What’s best cooking method for fillet steaks?

[jjdbike]

My wife is going in for surgery this week so she wants a good meal while she can enjoy it. She likes fillet done medium throughout. I know, what a waste. For me, I’d prefer to lay a little smoke on it, then quick blast a char, red-pink inside

Im wondering if there’s a method that could make both of us happy. I’m willing to sacrifice the smoke. I want to keep it juicy and flavorful. Wondering about cast iron, finishing with butter, garlic, rosemary and pepper corns. Not sure of a plan for that. Probably start hers earlier.

Any suggestions?
Respecfully,
JD

[texastweeter]

Reverse sear them. Roast hers to a higher IT before searin.

[Johnny Booth]

+2

[Panhead John]

A very hearty +3! And use hickory chunks with your coals.

[fzxdoc]

+4

[RonB]

I front sear over screaming hot charcoal, and then cook indirect until they reach 138°. By the time they rest a bit while plating, they will be med throughout with very little gray.

Last cook:



Forgot to mention that I flip every 30 sec until the outside looks good.

[RlsRls]

Im doing a thick NY strip tonite. Deciding whether to front OR reverse sear! When you front seared, did you use a skillet or directly over the coals on the grate? I like the basting option that reverse sear allows. Not sure it would have the same affect if basted first though. It'll be a gane time decision!

[fzxdoc]

Wow that's beautiful, RonB .

K.

[wrgilb]

Here's a recipe from Chef Jean Pierre for NY steak Au Poivre, sub your filets instead.

For the Steaks:

• 1 tablespoon Clarified Butter (or cooking oil like Avocado or Vegetable Oil)
• 2 teaspoons Cracked Black Peppercorn
• 2-8 to 10 ounces NY Strip (or your favorite steak)
• 2 tablespoons Cognac (optional)
• ½ cup Rich Veal or Beef Stock
• ¼ cup Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1 tablespoon Green Peppercorn without the brine soaked in Cognac (optional)
• 2 tablespoons at least Sweet Butter
• Prepare the Steaks:
• If you have the time, salt your steaks on both sides and set in the fridge on a rack not covered and leave them for at least 4 hours up to 48 hours.
• Preheat Oven to 500ºF
• The next day or when ready to cook, cover the steak generously with cracked black pepper.
• In a stainless steel or cast iron sauté pan, heat clarified butter. When hot (400ºF) add the steak, and cook on the stove top until golden brown on one side at Least 3 to 4 minutes. DO NOT TOUCH THEM. Flip them on other side and for a couple minutes and transfer to the oven and cook for a few more minutes depending on how thick and how your like your meat cook.
• Remove them from oven and let them rest on a plate for a few minutes while you make the sauce.
• In the same pan, carefully deglaze the pan with the cognac, stock, cream and the peppercorns (if you have them) bring to boil and let it reduce for a few minutes until it has reached the right consistency. Turn off the heat and add as much butter as you wish!
• Spoon sauce over steaks and serve immediately.

[fzxdoc]

I got hungry just reading this.

K.

[jjdbike]

Thanks all!

I toweled steaks dry, rubbed w/ olive, S&P, then the careless rookie mistake. I seared with meat church Garlic & Herb. I assumed it was just that. Turns out the first ingredient is salt. Just like that, it’s over salted. To make matters worse. I melted some butter for basting and added more Garlic & Herb. Brought meat upto room temp.

I set up my Weber kettle with the Santa Maria attachment. Made a big hot charcoal fire on one side. When coals were whit hot I placed some
hickory chunks and a couple mini splits of cherry on the coals to get them fully engulfed.

I lowered the grate all the way down. Places the steaks over the hot side and quickly got a nice char crust. Then I eased the grill great petty high. Moved the smoking wood to the opposite cold side. Moved the steaks over to that side. Basted with butter and covered w/ a roasting pan. Flipped and based a couple time till upto 145 for my wife’s and 130 for mine. Placed the pas with the melted seasoned butter to rest.

Sliced and served w/ mashed potatoes and Cesar salad. They were beautiful, tender, juicy, smoky and just a tad too salty.

Live and learn.
Thanks again!
JD

[Steve B]

fzxdoc Of course their dishes always turn out great. It’s TV. 😂 And you’re not tasting it. 😁

[bbqLuv]

I agree, we all live and learn.

[Richard Chrz]

fzxdoc My take on the chefs using it on TV, they are most likely using Diamond Crystal FIne Kosher. it contains far less sodium than many other salts, 53% less than table.

Samon Nosrat's book - Salt Fat Acid Heat goes over her take on this, and it makes a ton of sense.

[jjdbike]

Hello Kathryn,

Thank you. I couldn't agree more. I find that this is frequently done by BBQ chefs who are selling a rub.

I chuckle when I remember a video by Myron Mixon. He was very carefully shaking some of his brand rub on a cut and said I don't want to waste it. The he said, but if you're buying this and using it at home I want you to use it like this, as he wildly and haphazardly shook it all over the table. I often see folks selling rub make videos where they apply their rub twice, or use one, and then add one to two other other rubs, obviously over salting.

Don't get me wrong, I like salt, but enough is enough, and too much can ruin an otherwise great cut.

JD

[fzxdoc]

Like you, I really like salt. Salty snacks instead of sweet snacks, salt on my tomatoes, watermelon, cantaloupe, and sometimes in my beer.

But it kills me when I over salt a dish or a piece of meat.

Kathryn

[RiverJeff]

Plus 1 to your style!