The Perfect Steak

Who hasn't said or heard this lie, "I don't get steaks in restaurants because I can cook them just as good at home."

And for a large part this is true. The key to any good steak is simplicity- salt, pepper, and heat. Little more is needed. You shouldn't need a battalion of cooks, enormous ranges, or insurance to cook a good steak. But nNo matter how often you throw steaks on the grill or frying pan, small differences in the cut, quality of the meat, and temperature of the fire can cause your steaks to be slightly under or over cooked.

I've searched the world over (ok really just a few backyards) to figure out how to cook steaks perfectly at home. And I finally found it. The key is to treat steaks like barbecue-low and slow. The French have a word for this, it is sous vide. Sorry took Spanish, you have to translate yourself.

Take a deep breath, slow down there Master of the grill, keeper of the flame. Sure I am an idiot, but this is not the conclusive proof you were looking for. Let me set the scene. Last week was my dad's birthday and all he wanted to do was grill some steaks, drink wine, and sit in the backyard. With age, comes wisdom. I had been wanting to grill a thick porterhouse in the style of a bistecca alla fiorentina for some time, so what the heck.

Called Henry at Rare Cuts last week and asked for a porterhouse at least two inches thick. When I show up on Sunday he has a nearly three inch, 56 ounce chunk of man food waiting. "Hey you want to borrow the immersion circulator," Henry asks.

"Hell yes," I say.

Basically here is how it works. You vacuum seal meat, vegetables, eggs, etc... and place it into a waterbath which holds a constant temperature. After a while whatever is in the bag is the same temperature as the water, but it can never go over. Since this steak was so thick, cooking it on a grill would have resulted in a burned exterior with a cool interior. No bueno. Steak got some salt and pepper before getting shrinkwrapped, I got a machine to borrow for the night, and I was out the door.

Plugged in the machine, filled it with water, set the temperature to 130 degrees, placed the steak in the water and went outside to start the grill and drink some wine. After an hour at 130, removed the steak, set it on top of some blazing hot coals, and charred the outside. Pulled meat off the flame and let it rest. When I sliced through the exterior crust it crackled like a log tumbling through a fireplace grate. Inside was the rosiest cut of meat I've ever cooked with just a thin line of well done meat just below the surface.

Because the salt and pepper had stewed with the meat for an extended period of time, the meat had an incredible depth of flavor. A little salad of arugula and Parmesan dressed with lemon juice and extra virgin olive completed the ensemble.



Pretty certain I am going to be ordering one of these machines right quick. A perfect home cooked steak is the best reason I can find for not going out to dinner.