quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
In the interest of fairness and pleasing one's guests, can someone post a recipe/method for cooking a tasty, well done filet mignon? Of all the beef cooking methods I've ever seen on SIGforum, and there's been at least 20, I've not seen one for well done steak. Anytime I've cook a steal well done, it was by mistake and not enjoyable.

My wife has a friend who likes well done steak and I'd like to accommodate her as best I can.

OK, it can be done without much difficulty. Heat a skillet on the stove top to medium-high heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil, put the filet in the hot oil and sear both sides thoroughly, then turn the heat way down to a low setting, cover the skillet and allow it to simmer for about 20 minutes or so.

Result should be quite well done without being bone dry or tough.

A sprinkle of garlic salt or Lowry's Seasoned Salt in the hot olive oil prior to dropping the steak can add a very nice flavor, if desired.

Tell them to leave. I enjoy my red meat barely cooked. Really, for your guests who enjoy chewing on shoe leather cut a portion off and leave it in the oven or grill for an additional period of time where all juices and flavor have been cooked away. They want well done? Then cook the living shit right out of it.

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
In the interest of fairness and pleasing one's guests, can someone post a recipe/method for cooking a tasty, well done filet mignon? Of all the beef cooking methods I've ever seen on SIGforum, and there's been at least 20, I've not seen one for well done steak. Anytime I've cook a steal well done, it was by mistake and not enjoyable.

My wife has a friend who likes well done steak and I'd like to accommodate her as best I can.

A recipe doesn't exist. A well done piece of meat by definition is dry and tasteless.

For all those calling the red juices that come from a properly cooked piece of beef blood, it's not. There's no blood in there. The liquid you see is called myoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen to the cells of the muscle. It's what gives meat its pink color and it turns red when exposed to heat.

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Originally posted by houndawg:
For all those calling the red juices that come from a properly cooked piece of beef blood, it's not. There's no blood in there. The liquid you see is called myoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen to the cells of the muscle. It's what gives meat its pink color and it turns red when exposed to heat.

Whatever. I want it to turn gray or brown.

I see another couple of food snobs have posted, also.

flashguy

Flashguy, that was a great picture!

This doneness debate is somewhat reminiscent of a football rivalry. Everyone has their favorite and no-one is wrong. Some people can enjoy some ribbing and jocularity while others are always ready to fight.

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Originally posted by Georgeair:

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Originally posted by ShneaSIG:
More than anything, I want my guests to enjoy themselves. If that means cooking their beef past the point where I like it, then so be it. If I care enough to invite them over I also care enough to want them to enjoy their food.

This is me.

All said I’ve ruined a slice of meat to make a sister happy.

Hopefully I know in advance so there’s no fancy beef waiting.

Merry freakin’ Christmas, y’all.

It's hard to imagine, but not everyone enjoys beef. If I know preferences in advance, I'll try to prepare something else for that guest. If I can grill a chicken breast or cook up a salmon fillet that would be more to that guest's liking, then I'm happy to do it and I'll do my best to make sure it's as tasty as I know how to make it.

quote:

Originally posted by SIGGUY (THE 1ST):
Tell them to leave. I enjoy my red meat barely cooked. Really, for your guests who enjoy chewing on shoe leather cut a portion off and leave it in the oven or grill for an additional period of time where all juices and flavor have been cooked away. They want well done? Then cook the living shit right out of it.

This is the wrong attitude.

"Ask them to leave" is just silly, and I seriously doubt anyone who says they'll do it actually does. If so they're a jerk of the highest order.

Sure, people who like their meat well done are mentally ill. Sure, people who like it bloody and "still mooing" are uncultured savages who flirt with foodborne illness.

I'd still have them over and have meat cooked to their liking. They're eating it, I'm not. Frankly I think some folks here can't see the humor in all this, others are missing the hospitality part.

If I give you a glass of single malt scotch, will I eject you from my home if you don't drink it like I do? No. Same goes for food and really everything else.

If you only hang out with people who eat, drink, and think like you do, that is an echo chamber and slow death.

quote:

Originally posted by rsbolo:
Flashguy, that was a great picture!

This doneness debate is somewhat reminiscent of a football rivalry. Everyone has their favorite and no-one is wrong. Some people can enjoy some ribbing and jocularity while others are always ready to fight.

Indeed. But as a byproduct, we are seeing that many men are forced into preparing meat for guests. In turn, such oppression has triggered animosity towards the innocent, unsuspecting guests. Akin to an abused boy picking on his little sis.

Shit rolls down hill apparently. Perhaps the better solution is to bravely push that crap back up the hill from whence it came. Someone earlier suggested Golden Corral. I think that was wise.

I hope tongue in cheek was evident. I also hope that Arc’s analogy to scotch doesn’t trigger a new debate!

IMHO...Best solution was mentioned previously. Prepare two separate roasts...one medium rare; the other medium-well to well done, i.e. no juice/blood. Looking back when we were kids, mother would prepare a beef roast pretty much medium-well+. Not sure if that's the only way she knew how to prepare it or if that was to my dad's request.

OTOH...we were raised to appreciate what was on the table and not complain about food, ESPECIALLY if you were a guest in someone's house; if you did, you went to bed hungry or got a backhand...or both. Having said that, I believe it RUDE to make a "special request" (food allergies excluded) to how something is prepared when you're INVITED to someone's house. You try it politely and if it doesn't suit your taste, shut your pie hole about it and eat something else.

