I am never having steak again!!!

[peanut]

I am sick and tired of over cooked, tough steak. I either let DH cook it or go to a restaurant for it. But restaurants serve pieces way too big, and I like mine med-rare. Seems no one knows what that is these days. I just had to walk away from some of DH's BBQed steak. It was tough as a shoe sole! I am just disgusted I spend good money for meat and people wreck it. With the cost of groceries I can't afford this anymore. So no more steak!!! Grrr....

[Contrary Housewife]

Why not learn to cook it the way you like it? A meat thermometer makes it easy.

[annymoll]

We never ate steak out, because we loved it rare. They always overcooked it. My mother used to pound it, then flour it and fry it until it was crispy burnt on the outside. Egads!It was nasty. My Dad used to sneak us downtown and let us have Steak Tartare as kids. She would have been livid, had she known.Vegetarian is so much cheaper!

[oheoh's momma]

I love mine medium well and hubby likes his rare and he always undercooks mine. steak is so expensive to be ruined by overcooking. Paid a not so frugal $17. plus change for 4 beautiful ribeyes. so I will be bitching if it is bad. hugs peanut

[frugalwarrior2]

peanut calm down.lol
I buy Texas Broil cuts. ON sale 2/1. Its a cheap cut but you marinade it.
Get a gallon bag and throw the steak in for 24 hrs. Then cook on the grill on low. W/ the top down. The pieces should not be over the flames but next to them. The marinade will break down the sinuey quality of the steak. This is a gas grill.

If you don't have 24hrs use a heavy weight on the bag and the marinade will seep into the meat in about an hr. Ds uses a weight lifting round weight of about 10#. He got this off the internet.
I never pay more than 3.00 a # for it. Reg. $6. at 2/1.
Very tasty and tender.
Prob. less that 15 min. total for med. I do well so I'm not sure.

Annyoll-lol mine used to fry it to leather too. One time she actually threw it in frozen and poured hot kettle water over it to defrost. I used to hide it in my milk. It was like charred whale blubber. I sat for hours refusing to eat it. Dog ran away too. Mom could bake but never could do meat.

[TheKeswickBlogger]

I hear you on this one. I had never cooked a perfect steak until I sprung for M&M Meat Shops steak medallions. We've had the Montreal Griller and the Bacon-wrapped sirloin and both were excellent. They are sold frozen, so you defrost, then cook under the broiler for 6-8 minutes per side and then eat!

Neither my husband or I have ever been big steak eaters, but we both really do enjoy the steaks from M&M's. Not sure if you have one in your town, but if you do, they are definitely worth a look. On sale, the Griller steaks are about $3.50 Cdn each and they are sold in packages of two. The sirloin and filet mignon they sell are both much more expensive, but are excellent too.

It's not the frugal way to eat steak, but it is a nice occassional splurge

[Libby]

*hugs peanut*

My vote is to cook your own steak this way you can learn.

When we're out - we order it one less then we'd want

Example: if you want medium, you ask for medium rare. I suggest trying this trick with DH as well this way it won't be overcooked and be sure to monitor him while he cooks it. The worst case scenario, its under done and you can always slap it back on the grille OR *cringe* nuke it.

We buy our steaks from Costco b/c the quality of meat has been nothing but consistent. We've bought steaks from Loblaws, Metro & Sobeys but they're just not as good, usually too tough. The exception being if you buy it from the meat/butcher counter in those stores - not prepackaged in the fridge section.

If DH is cooking our steaks, I have nothing to worry about. If its dad, its going to be over done so I know to watch him while he cooks it and I ask him to cook it one less then what I want.

Please don't give up on steak...give'er another try!

[sinopa27]

I understand what you mean!! I am joining you....no more steak!
You can't find a good steak anymore anyway.
(((hugs)))

[peanut]

Well Ladies. I've cooled off a bit from the experience. I went for a walk after supper...right up to Safeway for some BBQ chicken wings. Improved my mood immensely.

But I'm still not going to give steak another try. The deal with steak was DH has this nice fancy schmancy BBQ and he was going to learn to cook steak and other nice BBQ meals on it. But all he seems capable of doing is burning meat! It doesn't matter what it is - hamburgers, chicken (I've had some awful dry burnt chicken folks!), pork...but steak! Oooh...he's had lessons before...from people other than me. I just have decided no BBQ's this year because I'm too embarrassed to serve the food he cooks.

Now I might go out there and try to take over, but this would be a mighty insult to him. One I'd hear about for a very loooooong time. Or again and again and again in the future...you know? So I'm just stepping back from the entire BBQ issue and steak issue...and cooking and eating fish instead (DH hates fish. ).

[Ssindi]

I'm not a good steak cooker either but I keep trying.Sometimes I get it right and sometimes not.
peanut,my DH likes to cook everything on "high". It's like,I'm hungry,jack up the heat and put the meal on the table in 30min.Our gas grill broke so I use charcoal with it now.I try to keep him away from that too because he goes crazy with the lighter fluid to get the charcoal going.

[Russ]

Well Ladies. I've cooled off a bit from the experience. I went for a walk after supper...right up to Safeway for some BBQ chicken wings. Improved my mood immensely.

.

Now THATS my kinda girl!

[frugalwarrior2]

ok another easy steak is in a covered casserole dish on 300 degrees. It takes about an hour( less if its thin) but falls apart. I don't put anything but the meat and salt,pepper and garlic. Sometimes I will simmer peppers,onions and tomato sauce seperately.
Dh here doesn't use the BBQ or the stove. Exactly the way we like it. I taught Ds last summer-very good investment.

[shoiji]

Yup, grew up where meat was over cooked and really hard. Especially on the grill, chicken was grilled till you had to saw with your knife to eat it. Growing up I heard to many times how so and so got sick on undercooked meat.

Took me a while to get out of the not done until it is black faze. I would suggest that you purchase or look up some videos on barbeque cooking. Since it is a new toy he probably needs to understand how to cook on it. Sometimes the maker may have directions or videos on how to cook on the grill properly. Purchase a meat thermometer he can use on the grill.

You could suggest he try grilling some produce that is in season. My feeling is that he enjoys using the grill so I would try to encourage him to really grill well.

As far as ordering at a restaurant, if the meat is to large to eat just take home the portion you do not eat. You can use it for a salad, sandwich or stir-fry the next day.

[imagine]

Oh, man I want a steak now. I grew up with a dad that cooked the best steaks and knew the best places to go get a steak. I miss him and his steaks. I did learn from him so I can make a good steak just the good cuts of steak are not affordable right now. So I make due with the cheaper cuts. Still good though

Dad use to surprise us newlyweds with steak he bought to cook up or invite us over to cook one up

I sure wish Dad was still around to buy us a steak and cook it up

[mndtrp]

Now THATS my kinda girl!

I thought the same thing.

It will simply take practice, learning that there is an area between "low" and "scorching", as well as figuring out that indirect heat can be useful. It is also something that needs to be actively monitored until it becomes second nature.

I would certainly practice on cheap chicken, though, not expensive steaks.

As far as going out for steaks, there are very few restaurants where I will order one.