Right. This is gonna be a hotter topic than the Middle-East or abortion...
You know when you BBQ steak, or most other things, you get a specific smell and taste?
Right. So last night I used my new cast iron grill pan (well, I presume it’s cast iron, ‘cause it’s heavier than an elephant’s trunk) to fry the steaks.
I oiled and seasoned the steaks (after allowing them to come to room temperature). Heat the pan until it was really... REALLY... hot and fried my steaks to perfection.
The smell... was like a BBQ.
And the steaks had the same smokey taste as if from a BBQ.
And, of course, the lines burnt into them from the grill pan... like from a BBQ.
Now, this got me thinking... is it the smoke from the BBQ that gives that great steak smell and taste, or is it the iron burning into the meat?
Based on last night, I’m pretty much convinced that the BBQ adds nothing to the smell or flavour and that the real deal is the burning / caramalization of the meat by the metal its lying on.
What do you think?
And may I just as well get a heater outside and use the grill pan instead of the whole BBQ hassle.
I presume, considering the amount of Americans here, there must be a vastness of experience on this issue.
@shavixmir
https://www.science20.com/science_20/science_grilling
There is important chemistry going on in cooking meats. 98% of chimp DNA is identical to human DNA. What separates us from the rest of the animals on this planet is fire. Fire allowed our distant ancestors to eat high-grade proteins (i.e., grilled steak), and high-grade proteins allowed our brains to concentrate on things like tool-making and chess, instead of our bodies needing most of their energy to digest low-grade food stuffs (like bovines, which spend most of their days chewing cud instead of making tools and playing chess). The fact that it tastes good is an added plus; which means that the early hominids which did not like the taste of cooked meat did not pass their genes on. So, go for it -- with sauce!
@moonbus saidThanks for that, but it doesn’t really answer the question...
@shavixmir
https://www.science20.com/science_20/science_grilling
There is important chemistry going on in cooking meats. 98% of chimp DNA is identical to human DNA. What separates us from the rest of the animals on this planet is fire. Fire allowed our distant ancestors to eat high-grade proteins (i.e., grilled steak), and high-grade proteins allowed our brains to con ...[text shortened]... hich did not like the taste of cooked meat did not pass their genes on. So, go for it -- with sauce!
@shavixmir saidIt’s the duration and temperature of heat applied, high heat quickly has a different effect than low heat applied over a long period. Nothing to do with the metal as such.
Thanks for that, but it doesn’t really answer the question...
Wood smoke will add flavor compared to gas.
@shavixmir saidIt is the direct flame from the fire to the meat [that does the searing] which makes the big difference. A side by side test will prove that. 2 identical steaks, 2 fires - one charcoal blazing hot, a iron skillet blazing hot. Two different tastes. With this high heat grilling, sitting time after cooking is critical.
Right. This is gonna be a hotter topic than the Middle-East or abortion...
You know when you BBQ steak, or most other things, you get a specific smell and taste?
Right. So last night I used my new cast iron grill pan (well, I presume it’s cast iron, ‘cause it’s heavier than an elephant’s trunk) to fry the steaks.
I oiled and seasoned the steaks (after allowing them t ...[text shortened]... ume, considering the amount of Americans here, there must be a vastness of experience on this issue.
- Joined
- 27 Apr 20
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Call me crazy but a steak that is submerged in sauces and spices and cooked that way is way more flavorful and tender than the typical "man steak" that involves fire and raw meat.
This reminds me of my arguments with the wealthy scotch drinkers 😆
I say..."Why do you drink straight scotch? It tastes like ass"
They say..."it's an acquired taste"
I say..."How long did it take to enjoy drinking something that tastes horrible? Or do you drink it because that's what 'men do'?...
At this point they stop because I am right and have proven my point.
Everyone who has eaten my "submerged in sauces and spices steak and cooked that way" loves it and says it's the best they ever had.
It's amazing how many men just follow other men because it's..."manly" 🙄
@chesstachio saidWhat's your chaser? Water? Coke?
This reminds me of my arguments with the wealthy scotch drinkers 😆
I say..."Why do you drink straight scotch? It tastes like ass"
They say..."it's an acquired taste"
I say..."How long did it take to enjoy drinking something that tastes horrible? Or do you drink it because that's what 'men do'?...
At this point they stop because I am right and have proven my point.
- Joined
- 27 Apr 20
- Moves
- 357
@kmax87 saidI don't play the "man game" when it comes to drinking.
What's your chaser? Water? Coke?
I drink a lot and I want a good taste.
Why not? What's wrong with something that tastes good? No hard liquor straight up tastes good.
Drink your shots and choke and try to be a man.
I'll order a margarita or a daiquiri with the ladies and go home with the ladies. 😉
@chesstachio saidYou sound very feminine. Have you got problems leaving the closet?
I don't play the "man game" when it comes to drinking.
I drink a lot and I want a good taste.
Why not? What's wrong with something that tastes good? No hard liquor straight up tastes good.
Drink your shots and choke and try to be a man.
I'll order a margarita or a daiquiri with the ladies and go home with the ladies. 😉
Scotch is drunk neat so you don’t dilute the taste. Neat is with 2 drops of water in it to free up the taste.
Why anyone would want to dilute the taste of an Island malt is beyond me, but taste is taste and not everyone likes the same thing. And that has nothing to do with being manly or womanly.
That being said, although your marinated steaks sound truly delicious, it’s not the point of the thread.
It’s if BBQ smoke is what adds that particular flavour to the meat or if it’s the searing of the steak through open flames or if it’s metal searing into the meat.
I used a grillpan (no smoke or open flames) and the meat smelled, tasted and even looked BBQ’d. Hence my question.
@moonbus saidThis is why the French are so backward, they don’t cook their steak enough.
@shavixmir
https://www.science20.com/science_20/science_grilling
There is important chemistry going on in cooking meats. 98% of chimp DNA is identical to human DNA. What separates us from the rest of the animals on this planet is fire. Fire allowed our distant ancestors to eat high-grade proteins (i.e., grilled steak), and high-grade proteins allowed our brains to con ...[text shortened]... hich did not like the taste of cooked meat did not pass their genes on. So, go for it -- with sauce!
@divegeester saidOh please!
This is why the French are so backward, they don’t cook their steak enough.
French cooking is the basis of everything good which isn’t Italian cooking.
When you ever pop by, I’ll make you a French style steak, a mushroom sauce with an espagnole basis and some FRENCH fries...
😎
@chesstachio saidI think you are referring to cheaper cuts of beef. The steaks which do not need too much additional flavour [just salt alone], are like ribeye, tenderloin, T-bone, porterhouse etc. Cheaper cuts apart from being tougher need extra seasoning and marinade.
Call me crazy but a steak that is submerged in sauces and spices and cooked that way is way more flavorful and tender than the typical "man steak" that involves fire and raw meat.
This reminds me of my arguments with the wealthy scotch drinkers 😆
I say..."Why do you drink straight scotch? It tastes like ass"
They say..."it's an acquired taste"
I say..."How lon ...[text shortened]... the best they ever had.
It's amazing how many men just follow other men because it's..."manly" 🙄
As for the alcohol, give it another 20 years of drinking and your taste buds will mature.