I need new ideas for steaks!!!!

[RitaFajita]

isaac,
I think this is a place you can bring ideas and bounce them off. I hope you will continue to do so. Perhaps Cul247 just had a bad day. I've certainly had my share of them!

I had some onions on a steak last night. I thought, when I ordered, "yeah, right, onions on a steak. It's gonna be like always". But it was different, and I liked it. The thing about onions is that, even though they have a distinctive flavor of their own, they will take other flavor when cooked, and in that they can take on a unique thing that is what you do to them.

It's hard when you are under the thumb to impress/produce. If I were you, I would go with what you know. That's what they say about writing - "write about what you know". I think that kind of thing can apply to cooking as well. What do you know about the meats, apart from the everyday expected thing, that can help answer your question? How do you eat at the end of the night when you are putting something together , and you have some leftover meat and mushrooms? What do you nosh on? What is good to you?

RF

[isaac]

RF & Anneke,


Thank you for your posts. Culinary school only teaches you so much and if you think about it, their job is not to teach you trends yet their job is to teach you fundamental techniques. And that is what the CIA has done for me. They have taught me the fundamental techniques both in cooking, baking, and managment.

If someone asks for ideas on something, there should be no "hey... your a chef... you SHOULD know". That is BS! As Anneke and RF said, this is a place to bring ideas to and to seek help when needed. It really pissed me off to hear some people say "hey... your a chef.... figuar it out yourself". That is not a right attitude to help people and this is a place I think one could indulge in culinary arts, get ideas, seek help, and help other people.

How would you feel if you asked how to make bread and I wrote to you and criticized you for not knowing to take water, yeast, salt, and flour and mix it to make bread. Do I say "your a chef and you SHOULD know". No. Why would I? This is a place to seek and learn!

Maybe I could have refraised the question so people would think i was a dumb *** when it comes to steaks but to be frank, i do not eat a lot of red meat and when i have in the past, it was just grilled. So i wanted some different ideas.

[fodigger]

All I can say is wow. One of the reasons I sent money to Nicko/ChefTalk was that there was ALWAYS a giving spirit here to share, to have the patience with others who are maybe not as experienced, in other words help our community to grow. In a way it is a mentoring program albeit long distance. If you take CC's post for example, he not only gave some suggstions but other hints to maybe stir Issacs juices. Next month will be my 29 yr. in this crazy business, I've cooked more steaks than I'd like to think about but I still read the post and thought about the different suggestions weither I currently do something like that or not or what I'd do different w/ that idea or maybe try it as it is stated. As I remember, this is Issacs first Exec. Chef job, think back to your first one and all the pressures to succeed that you placed on yourself maybe then you won't be so harsh in your tone. I think that maybe this is one of the times to keep your fingers off the keyboard.

Just my thoughts anyway.

And here is what I am currently doing:

Compound butters- I love them, the mouth feel, the flavors - currently dijon,garlic,worchestershire salt and pepper

A cabernet Ailoi reduce Cabernet to a syrup and add to ailoi

Gorganzola topped

a roasted NY strip instead of Prime Rib

I hope these help a little. Hang in there and remember no matter how big we may be now we all started where you are at one time. Good Luck.

[soussweets]

well said foddiger!

[boz]

These are a couple I'm playing with.

Filet topped with Crabmeat and Gargonzola.

Mushroom Horseradish sauce.



Matt Boz

[kokopuffs]

What about offering a Rib Steak that, I think, is cut off from the rib roast and arrosed with either a Jack Daniels or whiskey sauce? Perhaps substituting some old Armagnac glazed onions and mushroom peelings.

[lisah]

Try equal parts whole coffee beans and whole black pepper. Whirl in a coffee grinder and coat the steak with that. Then grill (or whatever your prefered method of cooking is).

Lisa

[soussweets]

coffee crust is great. i blend finely ground kona beans with brown sugar and completely coat the steak,,, then serve with a chocolate adobo sauce, mmmmmmmmmmm

[culinarian247]

Please if I offended anyone I'm sorry. I of all people know what it's like to get advice and help from CT'ers. I was just being, well, off. Isaac if I did get under your skin my apologies. I'll edit the post right now.

[shroomgirl]

Wild shrooms..I especially like porcini , hen of the woods, morels, with steak. Sauteed scallions whole yummmm...I like the whole blue, shroom onion combo. Still rib steak with a pile of caramelized onions , and onion rings works...

[chrose]

As I've said in the past "think outside the box". While personally not a big fan of using coffee grounds (if not ground enough it can leave a lasting textural unpleasantness imho) but it is thinking differently which I applaud.
Think of Chinese fish with meat sauce. That doesn't mean there's sauce in the meat, it only means it's the same sauce that's used with meat. So think differently. I like the idea of crab so think crab cakes. Perhaps a filet seasoned with Old Bay and Blue Crab meat. Surf and Turf in one. Use a salt crust, plank it etc.

In other words stop thinking about what to do with a steak and think how you could add steak to a different dish and then incorporate that dish into the steak. Turn it around you might find some interesting results.

[panini]

Hey Ya'll. What's up!
CT is the place to brainstorm. I stopped reading after a few post. Anyway, I personally think it's more of a challabnge to marinate or alter the flavor of beef and maintaining the intergrety of the taste of beef. I myself prefer marinades that accent the flavor of beef although some diners prefer condiments. I love to get some smoke flavor with any cut.
Isaac, I'm sure you have already figured this out already(hope you add some smoke) the more important thing here is, are you done with that candycoater?Wasn't that you?
BTW, you'l;l never please everyone, my wife prefers her steak flames and then all the jellies,sauces etc, me I'm lazy, infuse the flavor or top it, I just don't have the energy to be cuting dipping, stroking,swabbing etc.
Caught three nice rainbow trout last weekend 9ft 5 wt..... midge

[josephreese]

One of the most delicious pieces of the animal I've eaten was a small bit of marrow, fried until just crispy on the outside. I don't know whether that would accompany a piece of the flesh well, but might it work as part of an earlier dish to lead into the meat dish? Or perhaps with some seafood (herbed scallops?) as part of a new-fangled surf & turf dish.

I'm no pro.
Just thinking as I type.

Good luck with the new menu. Where's the restaurant?

[davewarne]

I have to identify with Isaac here. I don't think it matters how long you've been doing the job, you can get a 'writers' block. A friend, a chef, once remarked to me that it was hard work being original. It's very tiring too. It too easy to choose an old favourite.

Xmas being over and the associated bookwork complete I now feel like changing things with a big C. My menu always has a Fillet Steak and I've tried loads of things, but...., looking back at past menus I seem to end up choosing one of maybe a dozen. I feel I'm getting boring, but my customers don't. They're a conservative lot, customers, so don't start getting to outlandish.

Currently the steak is being pan fried with a sauce made with demi-galce ( I still use it ), red wine, redwine vinegar and pickled walnuts.

Happy New Year

[Anneke]

Isaac, we garnish our filet with a small piece of braised beef rib, finished in tons of sliced shallots and reduced beet juice with vinegar. The sauce is wine, beets and beef jus. Very Michel Guerard.