Hi Jerry

I usually pour on the cooking salt and rub it in. For an 8oz steak I guess you are looking at about a tbsp of salt on each side. When you come to wash it you will notice that the steak will have changed consistency with a slightly harder outer layer and lots of fissures where the meat is starting to break up and tenderize.

Good luck with the next go. It is a technique well worth persevering with.

Quote from: CurryOnRegardless on July 27, 2009, 11:16 AM

Quote from: canicant on July 21, 2009, 01:42 PM
My steak has to be cremated, I was a butcher for many years and the amount of tapeworm cysts found in raw beef is an eye opener 

Really, whereabouts are you, in the UK meat should be adequately inspected before human consumption. Tapeworm infestation in the UK is very rare, these figures are from NHS Direct,

Tapeworm infections in the UK
In the UK, tapeworm infections in people are very rare, although some types are found more often than others. For example, in 2005:
    * There were 71 reports of infection with the beef and pork tapeworms (taeniasis) in England and Wales. One case was reported in Scotland. It is not possible to tell from the data collected whether the people became infected in the UK or abroad.

Even meat from abroad should be safe as tapeworm is not only killed off by cooking (it dies at 56C) but also by freezing (below -5C) so it should not be a cause of any great concern.

Regards
CoR

Well, I haven't been in butchery or slaughter for about 20 years now (I'm an old git btw) but as the cysts are only usually exposed when cutting into the muscle they very often go unnoticed being quite small and the meat inspector wouldn't be able to pick them up until the beast was jointed.

The guy I used to work for had an unusual selling point for hip/rump steak he would get asked if his steak was tender, he would then trim off a piece raw and eat it in front of the customer, saying 'its that tender it doesn't need cooking'  ;D  and that is the reason I always have mine cremated cos watching him turned my stomach

Rob.

.

This is great on steaks too, just after grilling and when still piping hot, add this...........


Enjoy your Blue Cheese Butter

A favorite restaurant recipe used to enhance steak
Preparation time: 10 minutes. Serves 8-10.

Ingredients:
6 ounces of butter at room temperature (softened)
? pound of Blue cheese of your choice, crumbled (try a fairly strong blue cheese, maybe a Roquefort or Stilton or if you want a milder blue cheese, try gorgonzola)
? teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
? teaspoon coarse black pepper

Method:
In a bowl, cream the butter until smooth
Fold in the cheese, Worcestershire sauce and pepper (some chunks of the blue cheese should remain)
Roll in a plastic wrap or parchment paper and twist the ends to close
If not using immediately, refrigerate (3 days maximum) or freeze (2 months maximum)
If frozen, thaw and cut into 1 ? ounce pieces and place on top of hot steaks

Quote from: chriswg on July 27, 2009, 01:19 PM
I usually pour on the cooking salt and rub it in. For an 8oz steak I guess you are looking at about a tbsp of salt on each side. When you come to wash it you will notice that the steak will have changed consistency with a slightly harder outer layer and lots of fissures where the meat is starting to break up and tenderize.

Good luck with the next go. It is a technique well worth persevering with.

chriswg,

do u think temperature has any effect on the "salts" tenderizing ability. last week i left the steak with salt on (not as much as u suggest a sort of shake of sea salt over out the packet) but the steak got left in our bottom oven when the top oven was on - this seemed to make a difference - the steak was warmish so to speak rather than at room temp.

ps, i'm now convinced that the steak is better bashed with the rolling pin but not too much so that it retains it's thickness during cooking.

Quote from: JerryM on July 21, 2009, 08:03 AM
Rob290482,

i ended up buying a gas BBQ for this very reason.

pan fried just never cut it and charcoal BBQ is very much weather dependent so the gas seemed a good compromise.

the gas BBQ does cook it well better than indoors although u have to give up on smokiness.

the fresh ground black pepper is an optional for us that we do now and again (it is good though). ground sea salt is critical. u need to add it after the surface has sealed as the salt otherwise tends to draw out the juices. as adraindavidb says u need more than u think.

we find the meat also has big effect on consistency and a local butcher or market is best for purchase.

i tend to go for about 1/2 way between rare and medium rare. u need to get used to pressing the steak whilst cooking to be able to feel when it's done (there's a finger test u can use to practise - can add details if u need).

for an extra twist now and again we marinade in coke (have also tried olive oil, larger).

fried toms and thin cut chips - heaven.

ps has to be rump for me.

Hi Jerry,

I too have a gas BBQ, but, I also got one of those simple throw away charcoal BBQ's too. Whenever I cook anything and in particular my Chicken Tikka, I use the old empty tray that was the Charcoal BBQ, and stick just a around 6 lumps of Charcoal in it. Light it and let it burn down to about half white, then light the gas BBQ, stick your steak, Chicken Tikka or whatever you are cooking and then close the lid.

The smoke from the Charcoal infuses into the meat whilst it is cooking on gas.

My Chicken tikka done this way is marvelous. Nice tender, juicy chicken with that tikka/smokey flavour!!

Give it a try, you'll be impressed