simple , make two,
put one in 20 minutes before the other

quote:

Originally posted by gjgalligan:
Big difference between well done beef and how some of you picture it. It does not have to be a "hockey puck" or a "briquette".

Well done does not mean burnt.

The briquette thing was a joke.

I can't speak to the other poster's intention, but there's some truth hiding in the exaggeration of the "hockey puck" label. For most cuts of meat, medium well or well done meat is tougher, chewier, and less juicy than rare or medium rare meat. About the only time more done means more tender is very fatty cuts that are very tough to begin with because of having a lot of connective tissue that are cooked for a long time at low temperature (e.g. brisket and short ribs).

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
If it’s so hard to deal with, why do people invite guests to a dinner that potentially involves so much angst?
I believe very few people will object if chicken or pork is served cooked; either of those meats is therefore unlikely to cause demands for a range of doneness from parasite-friendly to charred.

The other thing I don’t understand is the attitude of, “If you don’t like what I serve, leave.” Somewhere along the line some people evidently missed the memo about what it means to invite guests to our homes. Unless it’s a homeless beggar off the street who is pleading that he’s starving and should be happy with whatever he’s served, the idea is that we’re trying to entertain them, and that includes serving food that they will like.

There are of course limits, but we should explore them in advance of an invitation before deciding whether to extend it, especially if we’re planning something that most of us know that tastes vary about, such as sushi or steak tartare, but even roast beef. Or if they show up and unexpectedly make an outrageous demand (“I don’t eat chicken eggs; only wild-caught partridge eggs for me”), even then we should try to muddle through as best as possible while just quietly resolving to never invite the XYZs ever again.

True as to the host’s underlying intent in inviting guests.

We each have our personal preferences as to degree of doneness and can hopefully jest with each other as to those differences on this forum. But, if we actually invite guests to essentially school them as to “right” thinking about taste, then I suspect the XYZ invitees will increasingly resolve to never accept our invitation again.

And, lastly, I personally would consider a homeless beggar to be worthy of the same courtesy.

I actually take pride in serving EXACTLY what my guests prefer. I have, therefore served things I would never eat and apparently done a damn fine job of it.


I typically cook individual sized fare when guests are over- or SMOKED meats. That said, I do what many others, pop the servings that need more doneness back on the grill or cast iron griddle (depending on what I'm serving...)

Agreed, and in the future don't associate with Philistines!!!

quote:

Originally posted by sgalczyn:
Send them to Arby's !

quote:

Originally posted by FHHM213:

quote:

Originally posted by gjgalligan:
Some people might ask this question a bit different.

How do you satisfy your guest that want RARE Roast Beef?

I, for one, will not eat meat that is rare. I always ask for medium well - well done. And that is how cook all my meat.

Rare roast beef? Reminds me of being forced to attend some bad holiday buffet, where the male guests wore cheesy, velvet blazers and puffy turtlenecks.

I like my meat well-cooked with a bit of bark;

I prefer medium to medium-well, myself. Personally, I feel most beef done medium to medium-well has much more flavour than rare or medium rare. I like the texture better, too.

Even when preparing filet mignon, my wife knows better than to serve it to me rare or rare-ish. I'll eat it, because she made it for me, but she knows I won't enjoy it. So mine gets a few extra moments in the pan to get it to medium-rare to medium.

The whole "anything cooked beyond bleeding all over the plate is abuse and ruins the meat" is nonsense, IMO. In a thread I started, about a roast beef dish my mother always used to prepare for Christmas Day, I note the meat in that pan was definitely well done, yet it was full of flavour, juicy, and so tender you could cut it with a fork.

Exception, to my taste, is prime rib. I prefer my prime rib closer to medium rare.

quote:

Originally posted by l33571:

quote:

Take a slice of rare and throw it on the BBQ for 2 minutes?

That's usually how I do it. I've used a screaming hot griddle in the past as well for those who want to eat tasteless hockey pucks.

Agreed. Not ruining the meal for one.

Short version:

I agree with the other posters that you should make a good faith effort to cook beef to guest's desired doneness and not try to force your preferences on guests.

I also agree with the other posters who say cook the roast to desired doneness on the low end (e.g. medium-rare) and then use grill or skillet to sear slices to well done.

Long version:
I've been reverse searing steaks for years, but all of my guests have always liked medium-rare like me. I smoke on BGE at 225 until they're approx 121 internally and then sear until 131 internally in a sautee pan that has been preheated to 400F.

Most of 2019, I've been seeing a gal who likes medium-well steaks and it took a little experimenting to get it right. All of this is with Prime Grade NY Strip that are 12 to 16 oz:

first tried searing hers longer. Took way too long to go from 121 to 145.

second tried putting hers on the BGE 20 minutes early. My steak nearly caught up (I suspect hers hit the "stall" temperature which allowed mine to catch up) and hers still took way too long to go from 121 to 145.

third tried cutting hers into 3 pieces. I pulled her steak pieces and my steak when mine hit 121. Mine still seared to 131 faster than hers seared to 145. However, I was close.

all subsequent times. Cut hers into 3 pieces, place hers over the openings in the BGE's platesetter (ceramic insert for indirect grilling/smoking between fire and cooking grate), place mine dead center over the placesetter, and pulled all steak when mine hit 121. Her steak pieces seared to 145 at almost the same time mine sears to 131. Her steak is still juicy and tasty, but it's not as good as mine. In other words, with a little practice and skill you can make good but not great medium-well steaks.

