Tag: cooking

What is best way to cook steak?

~ SA Otey
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Weber Grill at the Weber Grill, Chicago

I’ve been eating steak since before I had teeth. Anyway, that’s what my hope is. My thought is my parents would put a freshly grilled steak in the blender and feed it to me in baby food form. However, in my adult form, I’ve adopted the reverse sear method of cooking a steak. It’s very easy and gives you consistently delicious results. Because of this method, my spouse will remind me to never order a steak if we go out to eat.

  1. Purchase a 1″ thick steak. Ribeye or New York Strip are my favorite cuts. I tried using ButcherBox for a few years. It’s expensive, but the quality and convenience are worth it.
  2. Get yourself a quarter sheet rack pan (allows airflow)
  3. Cover the entire steak in coarse kosher salt. This is a wet aging process to pull some of the moisture out of the steak.
  4. Place steak on pan and rack and refrigerate for 8 to 10 hours. (flip it about 4 hours in)
  5. Preheat the pellet grill to 200 degrees. I’ve been using the super smoke setting on my Traeger Grill for about 15-20 mins on a cold steak. The smoke flavor is unreal
  6. Smoker until the internal temperature reaches 115-120 degrees. This is at the blue rare stage. Pull it sooner if you want a rare steak.
  7. Rest for 10 minutes, you too, you’ve been working hard
  8. Lather on a layer of avocado oil and add more seasoning if you like, I suggest just Coarse Salt and Pepper. You need something to help build a crust.
  9. Heat a cast-iron skillet as hot as you can, but don’t touch it with your index finger. To know it’s ready, drop a few beads of water in the skillet; if they disappear immediately, then it’s ready.
  10. Sear on both sides for about 45 seconds to 1 minute. While adding a few spoonfuls of ghee to give it some extra juice.
  11. Rest for 10 more minutes.
  12. Eat your steak; it should be nice and medium-rare, with a nice crust on the outside.

How to Properly Season a Cast Iron Skillet

~ SA Otey

To season a cast iron skillet, thoroughly wash and dry it, then apply a very thin, even layer of a neutral oil like vegetable oil or shortening to the entire pan. Place the oiled skillet upside down in a preheated oven at 450°F for one hour, then allow it to cool in the oven. For a new or stripped pan, repeat this process several times to build a strong, non-stick surface.  

Detailed Steps:

  1. Wash & Dry: Wash the skillet with warm, soapy water and dry it thoroughly to prevent rust. 
  2. Apply Oil: Rub a very thin layer of a neutral oil, such as canola, vegetable, or melted shortening, over the entire skillet, including the inside, outside, and handle. 
  3. Buff Off Excess Oil: Use a clean paper towel to buff the oil completely off the pan. You want a microscopic layer, not a greasy one. 
  4. Heat in Oven: Place the skillet upside down on the center rack of a preheated oven set to 450°F. 
  5. Bake: Bake the skillet for one hour. 
  6. Cool: Turn the oven off and let the skillet cool completely inside the oven. 
  7. Repeat: For an unseasoned or stripped pan, repeat the entire process three to four times to build a durable seasoning. 

Maintaining Your Seasoning:

  • Regular Use: The best way to maintain the seasoning is to use the skillet regularly. 
  • Clean and Re-oil: After each use, rinse the skillet and apply a quick, thin layer of oil before storing it. 

Are eggs really good for you?

~ SA Otey
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Jesus Approved Egg

Yes! Eggs are good for you, yolk and all. But of course, people are taking it too far. Everything has an egg on it. Watch any episode of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives and you will see any number of dishes with an egg in there somewhere. Do you know what goes well with eggs? Bacon, that’s it!

How do I cook my eggs? Glad you asked.

Fried

Fry a few strips of bacon over medium heat, remove bacon, leave grease, turn off the heat let cool down for a minute or so. Add 2 eggs, and use either kosher salt, black, and cayenne pepper (Or Tony Chachere Seasoning). Once the egg white is not clear, gently flip it over, turn off the heat, and cook for another 2 minutes, this won’t overcook and still give you a nice warm runny yolk. I usually forget about them and the yolk gets solid.

Scrambled

Whisk 3 eggs with a dash of heavy cream in a large cup, and add to a low-heat skillet with melted clarified butter or bacon fat. Move around the pan and make your chunks big or small, just don’t let them stick. Or don’t move it at all and have an omelet.

Boiled

Put a dozen eggs in a pot in one layer, add 1/4 tsp baking soda, and cover with 2 inches of tap water. Bring to a rolling boil and cook for about 2 minutes. Cover and remove from heat and let stand for 12 minutes. Drain off hot water and fill the pot with cold tap water. Let stand for 5 minutes. Crack each end of the egg, they should be super easy to peel. Cut in half and add a dash of the previously mentioned seasonings.

Poached, no thanks, if I wanted to eat snot I would expose myself to one of the 100 things I’m allergic to and let the mucus fountain flow.