Breaking from standard practice, our experiment of the week was McCormick's Grill Mates Steak Rub. This turned out really well to have included a total of 30 minutes planning. The rub itself was very similar to McCormick's seasoned salt which I personally like to use on chicken from time to time. I coated it on the ribeye's in question and then rubbed it in (while feeling slightly uncomfortable performing the action). Then the steaks were put directly on the grill. No fuss, no muss. The end result was quite pleasing, a very spicy taste with a good amount of flavor. I now look forward to assaulting the spice racks and seeing what further steps can be taken. I am also under the opinion that a tenderizing hammer can assist this endeavour as well, allowing better penetration (feeling dirty again) of the spice. Or as Perry has recommended, attempting rub/marinade combos is a multi stage preparation. Here's to the future!
Rating 7.5/10 Excellent steak, points left open for improvement with technique
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Great Steaks? Well, here's the rub...
Ok, this week we took our normal routine and deviated from it slightly. Due to some logistical snafus, we ended up not applying marinade to the steaks. What we did do, however, was test out a different product that held much deliciousness. It also sounds really bad. We tried out a meat rub.
Schoolyard humor aside, the concept is simple. You have a mix of substances... spices, salt...whatever. In powdery format. The idea is that you coat the meat with the powder and knead it in so that it forms molecularly bonded shell of taste. The type we tried out for last night was McCormick's Grill-Mate Steak Rub.
This product gave the steak a very very good flavor; very savory. It definitely had a strong Cajun tone to it... it kind of took the place of regular salt and pepper seasoning. There was a pleasant kick to it... spicy, but not hot. Unfortunately, as we weren't really planning on trying this, we applied it right before grilling. This had the side effect of leaving the flavor on the outside of the steak; it didn't really penetrate very well. Now, as this was our first attempt, we do not know if this is because of the short time between application and grillification, or if it is simply the nature of the beast. All in all, this was a very minor shortcoming. The flavor itself still came through very clearly, and complimented the steak itself very nicely. Additionally, worries that I had harbored about it making the steak excessively dry turned out to be unfounded.
Rochter Scale Rating: 7.5
Schoolyard humor aside, the concept is simple. You have a mix of substances... spices, salt...whatever. In powdery format. The idea is that you coat the meat with the powder and knead it in so that it forms molecularly bonded shell of taste. The type we tried out for last night was McCormick's Grill-Mate Steak Rub.
This product gave the steak a very very good flavor; very savory. It definitely had a strong Cajun tone to it... it kind of took the place of regular salt and pepper seasoning. There was a pleasant kick to it... spicy, but not hot. Unfortunately, as we weren't really planning on trying this, we applied it right before grilling. This had the side effect of leaving the flavor on the outside of the steak; it didn't really penetrate very well. Now, as this was our first attempt, we do not know if this is because of the short time between application and grillification, or if it is simply the nature of the beast. All in all, this was a very minor shortcoming. The flavor itself still came through very clearly, and complimented the steak itself very nicely. Additionally, worries that I had harbored about it making the steak excessively dry turned out to be unfounded.
Rochter Scale Rating: 7.5
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Bringing the A Game
As noted by Perry, this week was a fallback once again to Texas Mesquite. This is due to having a guest over and to convert more to our cause, you have to set the bar high.
But fear not True Believers, the experiments continue next week. I'm starting to scour the net for recipes now that we've almost exhausted the standing stock of store ready marinades. Any suggestions are greatly welcomed in the comments section.
But fear not True Believers, the experiments continue next week. I'm starting to scour the net for recipes now that we've almost exhausted the standing stock of store ready marinades. Any suggestions are greatly welcomed in the comments section.
The Morning After
Mesquite steak was pretty darn tasty, as always. I'll see if I can get our guest steakonaut to write up a blurb for here. Not really much else to say, you already know our thoughts on the Texas Mesquite marinade.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Back to Basics, Again
No ground-breaking news this week, Steak Fans. We're going back to revisit our reigning champ, A1 Mesquite. It's been a while, and we're having a guest for Steak Night. And as anyone can tell you, it's not right to experiment with a guest's steak.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
The Results Are In - Allegro Spicy Cajun Marinade
Gotta say, I just wasn't feeling this one. The flavor here wasn't bad, but it was a pretty dry taste. Perry stated that it smelled like beef jerky, and to be honest, the taste definitely kinda invoked that. Now hey, I love beef jerky, but you know what I eat to get my jerky feel? BEEF JERKY!
However I digress, and I am being a little harsh maybe. The fact remains though, that this marinade did not make me relish the fact that I was eating steak. In fact I even left a couple of bites, a sin amongst our steak-loving kind. Overall, I could do without this and covered up as much as I could with A-1. However, it did have a good spicy taste to it, that did invoke some burning mouth sensation. I'm a fan of spicy foods, just now in retrospect, I think they have their place elsewhere.