Further, I've stopped inviting some friends to my house for "formal" meals because it became an exercise in being a short-order chef trying to keep up with one's gluten issues, another's keto requests, someone else's miscellaneous food allergies, etc. Life is too short to drive myself loco in the kitchen. I'd just assume treat everyone to a meal at a restaurant where they can order what the hell they want, HOW they want. Again...JMHO.

And while I'm on a rant...someone PLEASE tell me when/why all this gluten, nut allergy, etc. became so PREVALENT in our society???? When we were kids growing up in the 60's, you NEVER heard anything about these "issues". Oh...you MAY have heard about some kid who went into anaphylactic shock from peanuts, but that was RARE...EXTREMELY rare! Now it seems to be a WIDESPREAD epidemic. WTAF, over??
[/rant]

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
In the interest of fairness and pleasing one's guests, can someone post a recipe/method for cooking a tasty, well done filet mignon? Of all the beef cooking methods I've ever seen on SIGforum, and there's been at least 20, I've not seen one for well done steak. Anytime I've cook a steal well done, it was by mistake and not enjoyable.

My wife has a friend who likes well done steak and I'd like to accommodate her as best I can.

Filet is the worst cut of meat to cook well done because it is the leanest cut there is so it turns the most dry and tasteless.

Well done meat doesn't have to be dry and tasteless - just look at barbecue brisket or braised short rib.

If you cook meat to well done quickly, it will be tough. You need to cook it a long time so the connective tissue breaks down. If you want to cook it a long time, you need a really fatty piece of meat (like brisket or short rib), or to keep it in a moist, flavorful environment while it cooks (like pot roast or any kind of braising or stew), or both.

I'm one of the "walk my steak past the fire on its way to the table" people, but I also enjoy all the well-done stuff I mentioned in the previous paragraph.

If you want moist, juicy, well done meat give Sous Vide a try.

Pan sear before putting in bag (vacuum seal is best, but can be done with a ziplock) with seasoning and cook in a temp controlled water bath.

Medium Well is 150 degrees, Well is 160. The Sous Vide heater/circulator controls the temperature precisely, it takes longer (for a steak figure about 1-1.5 hours in the bath) but since it is cooked in a sealed bag it simply can’t dry out. The longer cooking times should make it less “chewy” as well.

quote:

Originally posted by 911Boss:
If you want moist, juicy, well done meat give Sous Vide a try.

Pan sear before putting in bag (vacuum seal is best, but can be done with a ziplock) with seasoning and cook in a temp controlled water bath.

Medium Well is 150 degrees, Well is 160. The Sous Vide heater/circulator controls the temperature precisely, it takes longer (for a steak figure about 1-1.5 hours in the bath) but since it is cooked in a sealed bag it simply can’t dry out. The longer cooking times should make it less “chewy” as well.

It absolutely can still dry out, the juice just ends up in the bag instead of evaporating away.

https://www.seriouseats.com/20...sous-vide-steak.html

Check out the picture of how much juice was left in the bag cooking one steak each at three different temperatures (corresponding to very rare, medium, and well done).




Also, it's usually recommended to sear after sous viding rather than before because sitting in the liquid that comes out of the meat will soften the crust.

quote:

Also, it's usually recommended to sear after sous viding rather than before because sitting in the liquid that comes out of the meat will soften the crust.

That has always been my understanding also.

If you aren't interested in a crisp crust/bark, you don't need to sear it at all

quote:

Originally posted by arcwelder:
"Ask them to leave" is just silly, and I seriously doubt anyone who says they'll do it actually does...

...Frankly I think some folks here can't see the humor in all this

The fact that I posted it as part of a cartoon should be a clue.

quote:

And while I'm on a rant...someone PLEASE tell me when/why all this gluten, nut allergy, etc. became so PREVALENT in our society???? When we were kids growing up in the 60's, you NEVER heard anything about these "issues". Oh...you MAY have heard about some kid who went into anaphylactic shock from peanuts, but that was RARE...EXTREMELY rare! Now it seems to be a WIDESPREAD epidemic. WTAF, over??

One of the theories is that for years doctors recommended that very young children not be fed peanuts. Since the kids weren't used to eating them, they developed an allergy to them. The same probably goes for gluten, though there are plenty of glutards who think a gluten free diet is somehow better. Then, after years of not consuming gluten, the digestive system can no longer process it.

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Originally posted by FHHM213:
I hope tongue in cheek was evident. I also hope that Arc’s analogy to scotch doesn’t trigger a new debate!

Neat, or off with your head!

quote:

Originally posted by LoboGunLeather:

OK, it can be done without much difficulty. Heat a skillet on the stove top to medium-high heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil, put the filet in the hot oil and sear both sides thoroughly, then turn the heat way down to a low setting, cover the skillet and allow it to simmer for about 20 minutes or so.

Result should be quite well done without being bone dry or tough.

A sprinkle of garlic salt or Lowry's Seasoned Salt in the hot olive oil prior to dropping the steak can add a very nice flavor, if desired.

Thank you, I'll give it a try.

quote:

Originally posted by maladat:

It absolutely can still dry out, the juice just ends up in the bag instead of evaporating away.

Check out the picture of how much juice was left in the bag cooking one steak each at three different temperatures (corresponding to very rare, medium, and well done).

I was speaking in a relative sense. Admittedly I have not Sous Vide a steak to medium-well or well, but if you put three similar streaks side by side, one pan cooked, one grilled, and one Sous Vide all cooked to 155 degrees, my bet is the Sous Vide will be the least “dry” of the bunch

quote:

Also, it's usually recommended to sear after sous viding rather than before because sitting in the liquid that comes out of the meat will soften the crust.

I sear after Sous vide, but my thought was for cooking to that temp searing first might help keep some of the juice in