Top products from r/steak

To expand on this a bit...

Definitely check out Craigslist and/or call Goodwill/SA/thrift shops in your area. Many times they have cast iron stock for next to nothing. Cast iron is cast iron... Unless it's cracked, it's fine. Nothing some oven cleaner and lard/shortening won't turn back to brand new.

I've got quite a few sizes, but I find that I use my behemoth Lodge:

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L14SK3-Pre-Seasoned-Cast-Iron-Skillet/dp/B00063RWUM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395461461&sr=8-1&keywords=lodge+skillet+16

More than anything. Great size for two ribeyes, big enough to brown 8# pork butt before going into the slow cooker, and you can cook an entire breakfast (bacon, eggs and hash) in one pan. It also keeps stovetop spatter to a minimum when doing burgers due to it's size.

It also doubles as a formidable weapon. :)

For cooking steaks... My way is a bit different than /u/AliasHandler, and more like Alton Brown's. Kosher salt steaks 45m-1h before and keep on wire rack. Toss pan in 500 degree oven. Oil steaks with canola oil. Pull pan, set on hot burner. Toss in steaks, sear for 1.5 minutes or so. Flip, add a pat of butter on top, shove back in oven. Cook another 2-5 minutes depending on thickness and doneness desired. Rest 7-10 minutes.

You want that pan HOT. In the summer I'll put the cast in the grill, as I can get it up to 600+ degrees, and get even better sear/caramelization on the outside. After doing it in cast iron, you'll never want a gas-grill-grate cooked steak again. :)

Edit - And please understand that rare doesn't equal raw. Don't be afraid of the pink. ;)

Flipping multiple times will help that issue with burnt edges but no crust in certain spots - as will adding more oil. I use avocado oil. The oil helps to transfer heat; if part of your steak has no crust it's probably because it was not exposed to the same heat as other areas, ie it wasn't touching oil.

Unfortunately it's tough to make 4 steaks at once with one cast iron. If you have access to a grill; I'd suggest a reverse sear finishing on the grill OR I like to use a cast iron pizza pan for multiple steaks.

As for the temperature take several readings from different areas and defer to the lowest. If the issue persists, get a new thermometer.

If you need to get 4 steaks ready, you can always reverse sear in the oven (lowest possible setting for 1-2 hrs depending on thickness), bring them to like 115-120, take them out, sear them quick (one by one), and back in the oven all together to warm them slightly (monitoring temp). Could even broil them for a couple mins right before serving. Regardless, if you're searing them separately, the steaks will be slightly different - but you can minimize that by a super hot, super quick sear while relying on slow heat to cook the inside.

Solid job! Definitely better than my first steak-cooking experience. A few recommendations, echoing the other ones here:

1. Try and cook at a higher heat. You started to develop a nice crust, but getting the cast iron scorching hot will give it a complete, brown, and crispy exterior. While you're prepping, stick your pan in the oven at 400 degrees to get it hot and then throw it on a high burner just before cooking.
   
   
2. If you're pan searing, adding a few knobs of butter + garlic + thyme about halfway through cooking will add a lot of flavor. If you choose just one of those though, make it the butter. Basting it [Gordon Ramsay style] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEx9gPhtjzs) will really complete what you've got.
   
   Again, nice work - happy cooking!
   
   EDIT: Took a second look and I noticed it was a nonstick. I can't recommend highly enough investing the $30 in a [Lodge cast iron skillet] (http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L10SK3-Pre-Seasoned-Skillet-12-Inch/dp/B00006JSUB). It'll last you a lifetime and cook considerably better than anything else!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0096K1ZDG/ $60

No idea what kind of knifes you need. I like this set. I avoid serrated knives as they tear the meat.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00008GKDJ/ $15
Lodge is pretty much the go to cast iron pan. It's relatively cheap, but it is a pretty simple design after all.

You have 75 bucks left in your budget, I would get this:

https://www.amazon.com/Lavatools-Javelin-Limited-Ambidextrous-Thermometer/dp/B01F59K0KA/

Resist the urge to go cheap on instant read thermometer, it was the single best thing I purchased that drastically improved nearly all the food I cooked - especially steaks.

Nice. You are going to love it. If you are only ever doing 1 or 2 steaks a bigger pot should work out fine for your sous vide. I needed to cook up to 6 steaks at once and opted for a [cambro-like container] (http://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-Commercial-FG631200CLR-Space-Saving-Container/dp/B000R8JOUC?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00) and [lid] (http://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-Commercial-FG652300WHT-Lid-SSC/dp/B000VAUFD6?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00)

That helps whenever I want/need to use my Anova. Some people use a cooler and I understand that line of thinking, especially if you are using it for long periods of time as it is more energy efficient. I just could not find a cooler that I would have been able to attach the Anova to so I went the route that I did.

Nice! I like the idea of cast iron as opposed to carbon steel but Amazon has much cheaper prices than Lodge's own website

https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-LPGI3-Reversible-Griddle-10-44-inch/dp/B00008GKDQ/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1525960340&sr=1-4&keywords=cast+iron+griddle

and good point re: the handles. I figured I would leave the griddle on the grill and just sear the steaks and then take them off. Then deal with griddle cleanup after it's cool off. I think even with more pronounced handles I wouldn't be trying to lift and carry a 700 degree piece of iron around haha

I was looking for steak knives last year and wanted something super sharp and a fine edge, not serrated. I wanted something to cleanly cut through the meat, not tear it, which is what serrated does.