3/10 (Just not my flavor)
Gotta say, I just wasn't feeling this one. The flavor here wasn't bad, but it was a pretty dry taste. Perry stated that it smelled like beef jerky, and to be honest, the taste definitely kinda invoked that. Now hey, I love beef jerky, but you know what I eat to get my jerky feel? BEEF JERKY!
However I digress, and I am being a little harsh maybe. The fact remains though, that this marinade did not make me relish the fact that I was eating steak. In fact I even left a couple of bites, a sin amongst our steak-loving kind. Overall, I could do without this and covered up as much as I could with A-1. However, it did have a good spicy taste to it, that did invoke some burning mouth sensation. I'm a fan of spicy foods, just now in retrospect, I think they have their place elsewhere.
3/10 (Just not my flavor)
The Running of the Clown
Allegro Marinade - Spicy Cajun
That is the name, as best as we can recall, of this week's contender. As a note, I need to point out that I've been sick over the weekend, and am still dealing with a lot of sinus issues, so my sense of taste for this week's test was very dulled.
Taste: To me, this marinade made the steak taste a great deal like beef jerky. It had that same smoky/salty taste. The pepper flakes added a very pleasant zing to the meal, but that was really the high point. I found myself using much more liberal sprinklings of A1 than I have been as of late, and using the other sides as a moderating influence on the strong nature of this marinade's results. Other than the spiciness (which is something future experimentation might allow us to graft into a far-superior marinade...) I was not impressed. At least it seemed to have good flavor penetration factor.
Texture: This marinade left the steak with a nice firm natural texture. No steak-mush! Yay! Then again, it'd have the same texture unmarinaded.
Summary: The overall taste really downs this marinade. I can only imagine how it would have been if I had my full senses at my disposal. The spiciness was good though, saving this expedition into the beefy wilds from COMPLETE failure.
Rochter Scale Rating: 3.8
Final thoughts:
Clowns cry on the inside for a reason. We found it.
That is the name, as best as we can recall, of this week's contender. As a note, I need to point out that I've been sick over the weekend, and am still dealing with a lot of sinus issues, so my sense of taste for this week's test was very dulled.
Taste: To me, this marinade made the steak taste a great deal like beef jerky. It had that same smoky/salty taste. The pepper flakes added a very pleasant zing to the meal, but that was really the high point. I found myself using much more liberal sprinklings of A1 than I have been as of late, and using the other sides as a moderating influence on the strong nature of this marinade's results. Other than the spiciness (which is something future experimentation might allow us to graft into a far-superior marinade...) I was not impressed. At least it seemed to have good flavor penetration factor.
Texture: This marinade left the steak with a nice firm natural texture. No steak-mush! Yay! Then again, it'd have the same texture unmarinaded.
Summary: The overall taste really downs this marinade. I can only imagine how it would have been if I had my full senses at my disposal. The spiciness was good though, saving this expedition into the beefy wilds from COMPLETE failure.
Rochter Scale Rating: 3.8
Final thoughts:
Clowns cry on the inside for a reason. We found it.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Spooky Scary
Ok, this week we're trying some marinade product with a name that I can't really remember. All I know is that it has red pepper flakes suspended in the mix, and it has a clown on the bottle.
Pray that we don't die.
Pray that we don't die.
Friday, November 28, 2008
The Results Are In: KC Masterpiece Edition
Before anything, I would like to give a shout-out to Turkey Day, a holiday wisely devoted to food and in particular, the near mythic beast called the Turkey, which is one of the 2 greatest proofs that murder is indeed delicious. However, that's not why we're here is it? No, we're here for the other of those 2 proofs.
I enjoyed the flavor the KC Masterpiece marinade, I don't know if it was quite a barbecue taste or a mesquite, somewhere in the middle I think, blurring the lines of flavor definition. However, I must concur with Perry here. The taste didn't feel thorough, or consistent all the way through. Many of the previous marinades have done a better job of making the steak itself very tender, almost falling apart at times, but dense with flavor in every bite. Here the steak felt like its normal consistency (wonderful mind you) but the amount of flavor varied with every bite. So yes I liked the taste, but maybe not a great marinade choice. I would have expected more from a 24 hour soak. Maybe as more of a brush taste.
Above average though, straddling that line between a 6 and 7. I'll say 7 for effort, 5 for execution, so that averages to 6/10.
Before anything, I would like to give a shout-out to Turkey Day, a holiday wisely devoted to food and in particular, the near mythic beast called the Turkey, which is one of the 2 greatest proofs that murder is indeed delicious. However, that's not why we're here is it? No, we're here for the other of those 2 proofs.
I enjoyed the flavor the KC Masterpiece marinade, I don't know if it was quite a barbecue taste or a mesquite, somewhere in the middle I think, blurring the lines of flavor definition. However, I must concur with Perry here. The taste didn't feel thorough, or consistent all the way through. Many of the previous marinades have done a better job of making the steak itself very tender, almost falling apart at times, but dense with flavor in every bite. Here the steak felt like its normal consistency (wonderful mind you) but the amount of flavor varied with every bite. So yes I liked the taste, but maybe not a great marinade choice. I would have expected more from a 24 hour soak. Maybe as more of a brush taste.
