Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Microwaved Ribeye Steaks Ala Joe

My buddy Joe, came over the other day and the conversation eventually got around to cooking meat.  I was espousing the virtues of the reverse sear method for cooking prime rib, a sandwich of which we’d had for lunch, and I told him it also worked for steak.

We talked on and he said he cheats a little on his steaks, he uses the microwave for the initial cooking that I do on the grill - which he discovered one night when he was in a hurry. This sounded very intriguing and we invited he and Carol over for dinner and a steak taste test.  To insure only the cooking method would be tested, Bev seasoned all 4 steaks the same and we each picked our two at random.

Since we were to have the grill running, had shrimp in the freezer, and a company quality way to fix them, we decided to make it surf and turf, sided with grilled onions, peppers, zucchini, and sweet potatoes - steamed them to nearly done first. And Bev made up some garlic bread and a Caesar salad.  I used the remaining garlic-parsley-parmesan butter from the bread on the veggies.

So I fired up the grill with a chimney full of regular Kingsford, which I rarely use, and I ended up with a really hot fire.  I've cooked on a gasser for so long, I have to relearn using a charcoal grill - rather than being at Kingsford University with Chris, I need to be at their grade school. 

While the veggies cooked over direct heat, I cooked my two steaks over indirect to an internal temp of 120* - a little higher than I wanted.  They were then moved over the direct heat to establish a crust then taken up to rest while I cooked the shrimp.

In the meantime, Joe nuked his two steaks, at less than full power, for about 3 minutes then put them on the grill over direct heat to get a crust.  Both of our steaks ended up at the doneness we were looking for and here's a not very good shot of my plate.  Since I got it a little too done over indirect, I couldn't get as good a crust as I wanted without over cooking.

Joe and I swapped a bite of steak and neither of us could tell any difference in the two - I was sure there would be a texture difference and serious food tasters might have found a difference, but we didn't.  I know it's blasphemy to even think of putting a good steak in a microwave and I don't plan or it being a regular occurance, but I may have to try this again for myself just to be sure.

And while the meal was very good, Bev had whipped up a chocolate truffle cake that afternoon that I thought was outstanding - it has no flour, just chocolate, butter, and eggs.  She added a little Chambord (raspberry liqueur) to the recipe, then served with whipped cream and fresh raspberries.  Here's another not so good photo.

I either need to learn how to take pictures or get me a really good photo editor.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by.

Larry

13 comments:

  1. I need to be at charcoal grade school too. Gas is so easy though!!
    So, seriously, I thought there would be a texture difference too. Interesting!!
    Bev's cake looks amazing!!!

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  2. I am going to learn to cook a steak on the grill this summer. I keep reading these posts and have decided that it is a skill I should acquire. Your photos are improving ... all I can tell you is that it's all about the lighting. ;-)

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  3. I would never have thought of cooking steak in the microwave....it seems impossible, but I trust your judgement Larry.
    Bev's cake looks delicious and the rest of the meal sounds wonderful.I've got to start grilling again because your posts are really stirring my taste buds. :)

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  4. The microwave - wow, I never would have thought to use it for steaks. What I would go for right now with my first cup of coffee is a big slice of that gorgeous cake. How's that for starting the day off right!!!

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  5. Larry, Nice looking steaks! I'll never be able to bring myself to nuking a good piece of beef in a microwave. We season the steaks and let them sit for at least a couple of hours. Then, all I do is crank the gas grill up to between 400 & 500 degrees and, depending on how thick the steaks are, I grill them for between 3 and 4 minutes per side. I'll post a photo the next time I grill. Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

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  6. My husband used to do that with pork steaks.

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  7. I need to learn how to take pictures AND get a really good photo editor. Your cake looks drool worthy anyway.

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  8. Oh wow you have GOT to share the recipe for that cake, it looks amazing!

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  9. It sounds like a fabulous meal, Larry. I'm curious to try the microwave method. It really is intriguing. I'll wager Bev's cake was delicious. Flourless chocolate cake is a favorite of mine. Hers looks PDG to me :-). Have a great evening. Blessings...Mary

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  10. Very interesting take on steak grilling. I've never heard of starting a steak in the MW. We use gas and sear the steaks on direct first, then move to indirect. And we age our own steaks for outstanding flavor.

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  11. Everything you've shown looks delicious. And although I like steak, that cake has me drooling.
    Thank you for the birthday wishes.

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  12. Well if you need to be in Kingsford Grade School, I need to be in their kindergarten. I'm really surprised about his microwave-steak thing. Even though I'm not a dessert eater...I do think I could manage a piece of that cake. Looks delicious.

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  13. I haven't tried the microwave method but certainly have done the "redneck sous vide" where I temper the steaks in 105f water for an hour before tossing on a rocket hot grill just to sear the outsides.

    And I don't have a thing on you, Larry. Speaking of school, I'm signing up for Mike Davis' class at Dead End in May and Alexis is doing Robyn's "girls only" class in June. Should be fun.

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