Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Quest for the Holy Grail of Steak

Where can we find the Holy Grail of Steaks? Assuming that price is absolutely no object, where can we purchase top loin (aka New York, Kansas City and strip) steaks or even the entire short loin subprimal, with all the following information about the steaks' origin:
  • Farm(s): What are the names and addresses of all the cow-calf, backgrounder, stocker, feedlot and other farms where the cattle was raised?
  • Breed: What is the breed (or hybrid) of the cattle?
  • Sex: What is the sex (e.g. steer) of the cattle?
  • Medication: What are the names and dates of administration of all vaccines, worming, antibiotics, hormones, etc.?
  • Feed: What are the names and dates when the cattle was fed grass (exaclty what types of grass and foliage), grain and other feeds?
  • Grade: What is the USDA grade, if applicable?
  • Age: What is the age of the cattle at slaughter? (As you know, USDA Prime Grade means that the maturity (estimated age) is less than 42 months, and if graded Prime0 or higher, the estimated age is less than 30 months.)
  • Marbling: What is the marbling score or IMF% at Rib 12/13? (As you also know, USDA Prime Grade means that the marbling is slightly abundant (SLAB00) or higher, but we want the highest possible -- knowing that only a very few (1 out of 10,000?) attains a marbling score of AB50 or higher.
In summary, can we purchase the highest-quality steak and know everything that the cattle farmer knows about how our steak was grown? Our goal is to be able to replcate a steak's taste, time after time (at least during a single season).

The best analogy (with all due credit to Carrie Oliver, of the Artisan Beef Institute) is with wine. In the "old days", we Americans bought "jug wine", produced from grapes from different farms, different varieties, etc. Today however, we demand wine from a known farm, grape variety, vintage year, etc. Thus, with wine, we can duplicate the taste from bottle to bottle, because each bottle is filled with wine from the same farm, same grape variety, same vintage year, etc.

Is this impossible with steak? Whether we purchase the most expensive steak from our local butcher or order the best at any steakhouse, we cannot replicate the taste. Next time we purchase or order, the odds are overwhelming that our next steak will be from a different farm, a different breed, etc. The reason that we cannot duplicate a great steak today seems to be that the producers sort them only by grade and not by farm, breed, etc.

The branded beef program doesn't work, because none of them limits its sales to only the highest quality steak. Most range from mid-choice to low-prime. As far as breed, many (like CAB) are not limited to a single breed but only to hair color (e.g. CAB and black hide color).

We know that there are some farmers who sell steak directly, but we know of none that is either USDA-graded or privately-certified marbling scores.

Perhaps our problem is insoluble becuase of statistics. That is, if the very highest quality steak comes from one-in-a-thousand or one-in-ten-thousand steers, then only the very largest producers may be able to match their farm/breed information with their high prime grade steak.

Is our quest for the Holy Grail of Steaks doomed to failure? Please post your comments/feedback. Thanks in advance.

CONCLUSION

SteakPerfection welcomes your comments.  Please share them below.  SteakPerfection is a complex process that involves every detail, from pasture to plate.
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First posted to CattleToday.com on 122810@2136

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Friday, July 9, 2010

Does Never-Frozen Dry-Aged Steak Taste Different?

BLOG UPDATES
Saturday 7/10/10 at 1:00 pm Update.

One of the Tweet community's most-respected beef experts says that there is no detectible difference whatsoever, as long as the steak is properly vacuum packed and flash-frozen.

No one, she says, no matter how fine a palate, can differentiate, in a blind taste test, between previously-frozen and never-frozen high quality, dry-aged steak, as long as the previously-frozen steak was properly handled (i.e., vacuum-packed, flash-frozen and properly stored and thawed).

Saturday 7/10/10 at 11:00 am Update.

One Tweep recently claimed that freezing a steak would cause it to lose its juices when it thaws.

Another Tweep challenged the claim, analogizing to an ice cube: the ice cube doesn't lose the water when it thaws.

We tweeted a third analogy (of unknown scientific validity): a bottle filled with water. When it freezes, the glass bottle breaks. Then, when it thaws, the water leaks away.

This analogy is to the cell structure within meat. When frozen, the water contained within each cell causes the cell walls to break. Then when thawed, the water which was previously contained within each cell leaks into the inter-cellular meat tissue. During cooking, the water not contained within the cell walls evaporates, leaving the meat dry (less juicy).

We need facts to know whether any of these analogies is valid. We'll continue to post updates to this Blog, so subscribe to keep up.

Saturday 7/10/10 at 10:00 am Update.

Two experts have so far weighed in on this Blog's question about whether never-frozen dry-aged steak tastes different from previously-frozen.

A meat scientist reports that previously-frozen meat would be tenderer than never-frozen with an estimated difference of 0.5kg. That's correct: previously-frozen is tenderer! Since tenderer steak is usually better, this finding could open up a new method to enhance the quality of dry-aged steak: freeze-thaw before cooking.

A New York grass-fed cattle farmer reports that frozen meat is wonderful and convenient for both farmers and home cooks. She reports that freezing helps #gassfed farmers harvest at best time.

This is becoming for interesting, because I have always assumed that freezing would harm the palatability of high quality, dry-aged steak. My assumption arises because of freezing's negative affect on fish and other food. Maybe I'm wrong!

We're going to discuss this topic on Twitter at #steakchat this coming Wednesday, 7/14/10, at 8:00 pm ET (5:00 pm PT).

Please join #steakchat on Wednesday
to discuss this important topic!

And please keep sending your information!

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Do you think that _some_ steak experts can consistently identify previously-frozen vs never-frozen 28-day dry-aged USDA Prime Grade steak?