Above average though, straddling that line between a 6 and 7. I'll say 7 for effort, 5 for execution, so that averages to 6/10.
The Review
First of all, my apologies. Turkey day got in the way of the update to the Steak Blog for this week. It did not alter the actual consumption of steak, I'd like to be quick to point out, so never fear.
This week we had the KC Masterpiece Steakhouse marinade, with our accustomed boneless ribeye cuts.
In general, I think we may have spoiled ourselves by going for the A1 Marinades from the first. In our (limited) experience, we've noticed that the A1 marinades tend to really insinuate themselves into the steak. We've taken that property for granted, as it seems so far only select marinades from the Paul Newman collection have been able to do the same. The KC Masterpiece marinade did have a nice, smoky flavor to it... but it didn't seem to be a very "deep" flavor. I definitely got the impression I could have had the same taste payoff by brushing the marinade onto the steak before eating instead of letting it soak for 24 hours. I do not intend this to be a major point of criticism, the steak DID taste good, after all. Just a shortcoming in what could otherwise be a star player in our lineup.
Rochter Scale Rating: 6.3
Additional Note:
I'd also like to point out that I sampled a different variety of A1 this week with the steak... A1 Supreme Garlic. It is definitely a thicker steak sauce, and perhaps a little strong. It really gives an impression of A1 mixed with Italian dressing, with a heavy touch of garlic.
This week we had the KC Masterpiece Steakhouse marinade, with our accustomed boneless ribeye cuts.
In general, I think we may have spoiled ourselves by going for the A1 Marinades from the first. In our (limited) experience, we've noticed that the A1 marinades tend to really insinuate themselves into the steak. We've taken that property for granted, as it seems so far only select marinades from the Paul Newman collection have been able to do the same. The KC Masterpiece marinade did have a nice, smoky flavor to it... but it didn't seem to be a very "deep" flavor. I definitely got the impression I could have had the same taste payoff by brushing the marinade onto the steak before eating instead of letting it soak for 24 hours. I do not intend this to be a major point of criticism, the steak DID taste good, after all. Just a shortcoming in what could otherwise be a star player in our lineup.
Rochter Scale Rating: 6.3
Additional Note:
I'd also like to point out that I sampled a different variety of A1 this week with the steak... A1 Supreme Garlic. It is definitely a thicker steak sauce, and perhaps a little strong. It really gives an impression of A1 mixed with Italian dressing, with a heavy touch of garlic.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
This week on Mutual of Omaha's Wild Steakdom...
Well, as the Cannibal said, we're giving the KC Masterpiece marinade a whirl. It did have a definite "BBQ" tinge to it, which I'm a little apprehensive about. My only foray into BBQ steak was the Stubbs incident, which the ardent reader will remember did not go over so well.
I guess I'm just worried that I'm going to get my hopes up, then end up with a bad taste in my mouth.
Sorta like what you'd expect when taking candy from a stranger in a van with taped-over windows.
I guess I'm just worried that I'm going to get my hopes up, then end up with a bad taste in my mouth.
Sorta like what you'd expect when taking candy from a stranger in a van with taped-over windows.
Marinade of the Week: KC Masterpiece Steakhouse
Not sure how this one is gonna work out, but the marinade smelled kinda wonderful. Also side note, we are back to ribeyes this week, so the cut shouldn't be a problem. I think pretty soon, we're going to take the knowledge gained here and start trying to make custom marinades. I can't wait. Results tomorrow. Steak ahoy!
Not sure how this one is gonna work out, but the marinade smelled kinda wonderful. Also side note, we are back to ribeyes this week, so the cut shouldn't be a problem. I think pretty soon, we're going to take the knowledge gained here and start trying to make custom marinades. I can't wait. Results tomorrow. Steak ahoy!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Contact Report
****
Priority Traffic; Eyes Only
Estimated date of contact: 11-19-08, approximately 20:50 Lima
First contact with the target revealed that it survived grilling in very good condition. Uniform application of heat throughout the cut left the target completely cooked with practically no external searing damage. Target did not take advantage of available culinary cover, and thus relied almost entirely upon it's own taste. The target was also in very good shape initially, very lean and battle-ready. Intel overestimated this target's prowess, however; if it had not called upon reinforcements from several food groups sympathetic to it's cause, it would have been quickly overwhelmed and forgotten next to the juggernauts of taste.
All in all... we have met the enemy, and it was delicious.
****
I cannot disagree with the statements of the Cannibal. The sirloin, while certainly a good steak in and of itself, does not appear to lend itself to our rapid-grill style of steak prep. I really feel that this kind of cut has a lot of potential if lovingly attended to, but not as a gas-grill after work dinner.
