Made/ate a horrible piece of meat tonight. Took one bite, spit it out. Gave it one more bite and then ended up throwing out the steak.

The steak was cooked properly. When purchased, (fresh just hours prior to cooking) the meat seemed to have the right thickness and marbling. In the end, it came out like a piece of rubber.

So my question is this - any tips on how to guarantee you get a good cut of meat? Is there some way that works or am I stuck with this hit and miss approach?

 

Most supermarkets typically sell only "choice" cuts of steak. That is actually the lowest grade on the scale where "prime" is the highest, followed by grade A, and choice at the end. Try an upscale butcher shop that offers prime or Grade A. Thicker cuts ~ 1.5" usually work best.

fwiw, cast iron, although relatively inexpensive, often works best to cook on too.

 

Some more detail on the cut and cooking method would help. You say cooked properly, but the wrong method can kill a cut of meat. Think about grilling a brisket on high heat, it would be like shoe leather.

So the issue may be the meat, or it may be any of a number of other factors chemical, temperature, moisture and method of cooking.(ex. did you salt it hours before, if so , it will toughen the steak)

 

It was marinated (which should help even a bad piece of meat) and cooked medium on a very hot grill. I think the method was fine, as its worked for me in the past. I just got a dud piece of meat and I'm wondering if there are any special tips for ensuring that you are starting with a good piece of meat.

 

Getting it from the right source always helps. I try to stay away from supermarket meats.

 

i usually tenderize the meat witha fork and it is generally more tender

 

It is actually

1) Prime
2) Choice
3) Select

There is no Grade A on beef and choice is the 2nd best. This is the reason supermarkets sell Choice. Most, like 90% of Prime is sold to top end steakhouses like RC's, Morton's, etc.

 

jwhite, that's how it is in the states, but up here our grades are different, and our AAA, is better than USDA Prime by a long shot IMO.

 

if you're putting holes in your meat with that fork, you're drying it out, and making it tougher than it needs to be.

you should never have to tenderize a steak, unless you're buying blade or shoulder steaks,,,

 

what was the cut? How long did you marinate?

There are many factors at play here. For instance, if you bought flank steak and sliced it with the grain, it will horrible.

All beef, no matter the cut and with almost any quality, can come out tender and good. Just depends on how you cook it.

 

I forgot about our Northern Friends. Although the original poster is from TX and should know his beef.

 

actually JWhite, the OP is from Toronto

 

I made the same suggestions regarding cut, cooking method, etc. And we certainly know our meat in TX.

 

I had the same problem a couple times. I usually get my meats at the super market. I don't have time to get it at a butcher.

What I have learned is that I need to stay away from the ones that are already marinated.

I usually get a piece that is on the thicker side. Marinate it with olive oil and whatever spices that you like. Sometimes I just do salt and pepper. Leave it in the refrigerator for about an hour or so. Then I broil it in the oven. If it's really thick, I will cover it with some foil for a couple minutes so that the inside cook without burning the outside.

To me, it comes out better than most resturants.

 

Get prime beef...order it from the internet if it's not available locally. Find out what cut you like best...then get it cut THICK! The quickest way to ruin a steak is getting a cheap, thin, steak. It will get tough before you even think it's done....don't be cheap....get good meat.

 

whats this got to do with your kitchen

 

What's this got to do with 2008?

 

Oh snap!

 

I read the OP and thought it sounded familiar... damn zombie threads.

 

Did fdl burn down his kitchen with him in it? Where the hell has he been?

 

A disturbing mystery. Hope everything's alright.

 

Ate a really bad piece of beef?

 

What actual cut of the meat was it. If you got a strip, its inherently going to have a lot fo marbling. One of the reasons I don't eat strip.

 

Filet FTW!!!! I suck at cooking steaks. I always overcook them.

 

After a year and a half, I think he may have forgotten.

I actually like the marbling because of the flavor. It has a lot to do with how it's cooked.

Berner....get a timer. Measure the thickness of the next steak you get and see how long it takes to cook to desired level. If you over shoot it, then keep adjusting the time. You will eventually get it.

 

If you press the steak with your finger and it feels like a rock then obviously it's overcooked.