best way to cook steak on a regular electric stove?

[Tokyo Slim]

Originally Posted by GQgeek

300 a pound? Jesus... I had kobe beef offered to me at a restaurant here in montreal (it was 70 bucks) but i went with braised oxtail on a bed of cheese-filled ravioli with a couple sauces, an emulsion, and fresh alba truffles.

It was the best meal ever. Is kobe beef really that good? At the time I thought 70 bucks was a bit overkill for a steak. One day I'm gonna have to sit down and compare various qualities of steak and see if I can tell the difference. I don't eat it enough (i never order steak at restaurants) to be much of a connoiseur. That may change.
It was probably "kobe style" beef... or at best, not Prime Kobe. At that price it is doubtful it was real top quality Kobe Beef. They would have had to ship it from Japan, and for a while there was a ban on Japanese beef in most civilized countries because of a BSE scare.

 

[Tokyo Slim]

This restraunt look frigging good... mmmmm http://www.kobe-rengatei.co.jp/index.html For reference, 160 grams is about 5.6 oz and 22000 is about $190.

 

[edmorel]

Originally Posted by Tokyo Slim

Have you ever had REAL Kobe beef? I mean purebred Wagyu, slaughtered in Kobe, Japan.

The US "Kobe Style" beef is (mostly) a Wagyu crossbreed, and in exchange for the rights to breed the pure strain overseas, the Japanese contractually still own the first rights to any and all of the cattle, so the best cows are shipped back to Japan. Anything sold in the US market is second run beef that the Japanese have already basically rejected as being sub-par. That being said, its still pretty damn good, if you don't make the mistake of cooking it like regular beef.

Supposedly true Kobe Beef is sublime. Basically you have to eat it flash seared rare, or tartare to "get it". If you cook it, you've basically ruined it. I personally have never been able to afford any, since it can run over $300 a pound over there, (and they charge almost twice as much to ship it here, which is why you can't get it here) but maybe someday I'll get the chance to try it in Kobe.

Nope, it is both out of my price range and I'm not a super rare steak type of guy. Plus I like ***** steaks so I don't think Kobe would do it for me. Lastly, everytime a "digested" a pound of the beef I'd be thinking, "damn, I could've bought a pair of shoes with that!"

 

[Tokyo Slim]

Originally Posted by edmorel

Nope, it is both out of my price range and I'm not a super rare steak type of guy. Plus I like ***** steaks so I don't think Kobe would do it for me. Lastly, everytime a "digested" a pound of the beef I'd be thinking, "damn, I could've bought a pair of shoes with that!"
Wait... you DO like ***** steaks, so Kobe isn't your thing? That doesn't make any sense, so I'm going to assume you meant that you like leaner steaks... Since Kobe Beef has some of the highest fat content of any steak on the planet, though its supposedly unsaturated "good" fat. The whole point of Kobe beef is that its the most marbled and exquisitely textured beef in the world.

Medium rare is like the MAXIMUM anyone should ever cook a good steak. If you are worried about your shoe collection, I'd work on that first, the prices of shoes are only going up, where the price of Wagyu and Kobe beef is either pretty steady, or is on a slight decline. :

 

[edmorel]

Originally Posted by Tokyo Slim

Wait... you DO like ***** steaks, so Kobe isn't your thing? That doesn't make any sense, so I'm going to assume you meant that you like leaner steaks... Since Kobe Beef has some of the highest fat content of any steak on the planet, though its supposedly unsaturated "good" fat.

I can't understand how anyone can eat a steak cooked more than medium rare, its like a cardinal sin to anyone who likes beef.

If you are worried about your shoe collection, I'd work on that first, the prices of shoes are only going up, where the price of Wagyu and Kobe beef is either pretty steady, or is on a slight decline.

:

Actually, I meant marbling, I was under the impression that Kobe was not as marbled as American beef (I stand corrected) but again, I've never had it and at those prices, I'm happy to stick with American beef. The shoe thing was a joke, i.e. if I eat a pound of Kobe, that's $300 down the drain, literally.

 

[Tokyo Slim]

Well there's nothing that says that you have to eat a whole pound of it.

I think that it might be worth a couple hundred bucks once in my life just to say I've had it and give an objective opinion.

 

[VKK3450]

I am sure there are one or two exceptions, people or establishments that can get real Kobe in the US and prepare it in accordance with its quality, but it is by no means the norm when you see Kobe on a menu.

Wagyu is a breed of cow which is used in Kobe along with a method of feed and lifestyle to produce true Kobe Beef.