The steak was on the drier side of things, which I actually do not hold against it. Like I mentioned in a previous post, I don't like mushy steak. A consequence, however, is that the cut's capacitance for marinade flavor was insufficient. It just didn't feel like it soaked up enough flavor.
I highly anticipate future steak experiments with this cut; it has a great deal of potential, just maybe not on our current grill.
Rochter Scale Rating: 5.5
This was better than you can get at most sit-down places, in my opinion, but probably not up to "Steak Night" standards.
Bonus Review: Applebee's Steak
Like the Cannibal mentioned, over the weekend we had a chance at some Applebee's steak. Despite the fact that he posted his review far in advance of mine, I placed my order first... which is important, because he had the audacity to order the same steak as I did.
Over all, I find myself sharing C-Dawg's thoughts on this steak. The steak itself was about what you'd expect, but the true gem was the parmesan and garlic shrimp. This particular addition to the steak must be reverse engineered and assimilated.
Rochter Scale: 5.0
Priority Traffic; Eyes Only
Estimated date of contact: 11-19-08, approximately 20:50 Lima
First contact with the target revealed that it survived grilling in very good condition. Uniform application of heat throughout the cut left the target completely cooked with practically no external searing damage. Target did not take advantage of available culinary cover, and thus relied almost entirely upon it's own taste. The target was also in very good shape initially, very lean and battle-ready. Intel overestimated this target's prowess, however; if it had not called upon reinforcements from several food groups sympathetic to it's cause, it would have been quickly overwhelmed and forgotten next to the juggernauts of taste.
All in all... we have met the enemy, and it was delicious.
****
I cannot disagree with the statements of the Cannibal. The sirloin, while certainly a good steak in and of itself, does not appear to lend itself to our rapid-grill style of steak prep. I really feel that this kind of cut has a lot of potential if lovingly attended to, but not as a gas-grill after work dinner.
The steak was on the drier side of things, which I actually do not hold against it. Like I mentioned in a previous post, I don't like mushy steak. A consequence, however, is that the cut's capacitance for marinade flavor was insufficient. It just didn't feel like it soaked up enough flavor.
I highly anticipate future steak experiments with this cut; it has a great deal of potential, just maybe not on our current grill.
Rochter Scale Rating: 5.5
This was better than you can get at most sit-down places, in my opinion, but probably not up to "Steak Night" standards.
Bonus Review: Applebee's Steak
Like the Cannibal mentioned, over the weekend we had a chance at some Applebee's steak. Despite the fact that he posted his review far in advance of mine, I placed my order first... which is important, because he had the audacity to order the same steak as I did.
Over all, I find myself sharing C-Dawg's thoughts on this steak. The steak itself was about what you'd expect, but the true gem was the parmesan and garlic shrimp. This particular addition to the steak must be reverse engineered and assimilated.
Rochter Scale: 5.0
The Results are In: Top Sirloin vs Ribeye
This wasn't even a contest. Top Sirloin is a very different cut that just doesn't seem to have the same raw capacity to soak up a marinade in the way that a good ribeye will. Overall, this steak was kinda dry and forgettable. I could only get hints of the luscious Mesquite marinade and once again had to supplement with steak sauce. Dissapointing. Not bad mind you, just nothing special. It might be better to pan fry this cut later in the winter months, perhaps in worchester sauce (no way I spelled that right). That style of prepartion might be more conducive to the makeup of this particular slice. (4/10)
Moral of the Story: Not all cuts are created equal. They have different roles that must be respected!
This wasn't even a contest. Top Sirloin is a very different cut that just doesn't seem to have the same raw capacity to soak up a marinade in the way that a good ribeye will. Overall, this steak was kinda dry and forgettable. I could only get hints of the luscious Mesquite marinade and once again had to supplement with steak sauce. Dissapointing. Not bad mind you, just nothing special. It might be better to pan fry this cut later in the winter months, perhaps in worchester sauce (no way I spelled that right). That style of prepartion might be more conducive to the makeup of this particular slice. (4/10)
Moral of the Story: Not all cuts are created equal. They have different roles that must be respected!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
To boldly go...
...where Steak Night has never gone before.
I eagerly anticipate the results of tonight's foray into the wide world of steak.
I'll see you on the other side, steakanauts.
*brisk salute*
I eagerly anticipate the results of tonight's foray into the wide world of steak.
I'll see you on the other side, steakanauts.
*brisk salute*
Back to Basics: Texas Mesquite
Ok, this week's adventure into the magical realm of Steakonia isn't too adventurous. The featured marinade is A1 Texas Mesquite, which we admittedly have used several times already, though there has been no official review posted on it other than the blurb where I gave it 10/10 as a recap. To be different this week, we are not using the standard ribeyes that we use every week, but instead TOP SIRLOIN. So we're comparing cuts of meat this week.... Ok I know that excuse is flimsy as hell, but I like Texas Mesquite. Sometimes you just gotta do what tastes right, or you lose perspective on why you're doing this in the first place.