BLIND "TASTE" TEST

We require a valid, blind "taste" test.

We are defining a "taste" test to include flavor, juiciness and tenderness -- that is, all the sensory attributes, including sight. The "blind" in our blind taste test refers to the fact that the subject of the test has no information about which steak was previously-frozen and which was never-frozen. For simplicity, we call this a "blind taste test".

We're not talking about the average eater but the small minority of people (maybe 5%) who have a fine, educated palate. This is similar to a "Nose" who can identify wine, perfume, cheese, etc. These are people who have the ability -- the 'mouth' -- to separate the previously-frozen from the never-frozen in a blind taste test consistently, repeatedly, any day. That is, they are not just making a lucky guess but must consistently demonstrate their ability to differentiate between the two.

In addition, of course, the two steaks in each blind taste test -- one previously frozen and the other never-frozen -- must be exactly the same cut, from the same carcass and cooked exactly the same way.

To make the question relevant (since dry-aging is usually used only for the best steak), the test specifies that the steaks in each test be USDA Prime Grade (i.e. the steaks are from young steers and are reasonably well-marbled).

We welcome information about the results of the same bling taste test applied to frozen vs never-frozen grass-fed steak, where all other variables are exactly the same.

"DIFFERENT", NOT "BETTER"

This survey does not test the question of whether never-frozen tastes better than previously-frozen. (Remember, as described above, that "taste" includes all sensory elements, including flavor, juiciness, tenderness and even sight.)

Instead, the survey focuses only on whether or not each has a different taste from the other than can be identified consistently by at least some tasters.

SCIENTIC BASIS

If you think that some can pass the test, what is the scientific reason? Do so many beef cells explode that the cooked steak comes out mushy?

FEEDBACK

Please post your information by comment below, by email, or by tweeting tweet us @SteakPerfection.

If you have any more questions, send them by DM, tweet or other way (see below).

BLOG UPDATE

When we obtain and analyze the scientific data, we shall update this blog with the results of this survey. Until this blog is updated with the final results, follow the progress of this survey:

JOIN US AT #STEAKCHAT
EVERY WEDNESDAY AT 8:00 pm ET

STEAKPERFECTION

SteakPerfection welcomes your comments.  Please share them below.  Also, please let us know if you see any errors.  We try to ensure that all of the steak information that we provide is both accurate and supported by credible cites.  Thus, please let us about any errors, so that and we can correct them immediately.

SteakPerfection is a complex process that involves every detail, from pasture to plate.
Click here for our SteakPerfection Twitter.
Click here for our Steak Perfection Facebook.
Click here for our Steak Perfection Blog.
Click here for our Steak Perfection LinkedIn.
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Sunday, June 6, 2010

#SteakChat 6/9/10: Cooking Steak

#STEAKCHAT TOPIC ON 6/9/10

For the #SteakChat conversation on June 9, 2010, the topic will be:
What’s the best way to cook a great steak?

There are 8 cooking equipment options, 10 techniques, 9 fuels and 10 temperature levels. Which combinations have you tried? Which do you prefer? Which produce great steak? Which are likely to produce mediocre steak?

5 COOKING EQUIPMENT OPTIONS

There are 5 basic cooking equipment options available for steak:
  1. Broiler
  2. Grill
  3. Oven
  4. Pan
  5. Sous Vide
Which of these produces great steaks? Which produce mediocre steaks?

10 COOKING TECHNIQUES

There are 10 basic cooking techniques for steak:
  1. Boil
  2. Braise
  3. Broil
  4. Grill
  5. Pan Fry
  6. Pan Roast
  7. Roast
  8. Stew
  9. Sauté
  10. Stir Fry
Which of these produces great steaks? Which produce mediocre steaks?

9 COOKING FUELS

There are 9 basic cooking fuels that produce heat to cook steak:
  1. Briquettes (variety of types)
  2. Electric Elements (e.g. broiler)
  3. Hardwood (variety of types)
  4. Infrared Tiles
  5. Lump Charcoal (variety of types)
  6. Metal Conduction (e.g. pay fry)
  7. Natural Gas
  8. Propane Gas
  9. Sous Vide (i.e. low heat via plastic bag in water)
Which of these produces great steaks? Which produce mediocre steaks?

10 COOKING TEMPERATURE LEVELS

There are 10 different temperature levels for cooking steak (all temperatures are given in degrees Fahrenheit):
  1. 1,200° to 1,600°
  2. 900° to 1,200°
  3. 750° to 900°
  4. 650° to 750°
  5. 550° to 650°
  6. 450° to 550°
  7. 350° to 450°
  8. 250° to 350°
  9. 212° to 250°
  10. 125° (sous vide) to 212°
Which of these produces great steaks? Which produce mediocre steaks?

WHAT IS #STEAKCHAT?

#SteakChat invites everyone who want to discuss and share ideas about steak.

#SteakChat covers topics such as the many different tastes and textures produced by different cooking methods, cooking fuels, steak cuts, steak marbling, cattle breeds, cattle feed, and even different farms.

#SteakChat takes place every Wednesday at 8:00 pm ET (every Thursday at 0000 GMT) and lasts about one hour.

#SteakChat may be very fast-paced. It takes place in real time, as a streaming conversation. Think of #SteakChat as a group of friends having a discussion about steak while standing around a backyard grill or dining in a steak house.

For information about how to participate in #SteakChat, see our Blog on How to Participate in #SteakChat.

MORE QUESTIONS?

If you have any more questions, send them by DM, tweet or other way (see below).

