why is it than whenever i ask for a blue steak it always comes out medium!!!?

Answer 1

A genuine blue staek is hard to come by for several reasons.

1) Few people order it so there is little understanding of what it actually is.
2) Chefs thinks they know more than you and few people correct them (British deference).
3) Not every kitchen is geared up to providing them, let me explain...

A blue steak is NOT raw, far from it, it is seared which it to say flash cooked at a very high temperature so that the fats on the outside are caramelised and browned (for amazing flavour) but the meat in the centre is jelly-like and warmed but not cooked, in a certain light this looks blue, hence the name. Now, not every piece of meat is suitable for this treatment, the meat should be marbled with fat (free range properly fed and cared for, intensively reared mass marked meat is enough to make a person turn veggie!) it should be well aged (dry hung) for several weeks, 21 days is about the lower limit, 28+ and you are in flavour country. The meat should be hygenically stored until ready for use but an hour before cooking left out to come up to room temperature (bad news for a restaurant as if it is not sold there are problems about putting it back in the fridge). Some places get round this by warming in a low oven to heat but not cook it ok but not ideal as this can boil the meat and make it greasy if not watched carefully. When all the veg is 1-2 minutes from ready, the steak should hit the grill - ideally a red hot salamander or open barred (barbeque) type, pans swilling with oil are death to this style of cooking. 45 seconds to a minute per side for a 1 1/2 inch thick steak is enough, then leave, wrapped in foil (to retain heat) for a few minutes to rest and allow the juices to recover from the shock of being driven to the centre of the meat by the heat and to re-distribute themselves.

While this is happening plate up (hot plate) the veg and add the meat last.

Still with me?

Can you imagine any but the most passionate restaurateur going through that for a true blue steak when a 'medium' steak, is so much easier, just 'put slab of any old meat on the grill, leave a few minutes, flip, leave, serve.' The more you cook out the flavours the cheaper the meat you can get away with serving.

Can't help with Birmingham but if you ever get to London, give this place a try http://www.blackandblue.biz/ , I was there yesterday, perfect blue rib-eye.

Answer 2

I hope you sent it back, and asked for your order to be correctly fulfilled. I, too, enjoy a blue steak - and am quite happy to send it back. More often than not, I have received a medium, or, at best, rare steak when I've ordered blue; normally, my husband's steak ends up rarer than mine, and he has his rare!
If you ask for your steak blue, it should come blue. During the foot and mouth scare a few years back, I had trouble getting blue steak - on more than one occasion, I was told that if I wanted to receive my steak the way I wanted it, I would have to waive any rights as far as suing the restaurant was concerned if I got food poisoning, or worse. Things have improved since then, but I think you need to make your point - if you want blue steak, make sure you get blue steak, and send it back if necessary.

Answer 3

It depends on what your guest eat or what your steak is served with. Sometimes Chefs cant get the timing right and put the steak on at the same time as the veges, the veges obviously take longer. so your steak cooks more.
Also Some chefs are vegetarians and they dont ever try a blue steak to know how to cook it.

When you find somewhere that does it right you will never stop going there.

Answer 4

Now i think i remember something about this from my waitressing days but i could be wrong.

It was advised i think altho it could be law, not sure, that blue steaks could not be served as they were before because of health and safety, ie if you got food poisoning the place could get shut down, so the chefs have to put it on the grill and the amount of time they do it for is up to their discretion.

Like i said its been a while since i waitressed but that was what we were told if anyone asked for blue steak.

And if you get it and is not right send the damn thing back until they do get it right!!!!

Answer 5

In UK there are so few people who would eat it virtually raw that the chef thinks the customer has made a mistake! Try asking for a blue steak which is walking around and they might get the message.
If you ask for blue in Europe even you might be gagging! Slaughtered and on the plate - pretty gross!

Answer 6

What's a blue steak?

Restaurants never get it right. I always ask for "well done" and get a medium. I guess it's however the chef likes it.

Answer 7

This is this macho thing about "just wipe it's a_s_s and stick it on the plate".

Why go to arestaurant if you want to eat raw meat?

Any professional chef has to COOK meant to ensure the bacteria are killed, and to protect the restaurant from a food poisoning case.

I suspect you already know this. You're just bragging about being able to eat raw meat, a somewhat dubious claim to fame as even hyenas and vultures can do this.

Answer 8

I agree no one knows how to cook steak in uk steak houses.

Answer 9

Is a blue steak what you get if you cook a Smurf?

Answer 10

my very own journey with the Foreman has been the you could save a distinctive eye on what you're cooking. bear in suggestions that the grill is designed to allow the grease run off. the possibility of drying is geared up in. Vigilance is top.