You buy all of that? Good, I thought it sounded kinda mildly deep and it might pass over well. If you didn't, DON'T JUDGE ME! I need this!
Ok, this week's adventure into the magical realm of Steakonia isn't too adventurous. The featured marinade is A1 Texas Mesquite, which we admittedly have used several times already, though there has been no official review posted on it other than the blurb where I gave it 10/10 as a recap. To be different this week, we are not using the standard ribeyes that we use every week, but instead TOP SIRLOIN. So we're comparing cuts of meat this week.... Ok I know that excuse is flimsy as hell, but I like Texas Mesquite. Sometimes you just gotta do what tastes right, or you lose perspective on why you're doing this in the first place.
You buy all of that? Good, I thought it sounded kinda mildly deep and it might pass over well. If you didn't, DON'T JUDGE ME! I need this!
Monday, November 17, 2008
Applebee's New York Strip with Parmesan and Grilled Shrimp
Quick review for bonus steak for the week. Obviously our main crux here on Steak Blog is to review and talk about Steak Night itself, but I feel for completeness it is necessary to chronicle all forays into steakocity. So here we go, over the weekend while celebrating a friend's birthday at Applebee's I ordered the steak mentioned in this entry's title. I must say, I think I have become spoiled by the steak prepared religiously every Wednesday. The cut at Applebee's was no comparison. It was by comparison to home, bland and saddening. I remember when this would have tasted awesome, but I just now found myself needing A1 more and more to flavor the meal. Have I ruined my taste buds for the outside world? What have I done to myself?
Side note, the grilled shrimp and parmesan topping was wonderful. I have not yet mastered seafood at home so I cannot replicate this on my own. Highly recommended as a steak add-on. For the entree itself, I think I will stick with the BBQ ribs next time.
Steak 3/10 (opinion influenced by perspective of what could have been)
Shrimp 8/10
Quick review for bonus steak for the week. Obviously our main crux here on Steak Blog is to review and talk about Steak Night itself, but I feel for completeness it is necessary to chronicle all forays into steakocity. So here we go, over the weekend while celebrating a friend's birthday at Applebee's I ordered the steak mentioned in this entry's title. I must say, I think I have become spoiled by the steak prepared religiously every Wednesday. The cut at Applebee's was no comparison. It was by comparison to home, bland and saddening. I remember when this would have tasted awesome, but I just now found myself needing A1 more and more to flavor the meal. Have I ruined my taste buds for the outside world? What have I done to myself?
Side note, the grilled shrimp and parmesan topping was wonderful. I have not yet mastered seafood at home so I cannot replicate this on my own. Highly recommended as a steak add-on. For the entree itself, I think I will stick with the BBQ ribs next time.
Steak 3/10 (opinion influenced by perspective of what could have been)
Shrimp 8/10
Thursday, November 13, 2008
BBQ Steak, a Counterpoint
Time to file my report on this week's Adventures in Steakland.
Let's just dive into my impressions of this week's contender. There were a couple of factors against this week's experiment from the get-go. It seems that I spent a lot of time cutting around gristle and fat on this week's cut... nothing I can hold against the preparation of the steak, just an unfortunate circumstance that set the tone for the experience. Additionally, the steak was prepared a little more towards the "Rare" end of the scale than I'm used to; still good, mind you, just different. I'm not sure what my impressions of the beef marinade were... since there were 2 factors in this week's experiment it could have been either of them that threw me. I did note that the steak had a very 'mushy' texture this week... it didn't take a knife very well, if you know what I mean. I think there may be such a thing as too tender when it comes to steak. That could have been a consequence of the cut that I had, or properties of the marinade. The rareness should not have had as much of an effect as I observed. I frequently found myself bludgeoning the steak into bite-size pieces instead of cutting.
They produce steak knives, and not steak cudgels, for a reason.
Now, on to the flavor. I found myself seeking out the natural flavors of the steak more this week than usual, as the additives seemed to have a bit of a bitter tang to them. Again, I can't be sure as to whether it was the marinade or the BBQ sauce added after. I was not able to really catch the mesquite flavor that my culinary compatriot mentioned... I think that perhaps I've become spoiled by the integrated flavor of a dedicated marinade as opposed to brushed-on BBQ.
In summary, I think the Stubbs brand of products are astounding when put to the proper use... (their spicy BBQ slathered on grilled porkchops is something that defies explanation)... but I'm not sure that we had the right combination for steak. It wasn't bad, but it lacked a certain... flair.
Rochter Scale Rating: 5.0 - This was a decent steak, and I did enjoy it. However, it fell short of the bar I've come to expect from mesquite of any sort.