If I were to cook us either a lean roast (e.g. sirloin roast) or fattier roast (e.g. prime rib) I'd still go for low-n-slow on the BGE. My skillets' coatings are oven safe to 400F and have removable silicone protectors over the handles so I'd preheat a skillet in 400F oven while the roast was on the BGE. Once the roast hits 128 to 130, I'd pull it and slice off enough for her dinner and foil tent the rest of the roast. I'd put the preheated skillet on a burner, spray skillet with my high heat avocado oil spray, and sear her slices until 145. I'd plate hers, slice a slab of the medium-rare for me, and serve dinner. We'd likely both be happy.

---

Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity

DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.

The first time I met my old friend’s girlfriend (now wife) was when I invited them over for steaks. I bought some nice filets mignon and we had a beer while I grilled them. She wanted hers well-done, then asked for ketchup for it.

I never served them beef again.

quote:

Originally posted by FHHM213:

quote:

Originally posted by gjgalligan:
Some people might ask this question a bit different.

How do you satisfy your guest that want RARE Roast Beef?

I, for one, will not eat meat that is rare. I always ask for medium well - well done. And that is how cook all my meat.

Rare roast beef? Reminds me of being forced to attend some bad holiday buffet, where the male guests wore cheesy, velvet blazers and puffy turtlenecks.

I like my meat well-cooked with a bit of bark; something to exercise the teeth & jaw. If I’m going to lite a fire, use the fire. Plus, the longer cooking time allows one to pour another drink.

I understand that some have opposite taste and prefer rare. I just don’t understand why one would waste fuel just to gloss raw meat with a touch of heat.

My philosophy exactly. I want any of my meat cooked at least medium-well (no pink). Man discovered fire so he could cook meat. I will not eat meat that oozes blood.

flashguy

Years ago, my wife and I kinda gave up on serving a beef roast to a group, which we have done multiple times in the past. Mainly prime rib, and a few filet/tenderloin roasts. I consider myself a good cook, friends love my food, and I enjoy cooking for a group, but roasts are a big hassle. More than any other food, folks are very particular about their steaks/slices of roast.

Tomorrow, we are having prime filet steaks, each grilled to the person's preference. Far easier, less stress, and everyone gets a slab to their liking.

A few years ago, a friend invited me to his home for Easter Dinner. He had prepared some very choice beef, but it was rare (oozing blood)--apparently that is the way his family likes it. As a guest, I somehow managed to get it down (without gagging), but it was not a meal I enjoyed. Of course, I never mentioned anything about it. We all had a good time conversing and the rest of the meal was very good. That same couple took me to lunch for my birthday this year, to a local restaurant we all like. Good times.

flashguy

I’m thankful that my wife and I are on the same “well-done” page; such makes my grilling job easy and enjoyable.

We rarely eat steak at a restaurant. It pisses my wife off (understandably) when the waiter asks for permission to butterfly her filet so that it better fits the chef’s convenience. Plus, we like our steaks better.

The OP asked a challenging question, regardless of one’s taste preference. As someone stated earlier, it is perhaps easier to serve a meat for which a given preparation is more universally embraced.

Boiled shrimp? Ribs? Brisket? Burgers? Pork shoulder?

quote:

Originally posted by rsbolo:
AFTER the roast has rested I will slice the ends off for those who prefer medium temperature. Anyone who likes medium well to well done gets slices which I take out to the grill and finish up by searing for a minute on each side over a very hot grill (650-750 degrees).

I figure the people I invited are my guests and the extra time really costs me nothing. One small extra step isn't a big deal to me.

This is what I would do and is what I think would be a reasonable accommodation by a gracious host.

It only takes a couple of minutes and the grill hasn't cooled enough to make it inconvenient

Fry it to shoe leather consistency and serve generously with comment well done as requested.

quote:

Originally posted by Ozarkwoods:
Fry it to shoe leather consistency and serve generously with comment well done as requested.

You obviously have been taking lessons from chefs in France. They become actually insulted if you order well-done meat, or even ask for salt and pepper at the table.

flashguy

Hank Hill says you politely but firmly ask them to leave.

quote:

Originally posted by flashguy:
I want any of my meat cooked at least medium-well (no pink).

Be aware that if you order steak, well or medium well, in an upper tier restaurant, that it is common that you'll get a poorer cut of meat. Their logic is that you won't be able to tell the difference anyway as the meat has been heated pass the optimal temperature

quote:

I will not eat meat that oozes blood.

Just as a point of reference, what you perceive as blood oozing from a properly cooked piece of meat is myoglobin which is a protein contained in the muscles
https://www.foxnews.com/food-d...ething-else-entirely

quote:

You obviously have been taking lessons from chefs in France. They become actually insulted if you order well-done meat, or even ask for salt and pepper at the table.

I assume asking for A1 would get me skewered?

We eat at the restaurant that wins the best steak in Northern Kentucky every year. I agree its darn good. But the manager always accuses me of ruining a good steak. I guess he means by making it inedible. Lucky for me I have a good waitress. I ask for her each time we go there. Then I tip really well (according to me, 33%) I leave it to my waitress to cover for me. If things were cooked to the managers specification, the interior would be like snot.

I'm pretty much convinced those demanding rare are just trying to show everyone how good their tastes are. And they're not.

So we're having dinner tonight at our house. We're serving on better china, stemware, and silverware than any place else I've been. But my wife will cook to our pleasure, not some snobs.

Back to the heading. You satisfy them by cooking it to their pleasure, not some idiots. No, they're not idiots. The ones who want you to experience their favorite, not other persons. Its a pretty fair guess that everyone in this day and age has tasted the full range of "doneness". They've formed their own preferences and don't like yours. You are wrong and they are right for them. Trying to change them is the height of snobbery.

Its why you are allowed to specify your preference instead of just cooking things the way you like it because you're cock sure you are right and they are wrong. If you are a place of business, you'll soon be out of business if you persist in imposing on paying customers your own tastes.