Tempering steak?

[RonB]

Our friend, Chef Chris Young, (Combustion), has a video out on tempering steak:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmuwqqHjgT4

Edit to add that as an FF, (frequent flipper), I think the FF technique fits in with reverse sear and SV.

[bmillin]

He lost me right out of the gate when he said a restraunt chef would pull a steak out to warm up

[Mosca]

He lost me right out of the gate when he said a restraunt chef would pull a steak out to warm up

Yep. Even in a hot kitchen, it would take several hours for that HUGE steak to temper more than a few degrees.

[Huskee]

I do that with my steaks, tri tips, & prime ribs, only with beef that goes to medium rare. I usually only let it go 2-3 hrs, and no it doesn't get to room temp but much closer than straight outta the fridge. In my personal opinion based on my experiences it helps. I've done a couple side by sides with steak, and while I really don't care about how even the pink color is unless I were photoing it for a purpose, the "tempered" one (I've never used that term until now) is always a touch more tender. In my head? Maybe, but sure seemed real. Side note- dry brining steaks 2 days in advance also seemed to make them more tender in my side by sides.

I "reverse temper" (did I just coin a new term?) briskets quite often; put them in the freezer for 30-60 mins before going on the smoker, to help chill the outer layer of meat in an effort to maximize the smoke ring. It seems to work, since we know the smoke ring is essentially caused by how far the gases make it into the meat before the heat overtakes them. But it's hard to tell beyond anecdotally since I don't typically cook 2 briskets to do a side by side.

[Bob K]

+1 for "reverse temper." Definitely better than distemper

[Smoke n Beers]

I have tempered my steaks & roast for many years. I did my own testing and found this method works very well. imo!

[glitchy]

My experience has been the opposite. The best looking and tasting steaks I’ve made are straight from the fridge to the grill, front seared over charcoal.

I’m also OCD when it comes to food safety, there’s no way I’m leaving something sit out at room temp when I’m cooking it to 125-135°. Not worth the risk.

[Oak Smoke]

+1 on the food safety, I’m still on meds trying to get over a bad case of food poisoning from Chinese take out.

[DavidNorcross]

I really have not found much of a difference. I agree with glitchy I am very careful with any meat at room temp especially when I am only taking to 125 at the most.

[DaveD]

Put me in the food-safety camp... I almost always SVQ just about every steak we have anymore though, so it's kinda moot in that case.

[RustyHaines]

I also recently moved over to the SVQ camp for steaks. Still trying to dial in the perfect IT as I like my steak rare and my wife likes medium rare. Trying to find that middle ground. This week I did NY strip steaks at 130 and they were a little to done for my liking. Will probably drop the temp down to 126 next go round.