[surge84]

I consider myself ok on the grill. I've been doing it for a while and have learned so much and have so much more to learn. My question is this: When I go out to eat and order something grilled from the menu, it never fails to have this distinct "restaurant" taste that for the life of me I can't duplicate at home. Everything just tastes "more grilled" is the best way I can describe it. I just don't know how they do it. I've tried gas and charcoal. I can't figure out if it's the quality meat that they are getting, or the way they season the meat maybe, or what? Some of these places are locally owned and operated and still have this taste down cold. Are there any secrets besides just being a professional cook? Thanks guys!

[m brown]

It's true, the professional equipment gets hotter, faster and retains the heat longer.
A teacher/chef of mine used to get PO'd if a student didn't cook with high heat! "You don't want to boil it, you want to sear it!!!" and then a saute pan would go flying thru the air!

Bigger BTU's!

[surge84]

Thanks. I feel better already!

[Luc_H]

Hi Surge84,

M Brown is right about the BTUs.

I find that there's also a distinctive taste on flame broiled steaks that resembles like butane (petrochemical). If you are referring to that taste/smell that is due to the fat rendering and falling on very hot flames or surfaces. The flare up a restaurant grill makes gives off a distinctive flavour that is hard to duplicate at home.

The main reason is there's more fat being ignited due to the volume of food being processed during the whole day. Some of the fat just smokes on cooler surfaces instead of igniting also giving that distinctive butane note (similar to the smoking process).

This flavour can be duplicated in an industrial process by using vegetable oil and basically burning it then capturing the fumes with water mist. The resulting product is called a Grilled Flavour that often is added to fast food burgers, chain restaurant seasoned meat and even snack foods to simulate this grilling flavour you describe.
see: Process to produce grilled flavor composition - Patent 5952029
or
Grilled flavor without a grill - R&D Applications - New outdoor grill taste for foods - Brief Article - Product Announcement Prepared Foods - Find Articles

Luc

[Ma Facon]

Da Hotter Da Better............Discover how much water is the makeup of foodstuff and conquer the evaporation via heat source. It's not a secret, It is more heat. Simple .......................

[OregonYeti]

'We're ALL amateurs; It's just that some of us are more professional about it than others'. Hah I like that. If there was nothing more to learn in my trade, I'd do something else.

[Cat Man]

Originally Posted by Luc_H

Hi Surge84,

M Brown is right about the BTUs.

I find that there's also a distinctive taste on flame broiled steaks that resembles like butane (petrochemical). If you are referring to that taste/smell that is due to the fat rendering and falling on very hot flames or surfaces. The flare up a restaurant grill makes gives off a distinctive flavour that is hard to duplicate at home.

The main reason is there's more fat being ignited due to the volume of food being processed during the whole day. Some of the fat just smokes on cooler surfaces instead of igniting also giving that distinctive butane note (similar to the smoking process).

This flavour can be duplicated in an industrial process by using vegetable oil and basically burning it then capturing the fumes with water mist. The resulting product is called a Grilled Flavour that often is added to fast food burgers, chain restaurant seasoned meat and even snack foods to simulate this grilling flavour you describe.
see: Process to produce grilled flavor composition - Patent 5952029
or
Grilled flavor without a grill - R&D Applications - New outdoor grill taste for foods - Brief Article - Product Announcement Prepared Foods - Find Articles

Luc

I think Luc is referring to PAH's
Poly Arromatic HydroCarbons
They really do make a steak taste 'grilled'.

BTU's and commercial equipment also comes into play, as does aging, pinning etc.

Retail outlets rarely age fresh beef properly because they don't want to lose shelf life, whereas a steakhouse chain know;s exactly what it's going to use week in and week out. Therefore, they can administer any customized specs they want.

Cat Man

[OregonYeti]

Restaurant secrets--I'm glad to hear this is about the recipes and not about which employee is seeing another employee's ex-boyfriend

[Ma Facon]

Originally Posted by OregonYeti

'We're ALL amateurs; It's just that some of us are more professional about it than others'. Hah I like that. If there was nothing more to learn in my trade, I'd do something else.

Take off the blinders my friend................

[Ma Facon]

Originally Posted by surge84

I consider myself ok on the grill. I've been doing it for a while and have learned so much and have so much more to learn. My question is this: When I go out to eat and order something grilled from the menu, it never fails to have this distinct "restaurant" taste that for the life of me I can't duplicate at home. Everything just tastes "more grilled" is the best way I can describe it. I just don't know how they do it. I've tried gas and charcoal. I can't figure out if it's the quality meat that they are getting, or the way they season the meat maybe, or what? Some of these places are locally owned and operated and still have this taste down cold. Are there any secrets besides just being a professional cook? Thanks guys!

There has never been a secret in a restaurant that wasn't in a houshold first.....I'll bet my life on that.

[Cat Man]

Ma Facon

Oh come on now. Are you suggesting that a new creative culinary invention hasn't been created outside the home kitchen?

That's absurd. However, I will admit that many great culinary inventions have been created in home kitchens.

Cat Man

[DC Sunshine]

Cat Man

Oh c'mon now....men who were chefs stole ALL the ideas off their wives at home and claimed they invented them themselves in restaurants.

I'll run away now so you can't slap me hehe

DC

[OregonYeti]

Then how come I cook way better than my wife does, and she admits it . .

[OregonYeti]

Oh because she kind of likes me doing the cooking . . .

[DC Sunshine]

She's a clever lady. My other half says I make the best coffee, and he gets it every time. Me sucked in ha!