Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (171 page)
REDUCTION DEDUCTION
We’ve all seen recipe instructions such as “Reduce sauce to ¹⁄
2
cup” or “Simmer until broth is reduced to 2 cups.” Those directions are clear, but when you look into a pan of sauce, can you really discern volume? Unless you have wizardlike abilities, the answer is probably “No.”
Here in the test kitchen, we know that getting the right amount of sauce can make or break a dish, and to be sure of success we keep a heatproof liquid measuring cup next to the stove. As the sauce appears to be getting near the targeted amount, we pour it into the cup to get an exact measure. If it needs more time on the stove, back into the pan it goes until it’s reduced to just the right amount. No guessing, no problem.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Looking for an alternative to pricey cuts of meat, we wanted to find the best inexpensive (under $6.99 per pound) steaks for pan-searing that would still deliver solid beefy flavor and tender texture. We tested 12 different cuts using a pan-searing technique of heating oil in a skillet until smoking, cooking the steaks over medium-high heat on one side, then reducing the heat when we flipped the steaks. This approach ensured a nice sear on both sides without overcooking or allowing the fond to burn. We tried a variety of preparation methods—salting, aging, tenderizing, marinating—but none really improved flavor and texture. In the end, only two cuts earned favored status: boneless shell sirloin steak (aka top butt) and flap meat steak (aka sirloin tips).
SERVES 4
A pan sauce can be made while the steaks rest after cooking (recipes follow); if you plan to make a sauce, be sure to prepare all of the sauce ingredients before cooking the steaks. You can substitute a 2-pound whole flap meat steak for the shell sirloin steaks. To serve two instead of four, use a 10-inch skillet to cook a 1-pound steak and halve the sauce ingredients. Keep in mind that even those tasters who usually prefer rare beef preferred these steaks cooked medium-rare or medium because the texture is firmer and not quite so chewy.
2 | tablespoons vegetable oil |
Salt and pepper | |
2 | (1-pound) boneless shell sirloin steaks (top butt), 1¹⁄ |
1 | recipe |
1.
Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Meanwhile, pat steaks dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper. Place steaks in skillet; cook, without moving, until well browned, about 2 minutes. Using tongs, flip steaks; reduce heat to medium. Cook until well browned on second side and meat registers 120 to 125 degrees (for medium-rare) or 130 to 135 degrees (for medium), 5 to 6 minutes.
2.
Transfer steaks to large plate and tent loosely with aluminum foil; let rest 12 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare pan sauce, if making.
3.
Using sharp knife, slice steak about ¹⁄
4
inch thick against grain on bias, arrange on platter or on individual plates, and spoon sauce, if using, over steak; serve.
MAKES
³⁄
4
CUP, ENOUGH FOR 1 RECIPE
PAN-SEARED INEXPENSIVE STEAKS
1 | shallot, minced |
2 | tablespoons dry white wine |
¹⁄ | cup low-sodium chicken broth |
6 | tablespoons heavy cream |
3 | tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard |
Salt and pepper |
After transferring steaks to large plate, pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from now-empty skillet. Return skillet to low heat and add shallot; cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add wine and increase heat to medium-high; simmer rapidly, scraping bottom of skillet with wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits, until liquid is reduced to glaze, about 30 seconds; add broth and simmer until reduced to ¹⁄
4
cup, about 3 minutes. Add cream and any meat juices; cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Stir in mustard; season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over sliced steak and serve.
SHALLOT SHOPPING
When shopping, it’s best to avoid shallots packaged in cardboard or cellophane boxes, which prevent you from checking out each shallot. Instead, go for loose shallots or ones packaged in plastic netting. They should feel firm and heavy and have no soft spots. Since most of our recipes call for less than 3 tablespoons of minced shallots, in the test kitchen we use primarily medium shallots (which yield about 3 tablespoons minced) or small shallots (which yield 2 tablespoons or less). A medium shallot should be about 1¹⁄
2
to 2 inches wide.
MAKES
³⁄
4
CUP, ENOUGH FOR 1 RECIPE
PAN-SEARED INEXPENSIVE STEAKS
If ripe fresh tomatoes are not available, substitute 2 to 3 canned whole tomatoes.
