How do you like your steak prepared?

[DungeonMaster]

Rare. Anything else is travesty to a good steak.

 

[the Lorax]

It is a poor cook indeed that cannot cook a piece of meat so that it is both juicy AND fully cooked.

Careful there. Many cooks take it as an insult to the meat and themselves if you ask them for something beyond medium. It's also a matter of time spent because a well done steak naturally takes longer on the grill and hence throws off the queue. As a result the kitchen staff's timing is thrown off.

Precisely. The chef's are getting mad for two reasons.
1. Chef school has taught them to frown upon "well done" - for no other reason than "its bad".
2. It throws of the grilling timing/is more difficult to do correctly.

So basically because they are lazy and because of chef school dogma.

Well Done = Done Well for me.

 

[Herremann the Wise]

The best steak I've ever had:
Prime Angus.
Sirloin.
150 day grain fed producing magnificent marbling.
Medium.
It cost the equivalent of about USD40. I'm making myself hungry just thinking about it.

Apparently in restaurants, if you order a steak beyond medium, you are guaranteed to get the worst cut they have. By the time it has been shrunk to nothing (well done), you would not be able to tell the difference between a good or a bad steak.

In Australia, we also use the term "blue". No warnings though.

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

 

[jaerdaph]

Medium rare for me.

 

[ssampier]

I like my steak with a thin line of pink in the center, then it's still tender and juicy. Well done in a restaurant generally means "shoe leather".

To cook, for cheaper cuts, I'll marinate in garlic and olive oil. For more expensive cuts (ie better cuts that are on sale that week), I'll just use kosher salt and small amount of olive oil. For cooking, I like the outside nicely seared over high heat, then finished over low heat.

I love the Alton Brown method, but I generally only cook for myself, so I rarely want to go through all that effort. The grill is slightly easier to use, but only works for four months out of the year

Mmm, this thread makes me want to round-up some cow-meat and grill. Unfortunately, at the moment, I'm at work.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

better cuts that are on sale that week), I'll just use kosher salt and small amount of olive oil. For cooking, I like the outside nicely seared over high heat, then finished over low heat.

That is how my dad does it, it comes out pretty decent.

 

[thalmin]

I order medium, but have a wide range of acceptable. I want the meat at least warmed, but don't turn it into charcoal.

Sheesh. What is it with this forum? Ribs. Steaks. BBQ sauces.

Enough reading. Time to fire up the Weber.