JOIN US AT #STEAKCHAT
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, AT 8:00 pm ET

STEAKPERFECTION

SteakPerfection welcomes your comments.  Please share them below.  Also, please let us know if you see any errors.  We try to ensure that all of the steak information that we provide is both accurate and supported by credible cites.  Thus, please let us about any errors, so that and we can correct them immediately.

SteakPerfection is a complex process that involves every detail, from pasture to plate.
Click here for our SteakPerfection Twitter.
Click here for our Steak Perfection Facebook.
Click here for our Steak Perfection Blog.
Click here for our Steak Perfection LinkedIn.
Click here for our Steak Perfection Wave.
Click here for our Steak Perfection website.

A short link to this blog is http://bit.ly/9nLSdX

#SteakChat 6/9/10: Cooking Steak

#STEAKCHAT TOPIC ON 6/9/10

For the #SteakChat conversation on June 9, 2010, the topic will be:
What’s the best way to cook a great steak?

There are 8 cooking equipment options, 10 techniques, 9 fuels and 10 temperature levels. Which combinations have you tried? Which do you prefer? Which produce great steak? Which are likely to produce mediocre steak?

5 COOKING EQUIPMENT OPTIONS

There are 5 basic cooking equipment options available for steak:
  1. Broiler
  2. Grill
  3. Oven
  4. Pan
  5. Sous Vide
Which of these produces great steaks? Which produce mediocre steaks?

10 COOKING TECHNIQUES

There are 10 basic cooking techniques for steak:
  1. Boil
  2. Braise
  3. Broil
  4. Grill
  5. Pan Fry
  6. Pan Roast
  7. Roast
  8. Stew
  9. Sauté
  10. Stir Fry
Which of these produces great steaks? Which produce mediocre steaks?

9 COOKING FUELS

There are 9 basic cooking fuels that produce heat to cook steak:
  1. Briquettes (variety of types)
  2. Electric Elements (e.g. broiler)
  3. Hardwood (variety of types)
  4. Infrared Tiles
  5. Lump Charcoal (variety of types)
  6. Metal Conduction (e.g. pay fry)
  7. Natural Gas
  8. Propane Gas
  9. Sous Vide (i.e. low heat via plastic bag in water)
Which of these produces great steaks? Which produce mediocre steaks?

10 COOKING TEMPERATURE LEVELS

There are 10 different temperature levels for cooking steak (all temperatures are given in degrees Fahrenheit):
  1. 1,200° to 1,600°
  2. 900° to 1,200°
  3. 750° to 900°
  4. 650° to 750°
  5. 550° to 650°
  6. 450° to 550°
  7. 350° to 450°
  8. 250° to 350°
  9. 212° to 250°
  10. 125° (sous vide) to 212°
Which of these produces great steaks? Which produce mediocre steaks?

WHAT IS #STEAKCHAT?

#SteakChat invites everyone who want to discuss and share ideas about steak.

#SteakChat covers topics such as the many different tastes and textures produced by different cooking methods, cooking fuels, steak cuts, steak marbling, cattle breeds, cattle feed, and even different farms.

#SteakChat takes place every Wednesday at 8:00 pm ET (every Thursday at 0000 GMT) and lasts about one hour.

#SteakChat may be very fast-paced. It takes place in real time, as a streaming conversation. Think of #SteakChat as a group of friends having a discussion about steak while standing around a backyard grill or dining in a steak house.

For information about how to participate in #SteakChat, see our Blog on How to Participate in #SteakChat.

MORE QUESTIONS?

If you have any more questions, send them by DM, tweet or other way (see below).
JOIN US AT #STEAKCHAT ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9

STEAKPERFECTION

SteakPerfection welcomes your comments.  Please share them below.  Also, please let us know if you see any errors.  We try to ensure that all of the steak information that we provide is both accurate and supported by credible cites.  Thus, please let us about any errors, so that and we can correct them immediately.

SteakPerfection is a complex process that involves every detail, from pasture to plate.
Click here for our SteakPerfection Twitter.
Click here for our Steak Perfection Facebook.
Click here for our Steak Perfection Blog.
Click here for our Steak Perfection LinkedIn.
Click here for our Steak Perfection Wave.
Click here for our Steak Perfection website.

A short link to this blog is http://bit.ly/cXpbkD

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

How To Participate in #SteakChat

WHAT IS #STEAKCHAT?

#SteakChat is the name of a conversation held on Twitter every week.

#SteakChat invites everyone who wants to discuss and share ideas about steak.

#SteakChat covers topics such as the many different tastes and textures produced by different cooking methods, cooking fuels, steak cuts, steak marbling, cattle breeds, cattle feed, and even different farms.

#SteakChat takes place every Wednesday at 8:00 pm ET (every Thursday at 0000 GMT) and lasts about one hour.

#SteakChat may be very fast-paced. It takes place in real time, as a streaming conversation. Think of #SteakChat as a group of friends having a discussion about steak while standing around a backyard grill or dining in a steak house.

WHO SHOULD JOIN?

#SteakChat welcomes everyone with an interest in the enjoyment of steak. This includes diners who love steak, professional chefs and backyard grillers who cook steak, butchers who prepare steak, farmers who raise beef cattle, and everyone else who is interested in steak.

WHAT'S THE EASIEST WAY TO JOIN?

Joining and participating in #SteakChat is easy for beginners.

The easiest way for beginners to join #SteakChat is to go to the Tweetchat website at http://www.tweetchat.com -- and then type #steakchat as the 'room.'

You will then be able to read the conversation and to post your own responses.

WHAT IS A HASHTAG?

