Steak 3-way
There was a ton of debate tonight. Of course as a married man, my wife wins all debates. (I’m kidding, dear)
But I do have to say that the results were very close and interesting.
First let me set the ground rules of the experiment. I used the same cut (ribeye) for all three steaks. I used the same ingredients: salt, pepper, and garlic powder. All were cooked for 2 minutes per side on the grill using my standard “charcoal baskets on top of bricks so they are right under the grates” method. That’s CBOTOBSTARUTG for short. (Whew...tough crowd) See my “The Perfect Steak” article for specifics on the method.
Oh, and a friend at work did mention something to me: the thickness of the steak dictates the cooking time. Good point, Jeff! The 2 minutes per side time is based on a 1 inch thick steak. Thicker cut means more time.
These are the steaks I used. We like them. Good flavor and texture.
I have been getting a lot of questions regarding the amount of salt for The Perfect Steak method (https://holygrailbbq.tumblr.com/post/162456135702/the-perfect-steak). Here is a good pic of just after applying the salt flakes.
Got on with it already! Enough rambling! Let’s get to the steaks...
Steak number 1 is on the left in the first picture above. I pulled this steak out of the fridge 30 minutes before grill time to bring it to room temperature. Just before going on the grill, I sprinkled with salt (less than above since I’m not going to rinse this salt off), pepper, and a light amount of garlic powder. I brushed on a thin layer of canola oil before dropping the steak on the grill. 2 minutes on one side, then 2 minutes on the other.
Steak number 2 is in the middle in the picture above. This received my “The Perfect Steak” treatment. I liberally coated the steak with salt on both sides and let it sit on the counter for 1 hour before hitting the grill. Just before grill time, I rinsed it in the sink with cold water. I patted the steak dry with paper towels and added pepper and garlic powder and a thin layer of canola oil. 2 minutes on one side, then 2 minutes on the other.
Steak number 3 is on the right in the picture above. This was a Sous Vide steak. I set the immersion cooker to 120 degrees and let the steak go for about 2 hours. Before sealing the bag, I coated with a little salt, pepper, and garlic powder. I pulled the steak about 10 minutes before its date with the grill. I patted it dry, then just before grill time I coated it with a thin layer of canola oil. 2 minutes on one side, then 2 minutes on the other.
Picture of steak 1 (salt, pepper, garlic just before grill):
Steak 2 (using my “The Perfect Steak” method):
Steak 3 (the sous vide steak):
Presentation: Steak 3 won the presentation by unanimous vote (my wife, her grandmother, and I). It had a dark brown color, good caramelization, and the perfect medium rare center that was even all the way through the steak.
Runner up on presentation was steak 2. It had a lighter brown finish, good caramelization and firm texture. Interesting result here: it cooked faster. I need to research why a higher salt content caused this. Food chemist in the audience? Chime in...
Taste: Well this is were the debate started. By a vote of 2 to 1, the winner is...
<drum roll>
...Steak 2 beat out Steak 3. My wife and her grandmother felt very strongly that steak 2 was the best. I was very torn. I really like the smoother texture of the sous vide steak. But, I liked the bright flavor of steak 2. There was a definite flavor difference. Try it for yourself and see. If you don’t have an immersion cooker, use a 2 zone cooking method. Move the coals to one side of the grill. Start the steak on the indirect heat side and let it come up to 120 degrees. Then move to the direct side and sear for 2 minutes per side. Might be less time...use your trusty thumb thermometer that I taught you a few days ago. It won’t be exactly like sous vide, but similar.
As a side note, my grilling partner who is my 3 year old daughter clearly liked Steak 3 just like daddy. <Fist bump> She is a smart cookie.
The numbers don’t lie. The Perfect Steak is still the best method for steak we have found. Here is the link again. https://holygrailbbq.tumblr.com/post/162456135702/the-perfect-steak