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Cooking help requested - Mute - 2011-06-06
So a few days ago my grandmother decided to get me some steak for me to cook for myself, specifically three eye of round steaks and a ham steak. Now, I've been on my own this past week here at my house, and.. well, they haven't been cooked as for the entirety of this week I've eaten nothing but a bowl of cereal ~1-2 hours after I wake up, and misc. sh'it afterwards.. suffice to say I am not much of a healthy eater.
SP, does anyone have any cooking advice for the three beef steaks? I know how to prepare the ham steak, but have just been not hungry enough to prepare it.
Cooking help requested - Turtally - 2011-06-07
![[Image: bmDfh.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/bmDfh.jpg)
The simplest way to cook a steak is in a pan. Heat up enough oil to make a 1/4 inch layer, until the oil is really hot, almost smoking. Throw your steak in there and sear it for a few minutes. Flip, then sear other side. The trick is to not bother the steak too much. Just let it do its thing.
After both sides have a nice sear on them, take the steak off the heat and let it sit for a few minutes. This is to let it finish cooking from the residual heat, and it also makes the steak juicier. Use a meat thermometer to make sure it's cooked to the right temperature, and that depends on how you like your steak.
Of course, when in doubt, watch moar Food Network.
Cooking help requested - Worthyness - 2011-06-07
depending on the thinkness of the steak, putting it in a heated pan of a thin layer of oil could take anywhere from 30 seconds to 5 minutes per side on medium-high heat [i.e. in the middle of your highest setting and your middle setting; preferably closer to the middle setting].
If it's thin sliced steak you should know when it's ready just by color change. for about 1 inch steaks i say a good 5-7 minutes per side (this ultimately depends on how you like your meat cooked) for a good medium--> medium well. It takes getting used to, but shorter time = more red in the middle, more time = less red in the middle. 1st post is also correct in letting meat sit for a bit after finished cooking. It lets the juice settle into the meat instead of leaking out onto the plate (meaning it's not gonna be dry and tough).
For seasoning you only need salt and pepper. Seriously. You don't need fancy seasonings.
Cooking help requested - Mute - 2011-06-07
Does the type of pan matter? There's a cast-iron and a nonstick pan available for use.
Cooking help requested - Mute - 2011-06-07
Also, they're frozen ATM. Will I need to thaw them before I cook them?
Cooking help requested - FrozNlite - 2011-06-07
Haha. Yes, you should definitely thaw them before you cook them. Take them out of the freezer and either put them in the fridge the day before you want to make them, or if it's the morning of leave them on the counter to defrost.
Cooking help requested - Tay - 2011-06-07
Set aside a nice chunk of them, when that is slightly defrosted cut into small thin pieces then thaw those. Cutting meat is far easier when it's frozen than thawed. Stir fry with some veges and day old jasmin rice, little bit of sesame oil, soy sauce to taste, and if you've got it Japanese cooking wine(mirin). Done well, a nice simple beef stir fry. Easily replace the rice with noodles, tastes just as good.
I've got loads more of versatile ideas if you'd like, but more asian ingredients ensue. :3
I myself prefer poultry over beef, but eh.
Cooking help requested - Worthyness - 2011-06-07
Mute Wrote:Does the type of pan matter? There's a cast-iron and a nonstick pan available for use.
Both of those work. for the cast iron, you probably need to oil it more liberally to make sure it doesn't stick, so i'd just go with a lightly oiled regular oil, olive oil, butter, w/e oil you have on the non-stick pan.
Cooking help requested - ShinkuDragon - 2011-06-07
after finally daring to try some easy cooking, i must say...
non-stick pan > everything.
Cooking help requested - IllegallySane - 2011-06-07
If you can, try and chop up the steak into smaller chunks. Thanks to the laws of physics when it comes to heat distribution, it takes much longer to cook a whole steak than chopped up chunks. It also helps make sure you're not going to suddenly bite into a raw piece of meat, and it's overall easier to evenly cook the meat.
Oh, hang on. Did you prepare a marinade or seasoning of some sort for the steak? Can't have steak without a kick of flavor.
Also, NO POKERS. Stabbing into the meat will release the juices, and therefore the flavor.
Everyone else here has pretty much answered your questions.