A hashtag is how people follow conversations and everyone's tweets.

Our hashtag is #SteakChat. This is the # sign followed (without any space)by the name of our conversation. We have registered our hashtage #SteakChat officially for our weekly conversations.

Note that #SteakChat and #steakchat (different capitalizations) are exactly the same in all of these sites.

Every tweet must contain the #SteakChat hashtag. You can type it yourself or, if you use Twubs or Tweetchat, the hashtag will be typed automatically with every tweet, so it is not necessary for you to type it separately.

The hashtag is often put at the very end of the tweet, but it will work correctly no matter where in the tweet it is placed.

WHAT ARE SOME OTHER MORE DIFFICULT WAYS TO JOIN?

Some advanced users follow #SteakChat on Twitter itself by typing #SteakChat in the Search window on the right side of the screen. This is a little more difficult, however, because you will have to refresh the screen regularly, plus you have to type the #SteakChat hashtage in each tweet.

More advanced or regular participants may prefer to join through http://twubs.com/steakchat.

The most advanced users may select another browser or program, such as TweetDeck, which is available on computers and mobile devides like the iPhone.

INTRODUCING YOURSELF

The very first question at the beginning of #SteakChat will be to ask people their names, locations and interest in steak. Most participants will introduce themselves with something like (for example): "Q1. Hi. I'm Jane in Tokyo. I love to cook steak for my friends." (See the next section for the meaning of "Q1".)

Some people prefer not to tweet. They are called "lurkers", because they follow the conversation ("convo") without tweeting themselves. It's okay if you'd prefer to lurk, but it's usually more fun and informative if you participate by tweeting.

WHAT IS THE Q-NUMBER?

During #SteakChat, the moderator asks a series of questions. Each question has a question number (Q-number), such as Q1 or Q2 etc.

These numbers are used in the archives so that others will be able to follow the questions and answers. Therefore, to make it easy for everyone, participants should begin each of their tweets (their answers) with the same question number.

For example, suppose that the Moderator's tweet is, "Q2: What is your favorite steak cut?" In this case, a proper response would be, "Q2 My favorite cut is the rib cap steak, because it is so beefy and tender and juicy."

So please use the Q-number with each of your tweets during #SteakChat.

In fact, this means that each of your tweets should begin with the Q-number and end with the hashtag #SteakChat.

MORE QUESTIONS?

If you have any more questions, send them by DM, tweet or other way (see below).

STEAKPERFECTION

SteakPerfection welcomes your comments.  Please share them below.  Also, please let us know if you see any errors.  We try to ensure that all of the steak information that we provide is both accurate and supported by credible cites.  Thus, please let us about any errors, so that and we can correct them immediately.

SteakPerfection is a complex process that involves every detail, from pasture to plate.
Click here for our SteakPerfection Twitter.
Click here for our Steak Perfection Facebook.
Click here for our Steak Perfection Blog.
Click here for our Steak Perfection LinkedIn.
Click here for our Steak Perfection Wave.
Click here for our Steak Perfection website.

A short link to this blog is http://bit.ly/bv3fuc

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Wagyu: American Cattlemen To Rescue Japan's Wagyu?

Will United States cattlemen be asked to rescue the Japanese beef cattle industry?

SUMMARY

Wagyu beef cattle in Japan are being decimated by foot-and-mouth disease. The Japanese government has ordered thousands of the most valuable Wagyu cattle to be destroyed, in order to contain the highly-contagious disease.

The same Wagyu breed are raised in the United States. Will American cattlemen come to the rescue of the Japanese beef industry, just as American farmers rescued the French wine industry 150 years ago.

WAGYU CATTLE

Wagyu beef cattle produces among the most valuable, highly marbled steak in the world.

When the cattle are raised in the Japanese Prefecture of Kobe, the cattle are called Kobe beef. The price for the highest quality of Kobe beef is significantly more than $100.00 per pound.

The Wagyu breed was developed originally in Japan. Today, Wagyu beef cattle are raised not only in Japan but in several other countries, including the United States.

2010 CRISIS IN JAPAN

Much of Japan's Wagyu cattle are now being decimated by foot-and-mouth disease. As a result, Japan's cattlemen are in danger of losing their Wagyu entire Wagyu seed stock.

Japan's cattlemen are facing the greatest disaster in their history. ABC News is reporting today that "Japan will slaughter dozens of its top Wagyu stud bulls as a foot-and-mouth outbreak continues its rapid spread through the country's south."

There is a real danger that the entire Japanese beef cattle industry will be destroyed.

1865 CRISIS IN FRANCE

In the mid-19th Century, a similar agricultural crisis occurred in France. A disease in the vineyards spread throughout France and much of Europe. The blight became the greatest disaster in the history of wine. Called grape Phylloxera, the disease decimated the French vineyards.

In 1882, American scientists at the University of California discovered a method to prevent the blight. They found that grafting the French vine (Vitis vinifera) onto the Californian vine (Vitis californica) prevented the Phylloxera from spreading.

With this discovery, American farmers came to the rescue of French farmers. Americans grew and sent thousands of vines to France, where French farmers planted the vines and then the grafted onto them the dying French vines. The solution worked. See the history of the great epidemic.

Today, French farmers owe their roots (literally) to American farmers.

2010 AMERICAN RESCUE?

As the Wagyu beef cattle crisis looms in Japan, farmers there face the prospect of losing their entire herds and stock.

American farmers may be called on again to come to the rescue of fellow-farmers. Like their predecessors 150 years ago, American farmers, if called upon, stand ready, willing and able to come to the rescue of their Japanese counterparts.

