy your $100 steak. A bottle of truffle oil lasts a loooooong time, and costs maybe $13 at your local quality supermarket. You just need to add a tiny amount of oil - truffle oil is VERY powerful. It makes garlic and herbs turn into a symphony of flavor on top of your steak.
September 8th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
Jaden, this may well be a colossal dumb question but isn't the meat going to be salty with all that salt, even when patted dry?
September 8th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
My god you are awesome.
September 8th, 2007 at 2:52 pm
[...] I saw this post, where they suggest heavily salting a steak before grilling in order to make it taste better. [...]
September 8th, 2007 at 3:01 pm
[...] - Coca-Cola Happiness factory: animated commercial...very nice! - Huge LED Ceiling In Beijing: nice picture here, videos here. - Morph Thing: Morph famous faces together, or yours! - Great Bus Ads! - An interview with Ferran Adrià on his favorite places to dine in Barcelona with link! (I want to travel now) - Bill Clinton On David Letterman. - Removing a Cork inside a bottle: I'm not sure why you would need this, but would be a good IQ test. - Printing out all Spam installation - Turning Cheap Steaks into Gucci Prime Steaks! [...]
September 8th, 2007 at 3:03 pm
[...] Read full juicy article (here) [...]
September 8th, 2007 at 3:20 pm
Cool! If you don't mind we will featured this recipe at:
http://www.CheapAssFood.com
September 8th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
Killing animals for our food causes immense, unnecessary suffering in the world.
September 8th, 2007 at 3:23 pm
God damn you are hot , AND you can cook a badass steak.
September 8th, 2007 at 3:38 pm
I want to eat your sex and have steak with you.
It can be in any order.
wow.
wow.
September 8th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
Seems that people love your article! As do I. I am eager to try this the next time I cook a steak. Obviously, we're not consuming all of that salt, but I am always pleased that people aren't afraid of a little sodium chloride. My girlfriend is terrified when I season with salt, salt pasta water, or eat tomatoes with it.
And you have a great sense of humor — pithy yet degenerate.
September 8th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
I subscribed to the comments of this entry and I have to say, meaning no disrespect, they are almost as interesting as the entry itself. I thought I really enjoyed steak but I feel like I've just been *eating* it compared to some other folks.
Hope all is well,
R.
September 8th, 2007 at 4:38 pm
Your use of expletives undermines your credibility.
September 8th, 2007 at 4:44 pm
This is how Brazilians cook their meat. Look up Brazilian & tri-tip steak. Have never heard an explanation though... Good show!
September 8th, 2007 at 4:44 pm
I now have yet another reason to go buy steak!! can't wait to try it!!! I will also subscribe to your blog as this was the funniest post that I have come across in a while
Thanks!
September 8th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
Try this method on a flat iron steak.
It works great.
September 8th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
[...] Jaden's Steamy Kitchen's post on how to improve the quality of your meat with a handful, no, two handfuls, of salt have hunger inducing photos of delicious looking steak. [...]
September 8th, 2007 at 4:54 pm
Sickening.
September 8th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
Did you know this is what the main purpose of kosher salt is in the first place? Making meat kosher involves soaking it in brine or doing what you did to the steak and that is to completely salt it like crazy to extract all the blood. In the process this starts to do exactly what you've already documented and that is to make the meat super yummy.
September 8th, 2007 at 5:58 pm
So basically when the author used some mild expletives in a useful and good recipe, it's an affront to the English language?
Get off your horse. Better yet, go cook something.
Haters around when it comes to meat.
Sheesh.
I'm trying this tonight/tomorrow!
September 8th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
[...] ....a steak recipe. [...]
September 8th, 2007 at 6:10 pm
You have a great writing style. I loved the little thing where you pointed to one of the graphics and said, "i am rosemary, not a green centipede".
As to your steak method, I actually learned almost the same thing from a newspaper article 20 years ago. Your method is absolutely correct. I remember way back in the 70's, fine restaurants would cook big steaks encrusted with rock salt.
