I don't normally disagree with
Sensei, especially about cooking, however, being very fond of
beef I feel I should make my opinion known.
There is a great deal of debate about whether to cook a steak on a
grill or in a
pan. I personally feel that an
open flame is the best method for cooking beef and will yield a better tasting
meal. If you don't have access to a grill, a good steak can be had from a pan if done correctly and Sensei's
method will provide for good results.
Marinade is an excellent way to season meats and help reduce the toughness of some cheaper cuts. I am of the opinion however, that marinades are best used on
poultry or larger cuts of beef, not steak cuts. Seasoning of a steak should be done before application of heat. The perfect steak should arrive at the table and require no additional seasoning.
I have found, through years of
experimentation, that a blend of herbs, spices and salt yields the best flavor from beef.
Sage,
black pepper,
garlic powder,
Italian seasoning blend,
salt,
crushed red pepper, and
onion powder yield a tasty and aromatic flavor. The devil, is of course in the correct portions of the seasoning blend.
Experiment, find what you like best.
Prepare the meat before you season. Using a sharp
knife remove all the
gristle and some of the
fat. If you remove all the fat the steak will be rather dry, on the other hand some people are put off by too much fat. The important part is removing the gristle. This is the tougher white material that is most often found on the outside edge of the cut. If you got your meat from a good
butcher there won't be a lot of gristle. When heated the gristle will shrink faster than the rest of the meat and your steak will curl up and cook unevenly.
After you trim the meat,
score both sides with your knife in a diamond pattern. The score should be between an eighth and a quarter of an inch deep depending on how thick your cut is. If you are concerned about the toughness of your steak you can cover it in
cellophane and beat it with a
meat mallet.
Sprinkle the prepared meat with your seasoning blend on both sides of the steak and use your hands to rub it into the
meat. You want to work the seasoning into the scores you cut and into the
grain of the meat itself. After seasoning cover the meat and let it sit in the
refrigerator for at least a half hour and up to twenty-four hours. This will allow the meat to absorb the flavors of the seasoning blend.
Cooking over a medium-high
flame for a shorter period of time will yield a more tender juicier steak. Cooking over a low flame for a longer time will lend a smokier flavored but less tender steak.