@katstermonster: MMMMMMMMM. Raw meat. When I was quite younger, when we would cook hamburger, my mom & I would pick off chunks of the raw hamburger, dust a bit of salt on it, and manohman a bit of pure heaven. Wish I could still do that. I guess that's why I like raw fish so much.

My only warning is make sure you have a butcher that knows how to dress them properly as there is a lot of connective tissue and stuff around these...

My lack of taste renders me pretty useless with anything that doesn't involve sugar. (I love you, cakewreaks)

@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): Definitely! Great steaks are very hard to do without a thermometer. Here's the temperatures:
125- rare; 135- med rare; 145- medium; 155-medium well; 160+-well.
Thick steaks, take out a few degrees before the temp you're aiming for. Thinner steaks, take them out right AT the target temp.
Set them on a plate, cover with aluminum foil and a dish towel. Let rest for about 5 minutes before serving. The resting stage is very important!
I've found the best seasoning for steaks is Tony Cachere's Creole Seasoning. (if you can get it) Just a bare sprinkle, and all our steaks taste like they're from a restaurant. Another good one is Worcestershire sauce with mashed garlic and a bit of salt & pepper. Brush it on, and cook. YUM.

@rocketbear79: threadkiller: See if your store/butcher sells chuck eye steaks. Our store butcher turned us on to them. They're usually a bit cheaper than the others, but cook up really nice.

I've never had a soft drink that tasted "watered down" in a restaurant. Perhaps you just have bad restaurants in your area, or perhaps you're the kind of person who is always looking for something to complain about, and sometimes your mind plays tricks on you.

When Angus T-bone drops from 9.99 to 3.99 per pound, I quadruple up.

I bring meat to room temperature before cooking it. I do this so the cats and dog see that I am the hunter/gatherer and they must worship me.

I prepare the meat by rubbing coarse-ground sea salt and course-ground pepper corns on both sides. Then, I simply oven broil. I drop the rack one extra inch so my steaks can cook 7 minutes per side (for 13 ounces)without scorching. Juices run clear.

I've had to compromise. I learned that I can't throw fresh crushed garlic on the steak prior to cooking because the broiler chars. While I like the idea of blue cheese, I never want to clean that cheese off a broiler pan. My mushrooms also cook at a different rate. All of these can be added without ruining the meal: cheese in salad, garlic rubbed on bread, and mushrooms sauteed the last twelve minutes.

@Darkneuro: They have a total of 4 factory stores. [www.lodgemfg.com]

2 are in TN, 1 is in GA, and 1 in SC.

That's between the glass stove top and the pan.

@technologiq: I just watched that episode a few weeks ago. I love Alton Brown.

@jenjen: You don't have to get a six pack if you have an ALDI in your area, they have USDA Choice petite filets wrapped in bacon for $2/ea. Last week they were B1G1.

As for cooking them, they cook up pretty well on the grill or in a pan. They're pretty thick so they have to be cooked for awhile if you don't want any red. Easier than a thermometer is to just use a small knife and cut into it to see if you see deep red.

I made these for my mother-in-law earlier in the week and she won't eat anything with any red, so I kept cooking until they were super well done hockey pucks and even then they were good.

The bacon always falls off on mine, so I just eat it while I'm cooking them. They're very tasty. For a steak sauce I recommend combining hot sauce, Worcestershire and ketchup to taste.

Oh, yeah, he uses this! I use to buy it in BULK where I work, along with the chicken. A good dry rub is pretty priceless.

When we can't grill outdoors (we still are grilling outdoors in norther Ohio) the heat a cast iron skillet in a hot oven and then grill with it system works nice.

unless you really do like cold, raw beef...

in which case, ew.

I have an electric stove/oven with a ceramic (or some sort of glass) top. That is, no up-high pedestal for any sort of pan or pot. Will a cast iron pan destroy the top? And by destroy, I am talking about heavy scratches or gouges. My regular pot that I use for boiling water is easy enough to put on and remove, but I am concerned about the cast iron pans.

Thanks.

Buy them in big bulk containers which I use to refill the more convenient to use spice rack size shaker.

IMO, marinades are for low quality cuts and inexperienced cooks. An experienced cook with a good quality grill (one that can reach and maintain a high heat) are all that's needed.

I either add the Montreal dry seasoning, or simply coat with butter salt and pepper.

Costco steaks here, too.

The Marinade I use (amounts are approx, I don't measure):

3 tablespoons sea salt (kosher salt will do in a pinch)
1 tablespoon lawrey's seasoning salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2-3/4 cup Worchestershire sauce
2 tablespoons Grey Poupon or Guldens spicy mustard
1/2 tsp terragon
1/4 cup water(for volume increase only)
1/4 teaspoon chili powder (omit if you don't want a hint of heat this works with or without the chili powder)

Whisk it all together, puncture the meat multiple times with a fork, and let marinade in this sauce for 15-30 minutes in the fridge.

I usually buy cheap steaks like eye of round because I eat about a pound for dinner at least 5 times a week. That could get expensive if they were all Porterhouse.

I don't get steaks at restaurants (outback class) because I don't know where they get their meat from and I won't eat it raw and they also typically won't just top-sear them to be ultra-rare unless it's a serious steak house.

>_<

Simple and delicious.

@pot_roast: I live in Texas too, can you please be more specific as to said quality locally owned markets? Thanks!

1/4 cup dry red wine
3 cloves minced garlic
3 T. olive oil
2 tsp. fresh thyme
2 tsp. fresh rosemary
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Usually I increase the red wine and olive oil to coat the steak more thoroughly (I do it in a ziploc bag), and you can substitute appropriate quantities of dried herbs for fresh. Broils for about 15 minutes but the thickness varies widely so a thermometer helps.

I've taken to serving it with homemade oven fries and a salad (often a caesar salad in a bag, because I'm lazy) and this is maybe my favorite meal. And you drink the rest of the red wine from the marinade, so pick a good one!

Also a good marinade for flank steak, but the flatiron cut is cheaper.

One of the ones you can leave stuck in during cooking. Because Lo, I am lazy.

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoon Montreal Steak Seasoning

Mix it all up and soak your steaks for at least 30 minutes.