What you see on the menu in North American joints will likely be the Wagyu breed of cattle, raised in the US and slaughtered there. The core of the species is correct, but it very doubtful that it has been raised on the right diet and in the correct manner to be truly called "Kobe Style".

This says nothing for the preparation. We haven't even gotten to that level yet.

"Kobe" steaks in the US are good, but not the same
"Kobe" steak sandwiches are pointless
"Kobe" burgers are laughable.

K

 

[Kent Wang]

 

[VKK3450]

Originally Posted by edmorel

Actually, I meant marbling, I was under the impression that Kobe was not as marbled as American beef (I stand corrected) but again, I've never had it and at those prices, I'm happy to stick with American beef. The shoe thing was a joke, i.e. if I eat a pound of Kobe, that's $300 down the drain, literally.


Kobe / Wagyu is marbled, in fact extremely so. The difference is that it is marbled throughout with the tiniest flecks of fat very equally distributed. American beef is generally marbled with thicker more prominent streaks of fat. While a 300 gram portion of each may contain the same amount of fat, the smaller more dispersed marbling of the Kobe allows the fat to soften during quick cooking and distribute into the meat, also melting in the mouth

Result is a very tender steak. Without larger globs of fat in certain places

K

 

[Tokyo Slim]

Originally Posted by Kent Wang

Dammit Kent... that looks too good!

 

[GQgeek]

Originally Posted by VKK3450

Kobe / Wagyu is marbled, in fact extremely so. The difference is that it is marbled throughout with the tiniest flecks of fat very equally distributed. American beef is generally marbled with thicker more prominent streaks of fat. While a 300 gram portion of each may contain the same amount of fat, the smaller more dispersed marbling of the Kobe allows the fat to soften during quick cooking and distribute into the meat, also melting in the mouth

Result is a very tender steak. Without larger globs of fat in certain places

K

Sounds interesting. The texture of fat makes me gag. You're saying I could bite in to a kobe steak and not feel that sensation? I'm usually a filet mignon or a trim-off all the fat with a scalpel kinda guy.

 

[VKK3450]

Originally Posted by GQgeek

Sounds interesting. The texture of fat makes me gag. You're saying I could bite in to a kobe steak and not feel that sensation? I'm usually a filet mignon or a trim-off all the fat with a scalpel kinda guy.

Another thing about Kobe is that the fat is of a different type. More unsaturated or something. I dont know the exact fat content / distributon. Basically, it is so light that it even starts to break down at room temperature. Chefs cannot keep it in warm parts of a kitchen as the fat will melt prematurely.

That fat consitency along with the very fine marbling makes a steak that does not taste ***** at all. I do recommend you try it. Kobe if you can get it, or Wagyu at least. If done right, it will slaughter a good filet. That said, it can also be done wrong. See my comment above on Kobe steak sandwiches and hamburgers. The name is becoming overextended, and you are ending up with alot of subpar dishes being branded Kobe.

K

 

[Violinist]

Originally Posted by GQgeek

Sounds interesting. The texture of fat makes me gag. You're saying I could bite in to a kobe steak and not feel that sensation? I'm usually a filet mignon or a trim-off all the fat with a scalpel kinda guy.

I don't like chewing on chunks of fat. Well marbled, dry aged meat is good because the fat becomes absorbed into the denser flesh during grilling so you get the flavour without that disgusting gag inducing fat problem.

That being said, my two favourite cuts are probably filet mignon and Striploin. Filet mignon is good because it's essentially a muscle lining the spine of the animal, which because of not much use, is very tender and pretty lean I suppose (which is why some places wrap it in bacon).

I agree about terrible supermarket steak... in Montreal the quality of beef is abysmal. The best you can get here is like a little 200g piece of dog meat that costs you $10 and is totally useless. When I make beef for myself here, I usually just make a roast.

 

[GQgeek]

I can't believe there's no place in montreal to buy good meat. The restaurants have to get it from somewhere. My sister knows the chefs from Bronte and Europea so i'll ask where they get their meat. I'm sure that if you make a large enough order you can get it delivered from a commercial supplier.

 

[Violinist]

Originally Posted by GQgeek

I can't believe there's no place in montreal to buy good meat. The restaurants have to get it from somewhere. My sister knows the chefs from Bronte and Europea so i'll ask where they get their meat. I'm sure that if you make a large enough order you can get it delivered from a commercial supplier.

Provigo and Metro have a higher grade of dog meat. I think there might be some jewish delis on St. Laurent that are good... but that's a bit out of the way.

Ask Queue de Cheval where they get their steak.