Best taste/value cut and method to cook a steak...

Josh

Josh

Dead in the water
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I'm not usually a big "steak" guy. Don't get me wrong, I love a good one. But I tend to order a few steaks over the course of a year at various restaurants and that's usually enough for me. But we haven't been out to eat much recently and I've found myself thinking that it's about time for me to make one at home. But that's also something I haven't done in.... years? So I'm polling the crew for ideas.

What's the best value/quality cut? I don't MIND spending money for good beef and don't need a 32 oz porterhouse or anything. But I also don't require fancy pants wagu type stuff. Just something that is worth cooking up and won't turn into shoe leather.

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And then how do you like to cook? Oven and then sear in the pan? Sous vide and then finish on the grill? Pan or grill the whole cooking time? Pretty sure in the past I've mostly just done pan the whole time. But again, it's been a long time since I've cooked a steak. Plus, man cooking meat tends to make the whole house smell like grease. Now, I'm not saying that isn't worth it, but I'm also open to methods that avoid the hassle.
 
There are more than a few great cuts of beef. Me? New York strip is the top for my taste, but it needs to be prime grade beef. I'm like you, I only eat the occasional steak. But I'm not going to worry about fat content and related health issues. I go for taste.
Cooking? As much as I like grilling, I actually prefer searing on a grill and then finishing in the oven. You get the taste of grilling, but also the ability to cook the steak to whatever doneness you prefer, IF you cook at a low temp like 275 to 300 degrees.
And then there's skirt steak..........
 
I’m partial to ribeyes but everyone is different.

Season with Salt pepper maybe a hint of garlic powder

This works for 1.5” thick starting at room temperature cooked to medium rare. Adjust time accordingly for different thickness.

Preheat cast iron in oven to 500 degrees

Sear on each side for two minutes
Back in oven for two minutes (this is the time I adjust for different thickness/starting temp)

Let sit for a few minutes. This is the time when you fan the smoke away from the beeping smoke detector.

Eat
 
Steaks cut from the Spinalis muscle (also called the ribeye cap or deckle) are pretty much the tastiest part of the cow. One of our local butchers has customers who apparently prefer the tasteless center of a ribeye, so they remove the deckle and sell them in tied pinwheels. If I can't find spinalis steaks, my go to is a New York, and I stopped buying anything but prime grade beef years ago.
As for cooking, my preferred method is reverse-searing. I use the oven or the traeger, depending on if I want some smokiness on my cow. With both, the cow parts get a little oil and some salt and pepper (the salt goes on last, and the meat is heated immediately after application. Salt for 45 seconds, or 45 minutes, amirite?) Oven / traeger heat stays below 200 and shoot for an internal temp of 105-110. When I get to temp, the cow goes onto a rippin' hot (750°+) grill for 30-45 seconds total per side, flipped 3 times to evenly distribute heat - this gets it to medium-rare, which is my preference for most steaks. To rest, I slap a half-tablespoon pat of butter on the steak, then tent with foil for at least 5 minutes. Serve with side of yer choice, but I've been on a chimichurri kick lately.
Reverse-Seared New York.
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G_Smolt said:
Steaks cut from the Spinalis muscle (also called the ribeye cap or deckle) are pretty much the tastiest part of the cow. One of our local butchers has customers who apparently prefer the tasteless center of a ribeye, so they remove the deckle and sell them in tied pinwheels. If I can't find spinalis steaks, my go to is a New York, and I stopped buying anything but prime grade beef years ago.
As for cooking, my preferred method is reverse-searing. I use the oven or the traeger, depending on if I want some smokiness on my cow. With both, the cow parts get a little oil and some salt and pepper (the salt goes on last, and the meat is heated immediately after application. Salt for 45 seconds, or 45 minutes, amirite?) Oven / traeger heat stays below 200 and shoot for an internal temp of 105-110. When I get to temp, the cow goes onto a rippin' hot (750°+) grill for 30-45 seconds total per side, flipped 3 times to evenly distribute heat - this gets it to medium-rare, which is my preference for most steaks. To rest, I slap a half-tablespoon pat of butter on the steak, then tent with foil for at least 5 minutes. Serve with side of yer choice, but I've been on a chimichurri kick lately.
Reverse-Seared New York.
View attachment 123651
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Man that looks good!!!
 
Don’t over think it…get a decent thick ribeye, let it sit out for an hour out of the fridge and liberally season it with coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper. My preferred method is on the grill over lump hardwood charcoal, but a cast iron skillet heated up on medium high, add a high temp oil like grapeseed or avocado, get a good char before turning it (and only turn once)…I prefer 120 degrees internal temp for rare, but cook to your preference (hopefully not more than med rare). Let it rest 10 minutes before cutting in to it…
 
@G_Smolt recommendation is a great one. If grilling I prefer Choice over Prime grade. Prime grade is also twice the cost. I also like to season it with garlic powder in addition to salt and pepper.
 
For "value" (there are no truly good values left in the beef market, IMO) and flavor combined, top sirloin is my go-to. Great for marinating or straight grilling when you just want a "steak."

For a balance of flavor and fattiness, a New York is good, but they can be a little tricky to cook evenly, especially when they're cut thin. Look for a consistent fat cap and ample, tender marbling for the win.

Filet Mignon (maximum tenderness) is expensive by the pound, but it's actually not a terrible value (the entire steak is edible), and it can be wonderful, but you need to season it heavily to make it flavorful, so it's not my favorite.

Overall, my personal favorite is a ribeye with sauteed mushrooms, and maybe a bunch of bleu cheese, melted on top during the last stage of cooking. Choice grade is fine, as long as the marbling is consistent and the meat is tender to the touch. I prefer a good, hot charcoal grill, but a good steak is good cooked any way (as long as it's not OVER-cooked!). I let it sit at room temperature about an hour, season with plenty of salt, and add fresh cracked pepper while resting (peppercorns can burn and change character at high searing heats).