Cooking help requested - Mute - 2011-06-07
IllegallySane Wrote:Oh, hang on. Did you prepare a marinade or seasoning of some sort for the steak? Can't have steak without a kick of flavor.
[*]None whatsoever. This is my first time cooking without following directions from the side of a box.
Cooking help requested - IllegallySane - 2011-06-07
You really should if you can help it; way better to have a flavored steak. See if you have a marinade bottle somewhere. If you do, marinate the steak in it and let it soak for a while. Alternatively, get some seasoning/spices and rub it on the steak.
Cooking help requested - Mute - 2011-06-07
IllegallySane Wrote:You really should if you can help it; way better to have a flavored steak. See if you have a marinade bottle somewhere. If you do, marinate the steak in it and let it soak for a while. Alternatively, get some seasoning/spices and rub it on the steak.
How long is a while? there's some marinade sauces, and other non-marinade sauces too, like sweet baby ray's BBQ sauce (which I am in love with).
Cooking help requested - IllegallySane - 2011-06-07
Mute Wrote:How long is a while? there's some marinade sauces, and other non-marinade sauces too, like sweet baby ray's BBQ sauce (which I am in love with).
Unfortunately, I can't really answer that with expert knowledge. It really depends on the type of meat, and I'm just not experienced enough to answer without possibly being wrong. Usually I've seen my mom let marinated meat soak overnight in the fridge (saran wrapped of course), but a couple hours can work as well if the meat is tender enough. Again, keep in fridge while it marinates.
*Hang on, found a link to marinating:
http://startcooking.com/blog/271/Marinating-101--An-Introduction-to-Marinating-Beef--Chicken-and-Fish
For the steak, overnight is the way to go. Turned out the "couple hours" I was thinking of applies to chicken.
**Gotta go for now. hopefully the rest of SP can give you more tips on cooking a good steak.
Cooking help requested - Mute - 2011-06-07
=s
I guess I'll leave that for another time then. Might just go with pepper and salt on a pan tonight. TY for the help, guys.
Cooking help requested - Mute - 2011-06-07
Thank GOD I got corn as a side-dish.
Steaks turned out ~ medium well and saltier than the dead sea. Sweet jesus f'uck.
Also the steaks had a "Use or freeze by" date of 06/04.
Lessons learned? Yes.
Buy a cookbook, or invest heavily in microwaveable dinners.
Cooking help requested - Erebus - 2011-06-07
Mute Wrote:Thank GOD I got corn as a side-dish.
Steaks turned out ~ medium well and saltier than the dead sea. Sweet jesus f'uck.
Also the steaks had a "Use or freeze by" date of 06/04.
Lessons learned? Yes.
Buy a cookbook, or invest heavily in microwaveable dinners.
Steak is easy as hell to make dude... salt, pepper, cook on low/medium heat till color change, cut near the bone (close to the center) and check inner color, flip and cook till color change matches what you want.
Cooking help requested - Mute - 2011-06-07
It was an eye of round steak so there was no bone to cut near to.
I literally just took them out of the package, salted/peppered them on a paper plate, melted some butter in a pan, then gently dropped them in.
Like I implied, the main problem was they came out way too salty. medium well's what I'm used to, so there's not a problem there.
Cooking help requested - Worthyness - 2011-06-07
Might i suggest looking up Alton Brown's Good Eats if you're interested in learning cooking stuffs. He's geared more toward the science-y aspect of cooking
Sounds like you over-seasoned your steak :/ Next time a pinch of small pinch of salt and pepper on both sides, no coating xD
You should also get thinner steaks. might be easier for you :3
EDIT: yeah salt pepper + butter may be a tad bit salty >.O
But there's a first time for everything right?
Cooking help requested - Mute - 2011-06-07
Worthyness Wrote:Might i suggest looking up Alton Brown's Good Eats if you're interested in learning cooking stuffs. He's geared more toward the science-y aspect of cooking
Sounds like you over-seasoned your steak :/ Next time a pinch of small pinch of salt and pepper on both sides, no coating xD
You should also get thinner steaks. might be easier for you :3
Ive seen his show and do enjoy watching it.
If he has any cookbooks I'll pick them up. I do enjoy cooking, just seldom ever do.
Either way, dinner was moderately satisfying, the help from here was great, and I've learned from the experience. Now I'm off to get more liquor.