1 | shallot, minced |
1 | teaspoon all-purpose flour |
2 | tablespoons dry white wine |
1 | cup low-sodium chicken broth |
2 | tablespoons capers, rinsed |
1 | ripe tomato, cored, seeded and cut into ¹⁄ |
¹⁄ | cup minced fresh parsley |
Salt and pepper |
After transferring steaks to large plate, pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from now-empty skillet. Return skillet to low heat and add shallot; cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle flour over shallot; cook, stirring constantly, until combined, about 1 minute. Add wine and increase heat to medium-high; simmer rapidly, scraping bottom of skillet with wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits, until liquid is reduced to glaze, about 30 seconds; add broth and simmer until reduced to ²⁄
3
cup, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; add capers, tomato, and any meat juices and cook until flavors are blended, about 1 minute. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste; spoon sauce over sliced steak and serve.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Pan-searing thick-cut steaks poses one main problem—by the time a good crust has developed and the very center is a rosy medium-rare, the rest of the meat is dry and gray. To solve this problem, we needed to find a way to quickly sear the exterior while slowly cooking the interior to allow for more even heat distribution. We tried flipping the steaks every 15 seconds and also pan-roasting them (searing them on the stovetop then moving the skillet to a hot oven), but neither of these approaches was practical or worked very well. The key turned out to be starting the steaks in a cool oven and then quickly searing them to keep the meat directly under the crust from turning gray. Cooked this way, the steaks developed a beautiful brown crust, while the rest of the meat stayed pink, juicy, and tender.
THE SEARING TRUTH
Thinner steaks can be cooked through over relatively high heat, while thicker steaks usually cook in two stages: a quick sear in a hot skillet to brown the surface, along with a gentler cooking to bring the interior up to (or close to) its final temperature. Many people believe that searing a raw steak somehow “seals in” juices, resulting in a juicier finished product than meat browned at the end of cooking. Yet we’ve all seen well-seared steaks exude moisture as they rest, so we decided to put this theory to the test. We weighed steaks before and after cooking, searing one half before cooking them through in the oven, and cooking the other half through before searing. We found the steaks all lost an equal amount of liquid: about 22 percent of their original weight. Searing the steaks first did nothing to seal in liquid. In the end, this theory just doesn’t hold water.
SERVES 4
Rib eye or filet mignon of similar thickness can be substituted for the strip steaks. If using filet mignon, buying a 2-pound center-cut tenderloin roast and portioning it into four 8-ounce steaks yourself will produce more consistent results than individual store-cut steaks. If using filet mignon, increase the oven time by about 5 minutes. When cooking lean strip steaks (without an external fat cap) or filet mignon, add an extra tablespoon of oil to the pan. If desired, serve with a pan sauce, relish, or butter (recipes follow).
2 | (1-pound) boneless strip steaks, 1¹⁄ |
Salt and pepper | |
1 | tablespoon vegetable oil |
1 | recipe pan sauce, relish, or butter (optional) (recipes follow) |
1.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Pat steaks dry with paper towels. Cut each steak in half vertically to create four 8-ounce steaks. Season steaks with salt and pepper; gently press sides of steaks until uniform 1¹⁄
2
inches thick. Place steaks on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Cook until meat registers 90 to 95 degrees (for rare to medium-rare), 20 to 25 minutes, or 100 to 105 degrees (for medium), 25 to 30 minutes.
2.
Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over high heat until just smoking. Place steaks in skillet and sear until well browned and crusty, about 1¹⁄
2
to 2 minutes, lifting once halfway through cooking to redistribute fat underneath each steak. (Reduce heat if fond begins to burn.) Using tongs, turn steaks and cook until well browned on second side, 2 to 2¹⁄
2
minutes. Transfer all steaks to clean wire rack and reduce heat under pan to medium. Use tongs to stand 2 steaks on their sides. Holding steaks together, return to skillet and sear on all sides until browned, about 1¹⁄
2
minutes. Repeat with remaining 2 steaks.
3.
Transfer steaks to wire rack and let rest, tented loosely with aluminum foil, for 10 minutes while preparing pan sauce, if using. Arrange steaks on individual plates and spoon sauce over steaks; serve.
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP, ENOUGH FOR 1 RECIPE
PAN-SEARED THICK-CUT STRIP STEAKS
Prepare all ingredients for the pan sauce while the steaks are in the oven.
1 | tablespoon vegetable oil |
8 | ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin |
1 | small shallot, minced |
1 | cup dry red wine |
¹⁄ | cup low-sodium chicken broth |
1 | tablespoon balsamic vinegar |
1 | teaspoon Dijon mustard |
2 | tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces and chilled |
1 | teaspoon minced fresh thyme |
Salt and pepper |
After transferring steaks to wire rack, pour off fat from now-empty skillet. Heat oil over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown and liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to soften, about 1 minute. Increase heat to high; add red wine and broth, scraping bottom of skillet with wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Simmer rapidly until liquid and mushrooms are reduced to 1 cup, about 6 minutes. Add vinegar, mustard, and any juices from resting steaks; cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Off heat, whisk in butter and thyme; season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over steaks and serve.