SteakPerfection

SteakPerfection welcomes your comments.  Please share them below.  Also, please let us know if you see any errors. We try to ensure that all of the steak information that we provide is both accurate and supported by credible cites. Thus, please let us about any errors, so that and we can correct them immediately.

SteakPerfection is a complex process that involves every detail, from pasture to plate.
Click here for our SteakPerfection Twitter.
Click here for our Steak Perfection Facebook.
Click here for our Steak Perfection Blog.
Click here for our Steak Perfection LinkedIn.
Click here for our Steak Perfection Wave.
Click here for our Steak Perfection website.

A short link to this blog is http://bit.ly/9rMFfp

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Cuts: What is a Sirloin Steak?

The biggest problem that steak lovers have is learning the many different words for different steaks.

None is more complicated that the "sirloin steak".

What exactly is a sirloin steak?

SUMMARY

A "sirloin steak" can mean any of eleven different steaks.  One of these is the very best and most expensive steak.  The other ten are not nearly as good and should be much less expensive.

Some markets, butchers and steak houses may foist off, on buyers who do not know better, one of the ten, inferior quality sirloin steaks as being a much better steak.  Therefore, steak buyers should never order a "sirloin steak".

Instead, steak buyers should order the specific "sirloin steak" that they want.

Informed buyers always ask questions, so they get the exact steak that they want and expect.

STRIP LOIN STEAK

In the UK and often in the US, the word "sirloin steak" is synonymous with the steak known variously as a strip steak, New York steak, Kansas City steak, etc.  In the US, the official name is "Beef Loin, Strip Loin Steak, Boneless", IMPS/NAMP Item No. 1180.

Many steak masters, including SteakPerfection, consider the strip loin steak to be the very best.  The strip loin steak, when the highest quality and properly aged, is the most expensive: more expensive than a comparable ribeye, tenderloin or porterhouse steak.

For more information on this meaning, see our blog on "What is a strip / New York / Kansas City steak?"

TEN STEAKS FROM THE SIRLOIN SUBPRIMAL

In most of the US, the word "sirloin steak" does not mean the strip loin steak but instead means one of ten different inferior quality steaks.  All ten steaks are cut from the subprimal "Beef Loin, Sirloin", IMPS/NAMP 181.  The names and IMPS/NAMP item numbers of these ten steaks are as follows.  The first four are bone-in sirloin steaks, and the last six are boneless sirloin steaks.
  1. Beef Loin Sirloin Steak, Pin Bone, first anterior bone-in cut from IMPS/NAMP 181
  2. Beef Loin Sirloin Steak, Flat Bone, second anterior bone-in cut from IMPS/NAMP 181
  3. Beef Loin Sirloin Steak, Round Bone, third anterior bone-in cut from IMPS/NAMP 181
  4. Beef Loin Sirloin Steak, Wedge Bone, four anterior (so last or posterior) bone-in cut from IMPS/NAMP 181
  5. Beef Loin, Top Sirloin Butt Steak, Boneless, IMPS/NAMP 1184
  6. Beef Loin, Top Sirloin Cap Steak, Boneless (also known as the Coulotte), IMPS/NAMP 1184D
  7. Beef Loin, Top Sirloin, ‘Baseball Cut’ Steak, IMPS/NAMP 1184F
  8. Beef Loin, Bottom Sirloin Butt, Flap Steak (also known as the bavette steak), IMPS/NAMP 1185A
  9. Beef Loin, Bottom Sirloin Butt, Ball Tip Steak, IMPS/NAMP 1185B
  10. Beef Loin, Bottom Sirloin Butt, Tri-Tip Steak, IMPS/NAMP 1185C
(Note that the Beef Loin, Top Sirloin, ‘Baseball Cut’ Steak, IMPS/NAMP 1184F, is a newly designated sirloin steak in the 2010 IMPS from the previous 1996 IMPS.)

For more information and pictures of these ten different sirloin steaks, see our SteakPerfection website.

CONCLUSION

Your local butcher, market or steak house may sell a "sirloin steak".  But that can mean any of eleven different steaks.  Maybe it means the highest quality, strip loin steak, but it could also mean a much lower quality tri-tip steak.

We at SteakPerfection love our tri-tip steak, but, all things being equal, we would never expect a tri-tip steak to be as flavorful, tender or juicy as a strip loin steak.  Nor would be pay nearly as much for a tri-tip steak as we would for a strip loin steak, which may cost six times more per pound.

Therefore
  • Never order a "sirloin steak"!
  • Be an informed buyer.
  • Know your steak cuts.
  • Ask questions.
  • Order the specific "sirloin steak" that you want and expect.
Enjoy!!

SteakPerfection

SteakPerfection welcomes your comments.  Please share them below.  We try to ensure that all of the steak information that we provide is accurate and cited, so please let us know if we make any errors, so that we can correct them.

SteakPerfection is a complex process that involves every detail, from pasture to plate.
Click here for our SteakPerfection Twitter.
Click here for our Steak Perfection Facebook.
Click here for our Steak Perfection Blog.
Click here for our Steak Perfection LinkedIn.
Click here for our Steak Perfection Wave.
Click here for our Steak Perfection website.

A short link to this blog is http://bit.ly/9i1yEA

Monday, May 24, 2010

Your Steak Info: Farm Name

What do you know about your steak?

What should you know about your steak?

Let's looks at the many things that you should know about your steak.

We'll begin with this blog and focus on what you should know about the beef cattle farm where your steak came from.

Because we are interested in SteakPerfection, we will concentrate on the best steaks, which come from the best beef cattle, which (as we shall learn) is limited to young steers.