Let's just dive into my impressions of this week's contender. There were a couple of factors against this week's experiment from the get-go. It seems that I spent a lot of time cutting around gristle and fat on this week's cut... nothing I can hold against the preparation of the steak, just an unfortunate circumstance that set the tone for the experience. Additionally, the steak was prepared a little more towards the "Rare" end of the scale than I'm used to; still good, mind you, just different. I'm not sure what my impressions of the beef marinade were... since there were 2 factors in this week's experiment it could have been either of them that threw me. I did note that the steak had a very 'mushy' texture this week... it didn't take a knife very well, if you know what I mean. I think there may be such a thing as too tender when it comes to steak. That could have been a consequence of the cut that I had, or properties of the marinade. The rareness should not have had as much of an effect as I observed. I frequently found myself bludgeoning the steak into bite-size pieces instead of cutting.
They produce steak knives, and not steak cudgels, for a reason.
Now, on to the flavor. I found myself seeking out the natural flavors of the steak more this week than usual, as the additives seemed to have a bit of a bitter tang to them. Again, I can't be sure as to whether it was the marinade or the BBQ sauce added after. I was not able to really catch the mesquite flavor that my culinary compatriot mentioned... I think that perhaps I've become spoiled by the integrated flavor of a dedicated marinade as opposed to brushed-on BBQ.
In summary, I think the Stubbs brand of products are astounding when put to the proper use... (their spicy BBQ slathered on grilled porkchops is something that defies explanation)... but I'm not sure that we had the right combination for steak. It wasn't bad, but it lacked a certain... flair.
Rochter Scale Rating: 5.0 - This was a decent steak, and I did enjoy it. However, it fell short of the bar I've come to expect from mesquite of any sort.
The Results Are In: BBQ Steak
Ok, the BBQ steak experience has come and gone and I gotta say that I personally am pleased with the results. I might make a few alterations to future attempts, such as not using the beef marinade (perhaps a bbq rub would be better, I'm not sure yet). However, the steak was very tender and the smoky mesquite flavor was very welcome to my tastes. Granted, I think BBQ sauce is one of the divine substances, the other being A1. Room for improvement definitely but still good results, I give the result 8/10.
Ok, the BBQ steak experience has come and gone and I gotta say that I personally am pleased with the results. I might make a few alterations to future attempts, such as not using the beef marinade (perhaps a bbq rub would be better, I'm not sure yet). However, the steak was very tender and the smoky mesquite flavor was very welcome to my tastes. Granted, I think BBQ sauce is one of the divine substances, the other being A1. Room for improvement definitely but still good results, I give the result 8/10.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Something New: BBQ Steak
Greetings Steaketeers!
Ok, things are a little more complicated this week. We're still fitting in to the theme of the Mesquite battles (A1 Mesquite is still on top BTW) but we're also branching out and trying the concept of BBQ steak. Now years ago, Ruby Tuesdays used to have a menu item called BBQ Steak on a Stick. I thought this was one of the greatest ideas ever. Mostly this is due to the fact that i believe that anything can be made better by barbecuing it, but puttting it on a stick as well? That's so genius that I don't even have a word for the multiple levels of awesome it contains. So I've personally had a small obsession with the concept of BBQ steak over the years, this has been compunded by the fact that Ruby Tuesday has long since removed this menu item cutting off my easy access to the delicacy. I've never managed to recreate this at home quite yet. I've not had the greatest amount of luck, but I have come up with some tasty alternatives. My favorite has been preparing strips of steak in a rotisserere basted in BBQ sauce. It came out like a very tender and moist jerky, it was pretty awesome I gotta say, but still different from what I intended.
However I digress, this weeks journey into the war torn, post apocalyptic steak wasteland (sorry I've been playing massive amounts of Fallout 3) is another new attempt for this quest. We've recently become kinda obsessed with Stubbs brand of BBQ sauce, though we've been using it on pork. This has been so good that we figure, why not apply it to the superior meat? So we have a 2 part preparation for the week. We're starting with Stubbs Beef Marinade (the ribeyes are soaking in it as I type), which will be grilled tonight and basted with Stubbs Smoky Mesquite BBQ sauce while on the grill. The Mesquite BBQ was chosen specifically so that the attempt could officially be entered into the battle of the Mesquites contest. I'm thinking just regular salt and pepper for seasoning, garlic salt might be a little too much.
Here's hoping for awesomeness.
Greetings Steaketeers!
Ok, things are a little more complicated this week. We're still fitting in to the theme of the Mesquite battles (A1 Mesquite is still on top BTW) but we're also branching out and trying the concept of BBQ steak. Now years ago, Ruby Tuesdays used to have a menu item called BBQ Steak on a Stick. I thought this was one of the greatest ideas ever. Mostly this is due to the fact that i believe that anything can be made better by barbecuing it, but puttting it on a stick as well? That's so genius that I don't even have a word for the multiple levels of awesome it contains. So I've personally had a small obsession with the concept of BBQ steak over the years, this has been compunded by the fact that Ruby Tuesday has long since removed this menu item cutting off my easy access to the delicacy. I've never managed to recreate this at home quite yet. I've not had the greatest amount of luck, but I have come up with some tasty alternatives. My favorite has been preparing strips of steak in a rotisserere basted in BBQ sauce. It came out like a very tender and moist jerky, it was pretty awesome I gotta say, but still different from what I intended.