I am interested in trying the truffle oil, too. Excellent article!
Tim
September 8th, 2007 at 6:14 pm
Very informative and well written.
Definitely going to try this for dinner tomorrow!
September 8th, 2007 at 6:29 pm
ummm America's Test Kitchen/Cook's Illustrated cover this topic very nicely...basically ...what your doing with the "kosher" salt...is "kosher"ing the meat as they do in the koshering process
September 8th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
simply AMAZING!!!
thanks
September 8th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
Great tips...gonna try that next week!
Beautiful art as well!
A meat eater and an artist.....who wouldah thunk it?
September 8th, 2007 at 6:58 pm
To Mr. Spooge at #108: I hate to break it to you, but $13 truffle oil is pretty much the biggest scam imaginable. It's mostly olive oil with an artificial flavoring. Granted, I like it, and I do still use it, but it's a little hard to justify the price once you realize that it doesn't contain any actual truffle.
As for the steaks, I've actually used this secret on more than one occasion to impress a girl, and, of course, now that the secret is out, I will have to go back to my old story about me being a secret agent. And, because of you, I will now die sad and alone and unloved. But, at least I will be well fed, thankyouverymuch.
September 8th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
This sounds fantastic. I wonder if doing this to VEGETABLES that you bake along with a roast would do similar. Speaking of which, I am going to try it on a roast, and let it sit for longer than an hour.....3-4 hours???
September 8th, 2007 at 7:20 pm
I do this all the time with cheap steaks. The trick is to use a lot of sea salt. I find that best. I use a lot of salt and some pepper, and also a little olive oil. I let it soak into the meat while I light the grill. (I use a charcoal fired.) Once I get the coals lit I put the grill plate on top of the coals, wait for about 10 minutes for the thing to get REALLY hot and then I place the steak on for about 5 minutes on each side with the lid on. If you really want the thing to have the grill marks, you need to take the meat and place it directly onto a VERY hot part of the grilling plate. makes those lines nice. For an extra touch place the meat sideways one side flip and flip again. If you need to try pressing it. Although I find it makes the steak a little dry.
September 8th, 2007 at 7:26 pm
[...] Apparently, salt tenderizes steak. Not a little salt, but apparently PAINTED with salt for two or three hours, then rinsed and patted dry. Apparently the salt is pulled inside the tissue and breaks down the protein? [...]
September 8th, 2007 at 7:54 pm
Very nice article ! I'll be back to read more from you...
September 8th, 2007 at 8:31 pm
[...] How to Turn Cheap “Choice” Steaks into Gucci “Prime” Steaks (tags: cooking howto recipes tutorial) Read More Post a comment [...]
September 8th, 2007 at 8:47 pm
Funny! You are a great writer. I find it hilarious to read so much foul language - on a cooking site of all things! Very funny and refreshing take. You are now my new favorite source for recipes.
Also, as a an uniquely qualified recently graduated architectural student, your diagrams are really impressive. They remind me of the illustrations sometimes accompanying sake on the table in a sushi joint. Cute, a little off and with a great sense of humor. Not too mention, they are as skilled and fun to look at as any I have seen by the greatest, most talented diagram artisans who have or ever will have existed.
September 8th, 2007 at 9:21 pm
Your photography is amazing. Food photography is notoriously difficult and you have a real knack!
Looking forward to trying the salting process.
September 8th, 2007 at 9:29 pm
Ok, I still can't see how taking a week's worth (or more, a month?) of the RDA of salt at one go is good for me to eat?
September 8th, 2007 at 9:32 pm
Redact that last -didn't see the email. Most of the salt washes out (though I think I'd soak the meat in fresh water for a while even so.)
September 8th, 2007 at 10:43 pm
"Let rest for 5 minutes."
That seems, to me, to be a l-o-n-g time (about as much as the grill time for a single side).