FARM NAME AND ADDRESS

The first and most obvious fact that you should know about your steak is the name and address of the cattle farm where it came from.

Is the farm where the cattle was raised located in the Nebraska, Texas, Colorado, California, or another of the great beef cattle states? Knowing the farm and its address are important questions for evaluating the quality of your steak.

In the "old" days, beef cattle were bred, weaned, pastured and fed at a single ranch. Nowadays, the beef cattle industry has changed, and it may be necessary to know the names and addresses of three separate farms, where the beef cattle was raised and where your steak came from.

COW-CALF

Most beef cattle today are bred at a cow-calf farm. This is a specialized farm, where beef calves are bred, raised, weaned and then usually sold.

When the calves are born, the male calves weigh about 75 pounds, and they are castrated (thus becoming steers). They are fed a diet of milk for about eight months, when they weigh about 600 pounds.

(Note that these and the following age and weight estimates vary according to the breed and other factors.)

At this time, the steers are weaned and transported to a stocker.

STOCKER

The stocker is a specialized farm that permits cattle to feed on grass in pastures and fields.

The adolescent steers eat grass and other forage for about five months. During this period, they gain in weight to about 900 pounds.

FEEDER

The feeder (also called a feedlot or CAFO, for concentrated animal feeding operation) is a specialized farm where cattle are fed a high-protein vegetable diet, which allows them to gain weight quickly.

The diet is based on corn and other grains, so the steers are then called "corn-fed" or "grain-fed" cattle.

Steers remain at the feeder farm until they are about 18 months old and weigh about 1,200 pounds. Then the steers are transported to the slaughterhouse.

PROBLEM

Knowing where your steak comes from today means knowing the names and locations of three farms: cow-calf, stocker and feeder. But the problem is that very, very little of the best quality steak in the United States can be traced back through the system to the farm(s) where the cattle was raised.

To find out where your steak comes from, ask your butcher. If your butcher does not sell steaks that can be traced back to the farms where the cattle was raised, then ask your butcher to do so, or search for a butcher who can.

Carrie Oliver of The Artisan Beef Institute gives a perfect example. Every bottle of expensive wine shows the name and address of the winery, as well as the type of grape and the year it was bottled.

We who love steak are entitled to the same information about our steak. So ask your butcher for steak that comes from a known farm.

CONCLUSION

We all love great steak, and we have to learn from each other how to identify and purchase the best steak, starting with the name and location of the farm where the steers were raised.

Enjoy!!

SteakPerfection

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Sunday, May 23, 2010

Cuts: How to Learn Different Steak Cuts

We at SteakPerfection of often asked where a consumer can find basic information about the different cuts and names of steaks.

BASIC INFORMATION

The best way for a consumer to obtain accurate information about steak cuts is to ask us. Consumers can send their questions in any of the usual ways -- email, tweet, blog, facebook, website (see below) -- and we will answer as soon as possible, often immediately.

In addition to the SteakPerfection website, another excellent online site for beginniers is Beef: It's What's for Dinner. For each of the major retail cuts of beef, this site provides a description, pictures and an explanation of how best to cook them.

MORE ADVANCED INFORMATION

A more advanced site is the Gayot's Steak Cuts. The site includes information on where steak comes from, a description of some of the major cuts, and information about many of the beef cattle breeds.

IMPS/NAMP

The most advanced source of information is the official, USDA 2010 Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications ("IMPS"). This is a large PDF file site which includes the official names, descriptions and identification numbers for all recognized beef cuts in the United States.

The companion publication to the IMPS is the "Meat Buyer's Guide", which is published by the North American Meat Processors Association (NAMP). This is a required reference book for butchers, chefs and other serious cooks, but it is expensive. The book contains detailed descriptions and pictures of the beef cuts, as well as lamb, veal, pork and poultry.

Both the IMPS and the NAMP are used together, and the identification numbers for steaks and other cuts are usually given in the formation of IMPS/NAMP. For example, the New York steak is known officially as IMPS/NAMP 1180. (See our blog about the many common names for the strip, New York and Kansas City steak.)

CONCLUSION

We all love great steak, and we have to learn from each other how to identify and purchase the best steak. There are many different steak and other beef cuts, and we welcome your questions about them.

Enjoy!!

SteakPerfection

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Saturday, May 22, 2010

Cuts: What is a strip / New York / Kansas City steak?

When you visit your butcher or market to purchase a great steak, do you know the difference between a strip steak, a New York steak and a Kansas City steak?

The answer: there is no difference. These and many others are all different names for the same steak.

MANY NAMES

There are many names for this steak, including the following names, and all mean exactly the same steak:

  • strip
  • New York
  • Kansas City
  • top loin
  • Ambassador
  • hotel
  • club
  • shell
  • sirloin
  • veiny
  • IMPS/NAMP 1180 and 1180A
In the US, the best way to ensure that you have the correct cut is to use its official designation, "IMPS/NAMP 1180". The IMPS/NAMP refers to the official, USDA designation for this exact steak. Unfortunately, butchers and markets are not required to use this number on the label.

However, the label must use the official, complete name for this steak, which is, "Beef Loin, Strip Loin Steak, Boneless". This is often in very small print, so look carefully.

Be especially careful about ordering any steak called a "sirloin". This word is commonly used to describe two completely different steaks: either the IMPS/NAMP 1180, or a very inferior quality steak from a different subprimal.

CONCLUSION

We all love a great steak, and the strip / New York / Kansas City steak may be the best of the best, no matter what it is called, because
What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.

Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)
Enjoy!!