However I digress, this weeks journey into the war torn, post apocalyptic steak wasteland (sorry I've been playing massive amounts of Fallout 3) is another new attempt for this quest. We've recently become kinda obsessed with Stubbs brand of BBQ sauce, though we've been using it on pork. This has been so good that we figure, why not apply it to the superior meat? So we have a 2 part preparation for the week. We're starting with Stubbs Beef Marinade (the ribeyes are soaking in it as I type), which will be grilled tonight and basted with Stubbs Smoky Mesquite BBQ sauce while on the grill. The Mesquite BBQ was chosen specifically so that the attempt could officially be entered into the battle of the Mesquites contest. I'm thinking just regular salt and pepper for seasoning, garlic salt might be a little too much.
Here's hoping for awesomeness.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Steaking it to the Limit
It's time that we talk a little bit about WHY we've created this fledgling blog. It's not just our unbounding love of a good porterhouse, or the fond affection for a good ribeye. No, if it were just those things, we would be content to keep it to ourselves.
We started this because Mr. K told us this was the way to power and riches. Thanks for the suggestion, Mr. K! Don't worry... you'll get your cut! (See... you know, cut... like, cut of steak... get it? I mean... it's funny because ....)
We started this because Mr. K told us this was the way to power and riches. Thanks for the suggestion, Mr. K! Don't worry... you'll get your cut! (See... you know, cut... like, cut of steak... get it? I mean... it's funny because ....)
Garlic Herb Steak
As the Cannibal said, my reactions to this were a little different from his. First, it must be said, I like things that have the essence of garlic, so... vampires and potential dates be warned. I will agree that this marinade was probably meant for chicken.
I think the garlic herb really complimented the steak. It did not overpower the natural flavor, but it was definitely THERE. Unlike steak brushed with garlic butter (such as what you get at a lot of your chain sit-down places) it wasn't overpowering at the beginning of the bite but gone by the time you've had a chance to savor it. It was a nice slow release of moderate flavor for the duration. I'm not sure if that description was goofy or creepy, in retrospect.
Now for the meat (haha, see what I did there? steak... meat...) of the review... the scoring.
For my judgements, I'm going to be using the Rochter (pronounced Rock-ter) scale, because steak is so epic that it can only be measured in geological frame of reference. First I have to set my baselines.
0.0 - Bad steak. Either burnt horribly or still raw. This does nothing for me.
4.0 - Standard fare expected at most sit-down places. You can feel the tremors from this.
5.0 - Basic no-frills steak, properly prepared. Careful, the awesome makes for treacherous footing.
8.0 - Awesome marinade/spices, proper preparation. Wooo-eee, whole lotta shakin goin on!
10.0 - This is the Big One. I mean, Mississippi-river-flowing-backward-California-becoming-an-island type thing.
One thing to keep in mind is, we've been at this for a while, but the Blog is new. So, we have some ratings for older marinades on here. Perhaps as time permits we will go back and do write-ups on them, though for some it has been a while. It would be a shame to have to eat even more steak to cover ground that we already have... Ok, I can't really say that with a straight face.
Ratings so far:
-A1 Mesquite: 8.0
-A1 Chicago: 6.5
-A1 New York: 5.4
-A1 New Orleans: 5.5
-A1 Traditional: 7.0
-Newman's Mesquite: 7.0
-Newman's Garlic Herb: 7.5
-Jack Daniels Mesquite: 6.0
I think the garlic herb really complimented the steak. It did not overpower the natural flavor, but it was definitely THERE. Unlike steak brushed with garlic butter (such as what you get at a lot of your chain sit-down places) it wasn't overpowering at the beginning of the bite but gone by the time you've had a chance to savor it. It was a nice slow release of moderate flavor for the duration. I'm not sure if that description was goofy or creepy, in retrospect.
Now for the meat (haha, see what I did there? steak... meat...) of the review... the scoring.
For my judgements, I'm going to be using the Rochter (pronounced Rock-ter) scale, because steak is so epic that it can only be measured in geological frame of reference. First I have to set my baselines.
0.0 - Bad steak. Either burnt horribly or still raw. This does nothing for me.
4.0 - Standard fare expected at most sit-down places. You can feel the tremors from this.
5.0 - Basic no-frills steak, properly prepared. Careful, the awesome makes for treacherous footing.
8.0 - Awesome marinade/spices, proper preparation. Wooo-eee, whole lotta shakin goin on!
10.0 - This is the Big One. I mean, Mississippi-river-flowing-backward-California-becoming-an-island type thing.
One thing to keep in mind is, we've been at this for a while, but the Blog is new. So, we have some ratings for older marinades on here. Perhaps as time permits we will go back and do write-ups on them, though for some it has been a while. It would be a shame to have to eat even more steak to cover ground that we already have... Ok, I can't really say that with a straight face.
