Steakhouses have been sizzling taste buds for years, meanwhile igniting a passion for grillers to achieve the same results at home. While many have fared well in their backyard ventures, reaching the steakhouse quality sometimes seems impossible. Below are six secrets steakhouses use to reach the highest level of taste.
1. Quality is a steakhouse's biggest secret. Steak houses use USDA Prime, which is not readily available to consumers; however choice grade steaks will have the same characteristics and can be purchased at supermarkets and butchers. Bright red in color and creamy white fat both indicate a good steak, but the most flavorful cuts have white fat marbleized throughout the meat. While the price of the meat is as high as its quality, taste will certainly not disappoint.
2. While an aged wine is appreciated, aged meat may not sound as appetizing. That is, however, an age old secret of a steakhouse. To prepare meat for cooking, some steakhouses will let the meat air dry in controlled conditions to intensify the flavor. Another way of aging meat is by vacuum packing the meat and letting it age, rather than leaving the cut exposed to air, resulting in a more tender cut. Because steakhouses have special equipment to prevent sanitation risks, this method is not recommended to try at home. Some aged meats are available for purchase.
3. It is no secret that good meat is well seasoned, however a steakhouse secret is to use a lot of it. A raw steak cannot be over salted. Instead it will bring out the amino acid in the meat, offering that delicious signature steakhouse crust on top.
4. A hot secret of a steakhouse is a hot grill. This way caramelization can occur on the top fast enough for the inside to remain juicy and medium rare. Although the grill at a steakhouse will be capable of becoming much more hot than in a home kitchen, this can still be achieved at home. Cooking a partially frozen steak on a hot grill will leave the inside medium rare while allowing the outside to get that delicious steakhouse crust on top.
5. Just butter it. Another secret to a steakhouse steak is a dollop of butter on the outside just a few minutes before taking it off of the grill. This will add another layer of caramelizing to the outside of the steak and help with a juicy inside.
6. Patience is a virtue when it comes to steak. One final way of ensuring a steakhouse quality steak is to wait between between five to ten minutes before actually cutting into it. While idle, it is not only tempting taste buds, but redistributing the juices throughout the meat that were upset during the cooking process.
