Best products from r/steak

Popovers taste amazing and are simple to make. The only hiccup is that you need a special popover pan.


Recipe:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees;
In bowl, combine wet ingredients: 1.25 cups milk, 3 room temperature eggs, 1/2 tbs melted butter.
In separate bowl (I use large measuring bowl because it has a spout for easy pouring at end) combine dry ingredients: 1.5 cups flour, 1/2 tsp salt.


whisk egg mixture into flour mixture until just blended. Make sure there are no huge clumps of flour but don't stir too much.


Spray popover pan cups with Pam (or rub with butter) and ladle mixture in. Cook at 450 for exactly 20 minutes and then turn oven down to 350 and cook an additional 20 minutes. DO NOT OPEN OVEN ONCE POPOVERS GO IN otherwise they will deflate and be too dense. Just trust the timing to do its thing.


Serve immediately with whatever you want: butter, olive oil, honey, roasted garlic are some spreads that come to mind.


ADJUSTMENTS: You don't want to add too much else to the mix or they won't rise appropriately but I've had good luck adding a little Parmesan, dried thyme, dried rosemary, garlic powder or sprinkle a few sesame seeds on top once ladled in. I'd make the regular recipe a few times before you start experimenting.


I also double the recipe because you can fit 2 popover pans in a standard oven. They go quickly! And I've had great luck pre-heating the popover pan first but it works room temperature too. And try to time it right with the rest of your meal for serving immediately.


Good luck!

Oh, here's the pan on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Chicago-Metallic-Professional-16-Inch-9-25-Inch/dp/B003YL3DWO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501077480&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=popover+pan&psc=1

Ohhhh let me tell you bout them fries - the secret is 2 words:

Air fryer.

I got it because my wife was having trouble adjusting to an electric range after we moved, and this acts more like gas, but if for nothing else, these things should be mandatory just for making frozen fries taste like heaven. Spray em with a little olive oil or vegetable oil spray, lightly dust with Spike or season salt, cook halfway, flip, spray and dust...

The fries that you cook in an air fryer come out tasting like McDonald’s fries used to taste, when they were good. Highest endorsement I can give.

this is the one I got for like $70 on amazon and I am pretty comfortable saying it’s the best purchase I made in 2019 (provided it holds up, only had for a few months)

Game changer, especially for fries.

Sure!



Cooling Unit:
[Danby DBC120BLS Beverage Center] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002MPLYEW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
There is only the temperature control on this model.


Circulation:
[Westpointe Electrical Co Wp 4" Hi Velocity Fan 1002 Personal Fan] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WEIJ7K/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)


Temperature Gauge:
[Extech 445703 Big Digit Hygro-Thermometer with Min/Max] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00069ECFY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)


8x4x1 Salt blocks x10:
I got them from this user on ebay as they seem to have the cheapest


Total Cost: ~$350-$400
I don't remember how much I paid for tax and all that



I went with this cooling even though its a little smaller than I would have liked just because of the glass door. Love the fact that I can check out my meats without having to open the door and create an inconsistent environment. A thing to note though, is out of the box, the base temperature of the bev center is around 40-44 degrees F. I read that the ideal temperature is between 34-40, so I had to tweak the internal thermostat a bit. This was a huge help. It took me a few days to calibrate it to the temp range I wanted, but for how it seems to be holding steady around 38 degrees which is fine by me.

The humidity doesn't seem like something I can control too well. I live in SF and the humidity of my room stays about 70-80%, but the bev center with nothing in it stayed around 30-40%. That's a little too low for my liking, and even adding a bowl of water didn't seem to help. With the meat inside, it stabilized around 60%, which I'm a little more happy with. I would prefer it hit around 65%, but that doesn't seem like it's going to happen.

The depth of the bev center is a bit too shallow to get a whole roast in, so I ended up having to cut it in half.

I lined the walls with salt blocks, but the grates are only around 7/8". I ended up having to expand the space of the edges with a crowbar so the salt blocks could fit.

I added the fan on the bottom to add circulation. The cord is small enough where I didn't have to mod the bev center door so that it could fit through.

All in all, I like how the rig turned out. I probably should have taken some intermediate pictures, but oh well.

Let me know if there's anything else you would like some clarification on.