SteakPerfection

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Wednesday, May 19, 2010

How Many Different Steaks Are There?

We love steak -- all kinds of steak. And we are always in the search for SteakPerfection. So here's a thought experiment.

THOUGHT EXPERIMENT

Suppose that we want to compare all the different possible steaks in the world, in order to find the absolutely best tasting one. How many steaks would we have to taste in our blind taste test?

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

If you don't have time to study the following calculations, here is the bottom line:

The number of possible steaks, based upon all the possible breed, feed, marbling, aging, cooking and other options is 229,790,030,170,071,000,000,000,000,000,000. That is more than 229 nonillion possible steak options -- more than all the grains of sand on earth.

With so many possible steak options, our love for steak can never be quenched, nor can the perfect steak ever be found.

Each of us can argue that we have discovered the "PERFECT" steak, and we need never fear being proven wrong!

BREED

Different breeds of cattle produce steaks that have different tastes, even if everything else (like feed, age, etc.) is the same. So part of our Thought Experiment requires comparing all the cattle breeds that are used to produce steaks -- which are called "beef cattle".

In the United States, there are about 250 beef cattle breeds that are "recognized". Worldwide, there are about 950. About half of all beef cattle is purebred and half is hybrid. If we limit our calculation only to purebred and 50-50 hybrids, the number of possible beef cattle breeds equals 902,500 (= 950^2).

But that's not the end of the Thought Experiment, because we have to add other variables that affect the taste of a steak.

SEX

Steaks come from beef cattle that can be divided into four sexes: bulls, which are uncastrated male cattle; steers, which are castrated male cattle; cows, which are female cattle which have born a calf; and heiffers, which are female cattle which have not born a calf.

Most steak masters believe that the very best steak comes from steers, but our Thought Experiment requires us to chack all the possibilities. So we have to compare all four "sex" possibilities.

AGE

Steaks come from beef cattle that can be almost any age over 9 months.

Steak from beef cattle that is under the age of 9 months is called veal, which is so completely different from beef that we exclude them altogether from our Thought Experiment.

Most steak masters believe that the very best steak comes from beef cattle that is between 9 and 29 months old, but our Thought Experiment requires us to chack all the possibilities -- or at least all the possibilities that are likely to result in significantly different steaks.

We begin by dividing the age of beef cattle into the following five major categories, in comformity with the USDA categories:
  • A: 9 thru 29 months old;
  • B: 30 thru 41 months old;
  • C: 42 thru 5 years old;
  • D: 6 or 7 years old; and
  • E: 8 years and older.

Then we subdivide the first category into each of the ages of the first category, because many steak masters believe that a steak from a steer that is, for example, 16 months old will taste significantly different, when all other variables are equals, from a steak from a setter that is, for example, 29 months old.

Accordingly, we subdivide the A category in to each of the months: A-9, A-10, A-11, A-12, etc. through A-28 and A-29. This totals 21 subcateries, plus the remaining four categoreis, for a total of 25 different ages to test in our Thought Experiment.

FEED

From the time they are born until they are weaned at about the age of 9 months, all calves are fed a cows milk. What the mother cow eats will affect the taste, texture and juiciness of the steak that the calf eventually produces. However, for this Thought Experiment, we ignore this variable.

Feed then includes the following options:
  • 27 grass options;
  • 19 legume options;
  • 5 silage options;
  • 46 hay options; and
  • 7 grain options.

None of these feed options is exclusive, and we assume that there may be two feed options for beef cattle. Accordingly, there are over 600 billion possible combinations (exactly 682,160,364,900, which equals (27*19*5*46*7)^2.

MARBLING

Marbling is a measure of the fine specks and streaks of fat inside a steak. It does not include the often-thick layer of fat outside the steak.

Marbling is divided into ten major categories, from Very Abundant Marbling (Vab) down to Practically Devoid Marbling (PD). In addition, we add two "extremely abundant" categories, to conform with the Japanese Kobe Beef marbling categories. Each of these twelve categories is divided into 100 degrees but, in practice, the categories are divided into 10 subcategories, from 00 through 90.

Thus, there are 108 (= 9*12) degress of marbling.

AGING

Today, there are three major aging methods: dry aging, wet aging and hybrid (which combines dry and wet, in succession) aging. Aging periods run from no extra time to 10 weeks. In dry aging, the beef is aged in a special room or locker at a temperature of about 34°, at a relative humidity of about 80%, at an air-flow of about 20 linear feet per minute, and with ultraviolet or comparable bacterial control.

Thus, there are 90 (=3^2 * 10) different, major, aging options.

CUTS

There are 16 major cuts of steak, which include the following:
  • anterior boneless top loin steak;
  • other boneless top loin steak;
  • bone-in top loin steak;
  • anterior boneless rib steak;
  • other boneless rib steak;
  • bone-in rib steak;
  • tenderloin steak;
  • top sirloin cap (culotte) steak;
  • pin bone sirloin steak;
  • flat (or double) bone sirloin steak;
  • round bone sirloin steak;
  • wedge bone sirloin steak;
  • hanging tender (or hanger) steak;
  • flank steak;
  • flap (or bavette)steak; and
  • top blade (or flat iron) steak.

We have not included the porterhouse or t-bone steak, since these are combinations of the top loin and tenderloin. Nor have we included the rib-eye steak, since it is derived from the rib steak. We have not included the five boneless sirloin steaks, wince their bone-in counterparts are included. Finally, we have not include other non-prime steaks, such as the round steak.

Thus, there are 16 different, primary cuts of steak.

