[jacuzzo]

Hi folks,

I am new to this site. I found it because I am having trouble adjusting to a new piece of equipment that the owner wants us to use: a flat top grill.

We are making melts now and are having some difficulty with balancing the temperature requirements for reheating the meats and toasting the bread.

For example we do a prime rib melt on sour dough. We want the meat to remain medium rare. It is thinly sliced portioned and frozen. The method is to take it from the freezer place on flat top and reheat to temp using a dash of water for steam.

I have found that the meat overcooks using this method it is no longer pink. This method was forced on us by the owner. The Flat Top is at 350 to toast the bread. But the meat gets over cooked. So if I set up a zone for only reheating the meat, what is the ideal temperature?

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance:

Jacuzzo

 

[chefbuba]

You can't cook thinly sliced frozen meat medium rare.
Why is it being frozen in the first place?

 

[chefross]

You can't cook thinly sliced frozen meat medium rare.
Why is it being frozen in the first place?

Chef, I think they may cook a roast to medium rare, then slice into portions to freeze. They take out what they need for each order.

Jacuzzo, Welcome to ChefTalk.

I don't know your kitchen.

Would you happen to have a stove nearby with a burner you could devote to a simmering pot of Au Jus?

That way, the grill is now freed for you to grill the sourdough.

When an order comes up, pull the portioned meat from the freezer and place in the simmering Jus.

It should only take moments to heat the meat. Now with your tongs, fish out the meat and place on the flat top, put cheese on top and cover with a lid. The residual juice coming from the meat will melt the cheese and your done.

As far as the medium rare goes, that all takes planning ahead of time. The roast should have been cooked more rare before slicing and portioning, so that medium rare can be achieved with simmering Jus.

 

[jimyra]

Why are you precooking the meat?  Why not thinly slice and cook on the flattop? Use a whole rib eye.

 

[jacuzzo]

Thanks for all of the suggestions, Yes we cook a whole roast and portion it then freeze in order to preserve the product. It is not optimal, I admit, but we are talking about a kitchen in a bowling alley. We don't have the demand that would move it right away.

I like the idea of cooking it to rare and then using Au Jus to heat it. The cheese is melted on the sour dough as it toasts. So that would not be a problem.

My only worry is a really sloppy sandwich.

My current solution is to have on portion of the griddle set to 225 and another portion at 350. We use the 225 to heat the meat and the 350 to toast the bread.

I could try cooking the roast more rare and then using the 225 to bring it up to temp. My only worry is that I have increased the surface area of the beef, hence needing to cook it hot enough to kill any bacteria. But that is one benefit of freezing it right away no?

Jacuzzo.

 

[flipflopgirl]

Are you at any point in time serving the roast as a plated meal?

If not why precook at all?

Shave a whole raw frozen roast then portion.. package.. date and store in freezer.

Depending on the slicer you may have to partially defrost the roast.

One partial defrost will not be detrimental to the quality at all.

If you are mindful of the time the window is barely breeched.

mimi

 

[jacuzzo]

Thanks for all of the great help everyone!

I was just thinking..You guys are great on the beef ideas.

But I was worrying about melts in general.
 

They deal with cooked meat that doesn't want to be cooked further.

So say I am making a sandwich with turkey..a turkey melt....What temp is best for that?

LFJ

 

[jay lancaster]

For the turkey it doesn't matter...as at that point you're only melting cheese.  

Toast the bread, top it with turkey & cheese, throw in a few cubes of ice, cover for 30 seconds...cheese melted and you're off.

 

[jacuzzo]

Thanks  again..but what temperature should the flat top be set at?

I am sure it matters what temp it is.

It is not a problem as far as how to make a melt. I want to know the ideal temperature.

LFJ

 

[flipflopgirl]

All flat tops are different so those bright and shiny new knobs are virtually useless.

You will need to play with the heat until you find your sweet spot.

mimi

 

[flipflopgirl]

All flat tops are different so those bright and shiny new knobs are virtually useless.

You will need to play with the heat until you find your sweet spot.

mimi

Let me rephrase this...

They all have different personalities with hot and cool spots.

Same with an oven.

It is like a honeymoon and you are the groom.

mimi

 

[laurenlulu]

HA!! Mimi you crack me up