Edit: formatting

.. in 2013, a few months after the divorce, about this time of year I bought myself a present that I am still very happy with. Everyone who see's them/uses them comments positively. I went back to my amazon cart and got exact links to the products to make sure I was describing exactly what I got.

I left most of my good kitchen knives behind when we separated, and needed to replace them. as a single guy, I have no use for "pretty" kitchen gadgets and what-nots. I also did not have thousands to spend on the things I needed, but I was adamant I wanted good stuff. Stylish is fine, but functionality trumps all.

on my list was two of these, (knife blocks)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004X6M97O/

8 of these (mora knives.. cheap but awesome)

www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004ZAIXSC

and 8 of these - (kershaw knives - slightly more pricy, but damn good)

www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009VC9YA

..
Of course, it could easily be halved by only picking one style of knife.. read the product reviews on your own. both of those are fine blades, regardless of pricing/marketing.

Best self gift to myself in years. Use them every day and love them.
oh yeah -- not affiliated with any of the above companies..

To expand on this a bit...

Definitely check out Craigslist and/or call Goodwill/SA/thrift shops in your area. Many times they have cast iron stock for next to nothing. Cast iron is cast iron... Unless it's cracked, it's fine. Nothing some oven cleaner and lard/shortening won't turn back to brand new.

I've got quite a few sizes, but I find that I use my behemoth Lodge:

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L14SK3-Pre-Seasoned-Cast-Iron-Skillet/dp/B00063RWUM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395461461&sr=8-1&keywords=lodge+skillet+16

More than anything. Great size for two ribeyes, big enough to brown 8# pork butt before going into the slow cooker, and you can cook an entire breakfast (bacon, eggs and hash) in one pan. It also keeps stovetop spatter to a minimum when doing burgers due to it's size.

It also doubles as a formidable weapon. :)

For cooking steaks... My way is a bit different than /u/AliasHandler, and more like Alton Brown's. Kosher salt steaks 45m-1h before and keep on wire rack. Toss pan in 500 degree oven. Oil steaks with canola oil. Pull pan, set on hot burner. Toss in steaks, sear for 1.5 minutes or so. Flip, add a pat of butter on top, shove back in oven. Cook another 2-5 minutes depending on thickness and doneness desired. Rest 7-10 minutes.

You want that pan HOT. In the summer I'll put the cast in the grill, as I can get it up to 600+ degrees, and get even better sear/caramelization on the outside. After doing it in cast iron, you'll never want a gas-grill-grate cooked steak again. :)

Edit - And please understand that rare doesn't equal raw. Don't be afraid of the pink. ;)

It may be a bit small. I'm a big fan of Le Creuset, but they are pricey. For searing, I'm a big fan of carbon steel pans as well - and they are reasonable priced.

DeBuyer 5616.28 Steakpfanne, Edelstahl, silber, 27,9 x 20,1 x 10,9 cm https://www.amazon.de/dp/B00VNQ7PVC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_lHeRzb2JJY2F0 (France)

Schmiedeeisen-Pfanne, Ø 28 cm H 2,5 cm - (65228+Polybeutel) https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0028OLJ7O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_kJeRzb6WW13RG (Germany)

I have the first one, it's great. I've heard the pans from turk are great as well.

Viel Spaß mit den Steaks :-)

Edit: you might like to have a look at r/carbonsteel or r/castiron for seasoning tips.

How are you cooking? I'm mostly familiar with sous vide, but it has some similarities with reverse searing. I use a powerful butane torch to finish my steaks and burgers. My dad, when he has some extra hands around, does a combo with a super hot butter filled cast iron. One person torches the top and the other bastes with the butter, but I think this is more complicated than needed. I'm very happy with just a torch. I use https://www.amazon.com/Blazer-GT8000-Shot-Butane-Torch/dp/B000NCZU0A

I use the torch for dabbing too, it's very well made.

Flipping multiple times will help that issue with burnt edges but no crust in certain spots - as will adding more oil. I use avocado oil. The oil helps to transfer heat; if part of your steak has no crust it's probably because it was not exposed to the same heat as other areas, ie it wasn't touching oil.

Unfortunately it's tough to make 4 steaks at once with one cast iron. If you have access to a grill; I'd suggest a reverse sear finishing on the grill OR I like to use a cast iron pizza pan for multiple steaks.