I ordered these and I've been very happy. They're super sharp. I did resharpen them last month with a simple knife sharpener than you pull the knife through and they were just as sharp after that as the day I bought them. I wouldn't hesitate to order another set.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017P0GXWG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

any kind of Borsari


http://www.amazon.com/Borsari-Seasoned-Salt-Original-Blend/dp/B000144GWS

Stuff is absolutely incredible tasting.

Edit:

http://www.amazon.com/Borsari-Cracked-Peppercorn-Blend/dp/B00JOPIODC

This is the best kind for steaks, I have it right now and completely coat my steaks in it because I love peppercorn

It's a Camerons smoker. It uses the smaller smoking chips, sometimes called sawdust. It's no good for low & slow barbecue, but it's great for a lot of other uses. I use it mainly for vegetables such as onions and garlic, but you can also season and smoke burgers, steaks, chops or chicken breasts for 10 minutes, then finish in a pan.

I have this torch and use MAPP fuel. I would recommend:

• Pat all of the surface dry; as dry as you can get it,
  
• Brush a thin layer of butter to cover the entire surface (for bonus points, throw some goodies into the butter (shallots, garlic, thyme, etc.) while melting it),
  
• Keep the flame moving at all times,
  
• Hold the flame such that the very tip is touching the surface of the food,
  
• Do multiple passes, instead of trying to get it dark the first time you visit a spot.

This Searzall blowtorch attachment might interest some of you. I use it sometimes to even out / thicken the crust. It's also useful on pizza.

This price is directly lower down from $25 to $15.99. The price will back to $25 soon. Now is new product period. Hurry up guys.😂😂

i bought these knives and have been extremely happy with them. they cut through steak like lasers.

Honestly, my best advice is to get a probe thermometer like this and stick the probe in the meat when you put it in the oven. I've done this a few times so I know about how long it takes in my oven for my steaks, but your mileage may (and probably will) vary.

It is super simple. Anova even has an app so you can monitor your cooker while you are in another room. They are on sale right now which is why I pulled the trigger.

anova precision $155 w the code SPRING25

12 qt container $24.95

container lid $11.08

apparently you can also just float ping pong balls on the top as well - having a lid insulates and slows the water evaporation

cheap adjustable rack to keep the meat in place $13.21

vacuum sealer $69.99

but for this you can just use freezer bags and water displacement to get a similar outcome

Yeah, the auto-defrost on most mini-fridges make it hard to keep a constant temperature. I had to pull the wiring on mine, and loop them to bypass the internal thermometer. Once I had it so it would just run continuously, I then added an External Inkbird Controller that turns the power on and off to keep it within my specified range (34-38F).

Hopefully your new display fridge will be more convenient to keep the temp in a steady range without having to do any rewiring.

My setup:

Anova Sous Vide Cooker

Polycarbonite Pan with lid
This really helps with long cooks, 48-72 hours for short rib or brisket.

For steak I cook at 129 F degress for two hours, let rest for 10-15 minutes then high sear in cast iron pan. I usually use grapeseed oil with a tab or two of butter, thyme, rosemary and smashed garlic.

From my experience safflower oil is among the best, so it's not as much of an issue. I generally don't add the oil until it's to heat as you don't want it reaching smoke point too early. As for the overall, perhaps invest in a Searzall? You already sous vide so you only need to develop the crust on the outside. This method takes a tiny bit longer as it's not full coverage like a pan, but you are in total control and don't risk burning the meat.

Looks like an Anova

For others who are curious: http://www.amazon.com/Searzall-Torch-Attachment-Small-Stainless/dp/B00L2P0KNO

Yep, with this container

and this divider

You need a searzall attachment which eliminates the gas taste.
https://www.amazon.com/Searzall-Torch-Attachment-Small-Stainless/dp/B00L2P0KNO

I generally do a ton of kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper or this if I'm feeling fiesty and let it sit open, overnight in the fridge so it can dry brine....really the only way to get the flavor to penetrate deeply in these giant cuts of meat.

First, get one of these. Then sear in a cast iron pan.

Or replace step one with the reverse sear method.

This one: https://www.amazon.ca/Inkbird-ITC-308-Temperature-Controller-Thermostat/dp/B011296704

bluetooth and a wifi version

You use an immersion circulator. (Some people just call it a sous vide, but "sous vide" in French literally means "under vacuum", because typically you vacuum seal the food before it goes in the water.) This is the one I have: https://www.amazon.com/Anova-Culinary-PCB-120US-K1-Bluetooth-Precision/dp/B00UKPBXM4/ref=dp_ob_title_kitchen and this is a popular one that came out recently: https://www.chefsteps.com/joule

I think he means a grill pan ala link

Lodge LPGI3 Pro-Grid Cast Iron Reversible 20" x 10" Grill/Griddle Pan with Easy-Grip Handles 10" x 20" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00008GKDQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_rC7MDbBTNP38K

http://www.amazon.com/Polder-Original-Cooking-All-In-One-Thermometer/dp/B0000CF5MT/

My apartment doesn't allow traditional grills but I swear by this

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00005YXC0/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502904004&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=zojirushi+electric+grill&dpPl=1&dpID=417473X41DL&ref=plSrch

Something slightly different for the lazy: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011296704?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00

Do it oven first, then sear. That way there is no need to rest it afterwords as the oven evenly heats it and the moisture remains evenly distributed. That way your steak is the right doneness, but at the highest temperature so it's nice to eat. Get something like this so you can set an alarm for when it hits the temp you want it to be while it's in the oven. It seems that the consensus is 350f oven temp. If you're unsure about if your oven is getting the temp right, one of these will come in handy.

I use a probe thermometer with a cord similar to this

I stick that sucker in the meat and then put the meat in the oven (the cord is oven-proof). As long as you aren't probing it multiple times in multiple locations, you shouldn't have any issue with losing juices.