How do you cook your steak to insure it's really tender?

Question

I buy good cuts but it seems like steaks aren't coming out as tender as I'd like. I'd try a marinade but I don't really want to add a flavor to the steak. Any ideas?

Answer 1

This works with any kind of meat...In a Ziploc bag put equal amounts of salt and sugar. Add some water and dissolve the salt/sugar. Put in the meat and you may need to add more water...enough to cover the meat. Let it soak for at least 30 minutes preferably several hours. You can also add spices or what ever you use to marinate. Steak or chicken or lamb or whatever comes out so soft and tender.

Answer 2

The tender steaks are usually - Filet Mignon (from the tenderloin), NY Steak, T-Bone, Porterhouse, Ribeye and Sirloin. However, I find the Sirloin a little more finicky. Any other steaks you find in the supermarket is more of a challenge.

USDA Meat Grading, highest to lowest - Prime, Choice and Select. Identifies the amount of fat in the meat (marbling). The more marbling the more flavor and tenderness.

Doneness - you don't want to cook it more than Medium. I think when you do the steak gets "dryer" and tougher.

Cooking - I like my steaks to be nicely browned, but I've over browned them where the outside is carmalized a bit too much and forms something like a crust. What I've been doing is lightly pan frying my steaks to get a light crust and finishing off under the broiler, about an additional 2 minutes per side. Finally, I let the steak rest about 5-10 minutes after cooking so the juices don't gush out when you cut it, as it would right out of the oven.

Answer 3

the best method is not to overcook the steak if you are looking for well done... .well its bound to be tougher than a medium steak... you need really high heat... so on the stove heat a frying pan (saute pan) with just a touch of veg oil, not olive it will burn at high temperatures.... you need to be able to hold your hand over the pan about a 1/2 inch away from the bottom... for a few moments before you feel like your hand is on fire... thats when you know you have a hot pan.... sear the meat in the pan... only two or three pieces at a time. if you over crowd the pan you will lose the heat... sear the meat when the protein has carmelzed just enough it will remove itself from the pan ( it won't stick, if it sticks its not ready to flip) then flip to the other side. this will give you about a medium rare steak... if you want it more you need to throw it in the oven. Broil if you have one... but remember any temperature you want make sure you remove it before it reaches that one. if you want medium cook to medium rare and let the meat rest for 3-4 minutes it gives the juices a chance to regroup, and the meat continues to cook after its off the heat. hope i helped and didn't confuse you... the most tender steaks you can use are ribeye (fatty but delicious) or a skirt steak (ask the butcher to run it through a tenderize... )

Answer 4

The trick with steak is to have a really hot grilled pan. First seal the meat on both sides then add your seasoning. You should not cook a steak for more then 6 minutes total(depending on the the thickness). It also depends on how well done you like your steak, the rarer the steak the more tender it will be......

Answer 5

Make sure you are selecting the proper USDA grade. I personally only buy Choice or above, which can be pricey, but you get what you pay for. Look for a well marbled cut like a ribeye...yum... If your grilling its best to cook on a hot grill 500degrees, about 6 min on both sides for a 1inch thick steak will get you a perfect medium steak.

Answer 6

This is what I do. Cheers,

8 ounces fresh spinach
½ cup dried breadcrumbs
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
3 red bell peppers, roasted
1 flank steak approx. 1 ½ pounds, butterflied
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 ounces of prosciutto
1 hot spicy pepper (your choice) cored, seeded and minced


PREP WORK Roast the red bell peppers. There are several ways to roast peppers. I like to roast them on my grill outside, turning them over and over until they are charred black on the outside. If you have a gas stove, you can char them over the flame but it’s messy and I can only do one at a time.

Another method is to cut them in half lengthwise, core them, and remove the seeds and place them skin side up on a cookie sheet. Using the broiler in the oven, place them 3 to 4 inches from the heat source and broil until the skins are black and charred.

No matter what method you use, place the blackened peppers in a paper bag for 10 minutes before peeling off the charred outer skin. What you don’t use can be stored in a jar, covered with olive oil, and put in the refrigerator. They will last up to a week.

Washing the spinach. It’s really important that you give the spinach a good cleaning (unless you buy the prewashed, expensive stuff, but even then I would give it a bath in cold water). Nothing can ruin a meal faster than if you or one of your guests bite onto a hard piece of grit. Been there.

Steam it. I use one of those metal steaming racks placed in one of my saucepans with a little bit of water. Cover and steam for 5-7 minutes until wilted. When finished, drain it well by squeezing out all the excess water with your hands or the back of a spoon.

In your food processor, add the garlic and give it a whirl until the garlic is minced. Add the spinach, Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, and olive oil and puree. You should end up with an incredible aromatic mixture that has a smooth consistency.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.



HOW TO MAKE AT HOMELay your steak out flat and season it with salt and pepper. Add a layer of prosciutto to the steak, top with a layer of roasted peppers, then make another layer with the spinach mixture and sprinkle the minced hot pepper on top.

Now for the fun part. Starting at one end, roll the steak up like a big sushi roll making sure to pull at the ends so it doesn’t get to thick in the middle.

Tie it with kitchen string every couple of inches. Brush or spray with some olive oil, season with salt and pepper and bake in the oven for 40 minutes for medium rare or longer if you like it more well done.

Remove from oven and allow it to cool for a few minutes before slicing it into ¾ inch pieces and serve with your favorite side dishes.

Once you have all the ingredients together, this dish is quick and easy to put together. Once prepared, it gives you time to spend with your guests while it cooks. Besides tasting great, the ¾ inch slices make great presentations. You may even want to try stuffing it with some different ingredients, I know I will.

Answer 7

My husband sprinkles the steaks with a steak seasoning and then smokes them in his smoker grill. He adds wood chips for flavor. They are so good and tender you can almost cut them with a table knife.

Answer 8

I just make sure and tenderize it really good... if it's an extra thick piece of steak, add the meat tenderizing salt to it.

Answer 9

The longer they are cooked, the tougher they get.
Get grill hot, hot, hot . . . throw meat on for about 3 min per side and save before it is ruined. Add 1 pat of butter on top as soon as it comes off the grill, a bit of salt & eat STAT.

Answer 10

over broiling i think will make it tough.. i use meat tenderizer, pepper, garlic salt and seasoned salt on mine.. the meat tenderizer goes on 1st. broil about 10 mins and turn over 4 another maybe 6 mins or less.. some broilers do not work as great as others..