September 8th, 2007 at 11:05 pm
[...] add salt to steak, making crappy steak good steak, eating cheap — jhorna @ 9:05 pm ...How to turn cheap choice steaks into gucci prime steaks. [...]
September 8th, 2007 at 11:12 pm
I did some 1.5" thick ribeyes using this method. We thought they were some of the best steaks we've had. The herbed butter really made it. The shoestring potatoes were an excellent side.
September 8th, 2007 at 11:17 pm
[...] I think I made the best steak ever. I was surfing this morning and came across this post about how to turn choice steaks into prime steaks. Basically it is a way to brine beef, using only salt. Take some steaks, cover them with salt, and [...]
September 8th, 2007 at 11:33 pm
The Agitator sent me here. My thoughts are what Meater said at #126 — sure sounds like salting and soaking. They don't call it kosher salt for nothing.
(I understood that meat to be broiled [or grilled] is not required to be kashered first, since the prohibited blood would drip away — but that doesn't mean you can't.)
September 8th, 2007 at 11:40 pm
Wow this was some great reading. I will have to try this in the next day or so.
Any advice on how long to actually cook steak on the grill? Whenever we throw it on we either dry it out by leaving it on too long or take it off too early and it ends up too bloody.
September 8th, 2007 at 11:44 pm
[...] Posted in Recipes/Cooking, Beef, Daily life, Food at 8:44 pm by LeisureGuy Something to grill this week. [...]
September 9th, 2007 at 12:04 am
I gave this a try with a good cut of meat and what we found was that it was indeed tender but that the tradeoff was that we felt as though we were licking a rock of salt the entire meal.
We covered the steaks in salt on all sides for about 2 hours... then fully rinsed all the salt off of them... and then patted them thoroughly dry.
The problem is that so much salt gets aborbed into the steak.. i mean SO much.. not a little... a LOT...
Be wary of trying this if you don't like massively salty dishes.
September 9th, 2007 at 12:16 am
As a graduate from from the Art Institute with a Bacholer in Science...you have given a good receipt for a a good rub. I personally use the following receipt for steaks...2 parts olive oil to 1 part balsamic vineager. This is the basic formula. Next, I add one tbsp sugar, fresh cracked pepper to taste, salt to taste, and any other spice that comes to mind. Let marinate for a minimum of two hours. Grill at medium heat on each side for five minutes...cooking the steaks to medium well. Anything beyond would be criminal.
September 9th, 2007 at 12:22 am
[...] How to Turn Cheap “Choice” Steaks into Gucci “Prime” Steaks | Jaden's Steamy Kitchen (tags: cooking steak recipe) [...]
September 9th, 2007 at 1:25 am
Your picture shows a bunch of table salt on the meat. If you think that is Kosher, you are very much mistaken.
Kosher salt is NaCL - just like table salt. It has a much coarser grain so it is funtionally "less potent" (since when you grab it there is more air in between the salt particles per volume) - and it's coarser grain makes it stick better to the surface of the meat.
Also - you can't buy prime cuts in any supermarket I have ever seen. The best cut of meat an average consumer can buy without pre-ordering it from a butcher is a choice cut. So - when you call them "cheap" you are lying to people.
You should retitle your article "How to make the most expensive steak you can possibly buy in your supermarket taste as good as a steak you can't buy." - and what's genius about it all is that so few people know what Prime steaks taste like they wont have any idea if your mushy steaks resemble it at all.
September 9th, 2007 at 2:25 am
Hmm... haven't tried this.. will be doing this tomorrow. Thanks for the tip.
September 9th, 2007 at 2:32 am
I can buy prime cuts in supermarkets around my house. Not sure where people live who can't. Arkansas?
September 9th, 2007 at 3:31 am
Hi SteamKitchen,
Congrats on getting dugg! Pong, HenryChan, and I read Digg everyday. That's a big feat! Congrats!
September 9th, 2007 at 8:36 am
[...] How to Turn Cheap “Choice” Steaks into Gucci “Prime” Steaks: Here's