Ratings so far:
-A1 Mesquite: 8.0
-A1 Chicago: 6.5
-A1 New York: 5.4
-A1 New Orleans: 5.5
-A1 Traditional: 7.0
-Newman's Mesquite: 7.0
-Newman's Garlic Herb: 7.5
-Jack Daniels Mesquite: 6.0
The Results are in Pt 1: Paul Newman's Garlic & Herb Marinade
Ok my views about this are probably gonna vary a bit from Perry's and we should see his review at some point today. I think for me this is a taste that is better suited to some of the other meats, most notably chicken. Don't get me wrong, it's a good flavor with a bit of tang to it, I'm just not sure if this matches my collective feel of steakocity. I used liberal amounts of A1 sauce on top of this, so I was more into the flavor of the A1 rather than the marinade. I'm feeling a 5/10 or so for this. On the other side, my partner in the voyages of the Starship Steakerprise seemed to enjoy it quite a bit, so there's that benefit.
Ok my views about this are probably gonna vary a bit from Perry's and we should see his review at some point today. I think for me this is a taste that is better suited to some of the other meats, most notably chicken. Don't get me wrong, it's a good flavor with a bit of tang to it, I'm just not sure if this matches my collective feel of steakocity. I used liberal amounts of A1 sauce on top of this, so I was more into the flavor of the A1 rather than the marinade. I'm feeling a 5/10 or so for this. On the other side, my partner in the voyages of the Starship Steakerprise seemed to enjoy it quite a bit, so there's that benefit.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
About Steak Night
First thing's first: We all know that to truly unlock the deliciousum potentia in a steak, you can't use a gas grill. Charcoal and wood-chips are the way to go... but we just don't have access to those things at this time.
The Cannibal and I both agree: Steak is awesome. That is why we have instituted a weekly tradition that we call Steak Night. Nothing soothes the aching void in one's soul at the midpoint of a work-week like a massive hunk of marinaded and charred beef. So, every Tuesday night we trek to the food library, check out some likely-looking cuts of steak, and submerge them in tasty, tasty marinade. The cuts soak up the liquid deliciousness overnight and during the next workday. Wednesday evenings (hey, THIS is Wednesday... awesome!) after the soak is complete, the cuts go on the grill, the rolls go in the oven, and it's time to rock and/or roll.
That is Steak Night in a nutshell. Even though a nutshell is by no means large enough to contain either the concept or the awesome that is steak.
The Cannibal and I both agree: Steak is awesome. That is why we have instituted a weekly tradition that we call Steak Night. Nothing soothes the aching void in one's soul at the midpoint of a work-week like a massive hunk of marinaded and charred beef. So, every Tuesday night we trek to the food library, check out some likely-looking cuts of steak, and submerge them in tasty, tasty marinade. The cuts soak up the liquid deliciousness overnight and during the next workday. Wednesday evenings (hey, THIS is Wednesday... awesome!) after the soak is complete, the cuts go on the grill, the rolls go in the oven, and it's time to rock and/or roll.
That is Steak Night in a nutshell. Even though a nutshell is by no means large enough to contain either the concept or the awesome that is steak.
The Scorecard so far:
Note all scores here are using garlic salt (Lawry's brand), black pepper, and cooked on a gas grill. Our standard cut of meat are boneless ribeyes bought from the Kroger butcher shop here in Winchester, specifically the Laura's lean meat variety. All marinades are given a 24 hour period in which to soak.
A1 Marinade: Texas Mesquite
This is our fallback thus far. A 24 hour marinade in this is incredibly delicious for the absolute minimum amount of work that goes into the preparation. Spending 11 hours at work each day doesn't allow for the greatest preparation time, so simplicity is a key factor in our travels into steakocity. From a perspective of relativity, I give 10/10.
Note all scores here are using garlic salt (Lawry's brand), black pepper, and cooked on a gas grill. Our standard cut of meat are boneless ribeyes bought from the Kroger butcher shop here in Winchester, specifically the Laura's lean meat variety. All marinades are given a 24 hour period in which to soak.
A1 Marinade: Texas Mesquite
This is our fallback thus far. A 24 hour marinade in this is incredibly delicious for the absolute minimum amount of work that goes into the preparation. Spending 11 hours at work each day doesn't allow for the greatest preparation time, so simplicity is a key factor in our travels into steakocity. From a perspective of relativity, I give 10/10.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
New for the week: Paul Newman's Garlic & Herb Marinade
11/5 Anticipation is running high for this week's trial. The big question: is this a marinade better suited for chicken? Standard Garlic salt and black pepper will be used as spices, we are also looking at a 24 hour marination time. Results tommorrow.
11/5 Anticipation is running high for this week's trial. The big question: is this a marinade better suited for chicken? Standard Garlic salt and black pepper will be used as spices, we are also looking at a 24 hour marination time. Results tommorrow.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)