Whatever the cut or method, a good, THICK steak is key. We're talking like 1.5"+ here. Costco's cuts are generally a good thickness and quality. That's where I get most of my steaks when I buy them (not often, but what a treat on occasion!). Also, make sure to rest your steaks for at least 10 minutes before serving them. It makes a difference!

Incidentally, roasted Hatch chiles, which you can find lots of places now, are delicious with grilled steaks. Just sayin'....

Now I'm hungry, and it's lunch time. Time to go make a pathetic sandwich or something... but maybe a steak this weekend. Hmmmm....
 
adamcu280 said:
I’m partial to ribeyes but everyone is different.

Season with Salt pepper maybe a hint of garlic powder

This works for 1.5” thick starting at room temperature cooked to medium rare. Adjust time accordingly for different thickness.

Preheat cast iron in oven to 500 degrees

Sear on each side for two minutes
Back in oven for two minutes (this is the time I adjust for different thickness/starting temp)

Let sit for a few minutes. This is the time when you fan the smoke away from the beeping smoke detector.

Eat
Click to expand...
As someone who lives in an apartment and has no real ventilation in the kitchen, I hate smoke detectors with a passion. I understand their purpose and suppose they are necessary, but I can't help but wonder how many more people die from cumulative stress caused by falsely triggered smoke alarms than die in house fires in their sleep.

Okay. Back to steak.
 
Love me some tri tip. I prefer to sous vide, then finish later. Hot sear, use the juices left over in the bag and mix with an au jus mix for the jus. Either thin slice for hot sandwiches or eat like a standard steak.

I usually leave it in the sous vide 5-7 hours at 131-133 to render much of the fat down quite nicely prior to searing. Actually works great for camping too because I can cook it the previous day or two, then all I've gotta do at the campsite is sear it and serve.
 
Rub a bit of Worchestershire on a New York, add a bit of salt, pepper, and onion powder, sear over an 1800⁰ grill 2 minutes a side, finish in said grill at 550⁰ till internal temp is 116-118⁰, rest a few minutes till temp rises to low/mid 120's or so, and then consume with red wine of your choice.

Works every time for me...
:)

Like a ribeye as well, just a bit too fatty for me grilled, so stick to a rib roast when wanting that cut.
Picanha steaks, when you can find them, are a great value and worth seeking out for a change of pace.
 
clarkman said:
Love me some tri tip. I prefer to sous vide, then finish later. Hot sear, use the juices left over in the bag and mix with an au jus mix for the jus. Either thin slice for hot sandwiches or eat like a standard steak.

I usually leave it in the sous vide 5-7 hours at 131-133 to render much of the fat down quite nicely prior to searing. Actually works great for camping too because I can cook it the previous day or two, then all I've gotta do at the campsite is sear it and serve.
Click to expand...
Love that application for a sous vide (par-cooking and finishing with a sear). Makes a lot of sense for something like cooking over a campfire, where the heat often varies between absent and intense.

That said, if we're talking CAMPING steaks, I still love a ribeye, but taking the care necessary to cook it directly over the fire makes for an unbelievable finished product. Plenty of smoke and the right amount of char just tastes like the great outdoors!
 
Mossback said:
Rub a bit of Worchestershire on a New York, add a bit of salt, pepper, and onion powder, sear over an 1800⁰ grill 2 minutes a side, finish in said grill at 550⁰ till internal temp is 116-118⁰, rest a few minutes till temp rises to low/mid 120's or so, and then consume with red wine of your choice.

Works every time for me...
:)

Like a ribeye as well, just a bit too fatty for me grilled, so stick to a rib roast when wanting that cut.
Picanha steaks, when you can find them, are a great value and worth seeking out for a change of pace.
Click to expand...
1800 degrees? What are you cooking in... a crucible?

I bet that makes a delicious steak....
 
Shad said:
Love that application for a sous vide (par-cooking and finishing with a sear). Makes a lot of sense for something like cooking over a campfire, where the heat often varies between absent and intense.

That said, if we're talking CAMPING steaks, I still love a ribeye, but taking the care necessary to cook it directly over the fire makes for an unbelievable finished product. Plenty of smoke and the right amount of char just tastes like the great outdoors!
Click to expand...
Some things seem better around a campfire…steaks & beers amongst them
 
Shad said:
Love that application for a sous vide (par-cooking and finishing with a sear). Makes a lot of sense for something like cooking over a campfire, where the heat often varies between absent and intense.

That said, if we're talking CAMPING steaks, I still love a ribeye, but taking the care necessary to cook it directly over the fire makes for an unbelievable finished product. Plenty of smoke and the right amount of char just tastes like the great outdoors!
Click to expand...
Tough to go wrong with Ribeye cooked all sorts of methods!
 
I gas grill. A lot of different cuts work out great if you...

1) Don't marinate for more than 6 hours. Long marination can turn ANY steak into shoe leather.

2) Let the steak come to room temp before throwing it on the grill. A steak with a refrigerator cold interior means the exterior will have to be grilled excessively for the exterior to be done.

3) Sear one side for desired grill temp/time, and then flip it, searing the other side at same desired grill temp/time. No flipping 'back and forth'.

4) Do a sufficient number of different cuts, marinades, and temp/grill times to perfect your technique and specific tastes. Nobody does anything well that they only do on rare occasions.
 
I started out being a fillet M guy then New york. But I have settled on ribeye as the ultimate steak. Whatever cooking method it has to yield a medium rare juicy steak. I like this seasoning or just coarse salt and black pepper.
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