As for the temperature take several readings from different areas and defer to the lowest. If the issue persists, get a new thermometer.

If you need to get 4 steaks ready, you can always reverse sear in the oven (lowest possible setting for 1-2 hrs depending on thickness), bring them to like 115-120, take them out, sear them quick (one by one), and back in the oven all together to warm them slightly (monitoring temp). Could even broil them for a couple mins right before serving. Regardless, if you're searing them separately, the steaks will be slightly different - but you can minimize that by a super hot, super quick sear while relying on slow heat to cook the inside.

Solid job! Definitely better than my first steak-cooking experience. A few recommendations, echoing the other ones here:

1. Try and cook at a higher heat. You started to develop a nice crust, but getting the cast iron scorching hot will give it a complete, brown, and crispy exterior. While you're prepping, stick your pan in the oven at 400 degrees to get it hot and then throw it on a high burner just before cooking.
   
   
2. If you're pan searing, adding a few knobs of butter + garlic + thyme about halfway through cooking will add a lot of flavor. If you choose just one of those though, make it the butter. Basting it [Gordon Ramsay style] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEx9gPhtjzs) will really complete what you've got.
   
   Again, nice work - happy cooking!
   
   EDIT: Took a second look and I noticed it was a nonstick. I can't recommend highly enough investing the $30 in a [Lodge cast iron skillet] (http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L10SK3-Pre-Seasoned-Skillet-12-Inch/dp/B00006JSUB). It'll last you a lifetime and cook considerably better than anything else!

Nice. You are going to love it. If you are only ever doing 1 or 2 steaks a bigger pot should work out fine for your sous vide. I needed to cook up to 6 steaks at once and opted for a [cambro-like container] (http://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-Commercial-FG631200CLR-Space-Saving-Container/dp/B000R8JOUC?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00) and [lid] (http://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-Commercial-FG652300WHT-Lid-SSC/dp/B000VAUFD6?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00)

That helps whenever I want/need to use my Anova. Some people use a cooler and I understand that line of thinking, especially if you are using it for long periods of time as it is more energy efficient. I just could not find a cooler that I would have been able to attach the Anova to so I went the route that I did.

I was looking for steak knives last year and wanted something super sharp and a fine edge, not serrated. I wanted something to cleanly cut through the meat, not tear it, which is what serrated does.

I ordered these and I've been very happy. They're super sharp. I did resharpen them last month with a simple knife sharpener than you pull the knife through and they were just as sharp after that as the day I bought them. I wouldn't hesitate to order another set.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017P0GXWG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've ordered this thermometer to get started with (hope it's a good one).

I'm going to try rapeseed oil (just found it's called canola oil in other areas) unless advised otherwise but am on the lookout for rice bran or avocado oil for the high smoke point.

I melted the butter this time and brushed it on the steak while cooking but also brushed it on the skillet to cook the steak on. I'll exchange the stuff on the skillet for the oil but continue to brush the melted butter on while cooking.

When I cover it for the 15 minutes should I just leave it on the side or pop it into the warmed oven (when I stick the plates to make sure they're not cold when I put the steak on them, the oven is off but still warm from cooking the steak).

Thank you for the pointers... I want the weekend to hurry up so I can try my couple of steaks.

dont forget to get this https://www.amazon.com/EurKitchen-Culinary-Butane-Torch-Cooking/dp/B0176TZO9E/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?keywords=torch&qid=1557257617&s=gateway&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1 super fun searing the steak haha

if money is an issue, here's my recommendation: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005P0OJ4S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

super cheap, definitely sharp enough out of the box for your purposes cutting steak.

However, you can buy cheaper cuts of steak and do this at home with a jaccard. It's not going to be as tasty as a better cut of meat, but it works in a pinch. It's also great for making chicken fried steaks.

This Searzall blowtorch attachment might interest some of you. I use it sometimes to even out / thicken the crust. It's also useful on pizza.

i bought these knives and have been extremely happy with them. they cut through steak like lasers.

For others who are curious: http://www.amazon.com/Searzall-Torch-Attachment-Small-Stainless/dp/B00L2P0KNO

You need a searzall attachment which eliminates the gas taste.
https://www.amazon.com/Searzall-Torch-Attachment-Small-Stainless/dp/B00L2P0KNO

Yep, with this container

and this divider