THICKNESS

There are many different thickness options for steak, which range from one-half inch (or even less) to two-inch thickness. For purposes of this Thought Experiment, we will divide thicknesses in half-inch increments:
  • 1/2" thick;
  • 1" thick;
  • 1 1/2" thick;
  • 2" thick; and
  • 2 1/2" thick.

Thus, in this Thought Experiment, there are five different thicknesses that will be considered.

TRIM

There are three different trimming methods before cooking a steak.

First is the close removal of all visible fat. Second is the removal of most visible fat. Third is cooking the steak with the normal amount of fat.

PRE-SEASONING

There are several major pre-seasoning options. These include no pre-seasoning whatsoever, or pre-seasoning with some of the following: salt, pepper, one of the common herbs, butter or oil.

Thus, in this Thought Experiment, we will consider 20 different pre-seasoning options.

COOKING

There are three major, basic cooking methods for steak: grilling, infrared, pan frying, pan broiling, pan roasting (moving to the oven after searing), roasting and braising.

In the case of grilling (including broiling) and in addition to gas, there are at least twenty major fuels, including hardwoods and lump charcoal from alder, apple, apricot, birch, cherry, hackberry, hickory, lemon, lime, maple, mesquite, mulberry, peach, pear, pecan, orange, red oak, walnut and white oak.

We will not include, in this Thought Experiment, other methods of cooking steak, such as stir fry and sauté, which require cutting the meat into thin slices before cooking.

Thus, in this Thought Experiment, we will consider 25 different cooking methods.

RESTING

There are three major resting options: none, five minutes and ten minutes.

Thus, in this Thought Experiment, we will consider three different pre-seasoning options.

TEMPERATURE

There are ten temperature levels for cooking steak:
  • 125° to 212° (sous vide)
  • 212° to 250°;
  • 250° to 350°;
  • 350° to 450°;
  • 450° to 550°;
  • 550° to 650°;
  • 650° to 750°;
  • 750° to 900°;
  • 900° to 1200°; and
  • 1200° to 1600°,

Thus, in this Thought Experiment, we will consider 10 different cooking temperature intervals.

TIME

There are eight major time increments for cooking the steak. These include the following total cooking times:
  • 5 to 8 minutes;
  • 8 to 10 minutes;
  • 10 to 12 minutes;
  • 12 to 15 minutes°;
  • 15 to 20 minutes;
  • 20 to 30 minutes;
  • 30 to 60 minutes; and
  • one hour or more.

Thus, in this Thought Experiment, we will consider eight different cooking time intervals.

POST-SEASONING

There are several major post-seasoning options. These include no post-seasoning whatsoever, or post-seasoning with some of the following: salt, pepper, one of the common herbs, butter or oil.

Thus, in this Thought Experiment, we will consider 20 different pre-seasoning options.

CALCULATION OF OPTIONS

Based upon the foregoing options, there are 239 nonillion possible steaks. 239 nonillion is 229 followed by 30 zeroes, or 229,790,030,170,071,000,000,000,000,000,000. Even without all of the feed options -- all of the grass and grains -- there are 337 quintillion possible steaks -- which is 337 followed by 18 zeroes.

Finally, even without all the cattle breed and feed options, there are 373 billion steak options.

CONCLUSION

The obvious conclusion from this calculation is that our love for steak can never be quenched, nor can the perfect steak ever be identified. Each of us can argue that our personal favorite is the "PERFECT" steak without any fear that we can ever be proven wrong!

So enjoy the wide diversity of steak.

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Thursday, April 29, 2010

Does Black Angus Steak Taste Better?

Brett Hodges posed this question on March 12, 2010, at KnowYourBeef.com

SCIENTIFICALLY VALID TASTE TEST

SteakPerfection is aware of no scientifically valid blind taste test that compares steaks that are different in breed but alike in all other respects (i.e. the same age, feed, marbling, etc).

There are three possible outcomes to a valid test:
  1. Black Angus steak tastes better;
  2. non-Black Angus steak tastes better;  and
  3. Black Angus steak and non-Black Angus steak taste the same. 
SteakPerfection will be undertaking these kinds of valid tests to compare the tastes of steak from different breeds. However, such tests are both expensive and time consuming.

To be valid, the blind taste test must be reproducable. This means that the testers must be able to repeat the results accurately and consistently.

INFORMAL TASTE TESTS

In the meantime, steak masters are invited to conduct their own tastes tests to compare the taste of steak from different breeds of cattle. Those who conduct these tests should be sure that the steak comes from different breeds but is otherwise identical, so that the taste test compares "apples with apples".

For example, a comparison of a Black Angus steak with a Friesian steak would be valuable, if both steaks came from cattle that had the same feed, were slaughtered at the same age, and that were graded the same (e.g. USDA Choice Grade) with the same marbling score, the same cut (e.g. top loin), the same thickness, and were cooked in exactly the same way. Again, to be a valid test, both steaks must be identical, except as to the cattle breed.

Please share the results of your blind taste tests in comments here and at KnowYourBeef.com

CONCLUSION

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Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Does Your Steak Cause Global Warming?

Updated 032410@1854

For those who want to know whether or not livestock (especially beef cattle) are responsible for global warming, read the latest CNN news report and the latest FoxNews report. Much of the information in these articles was taken from a scientific, peer-reviewed study last year, as reported in a blog by Dr. Chris Raines, of PennState.

In summary, claims that livestock produces significant greenhouses gasses have been discredited by new evidence. In fact, "raising animals for food accounts for about 3 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., while transportation creates an estimated 26 percent."

Celebrities like Paul McCartney, an outspoken vegetarian, may be "well-intentioned" but "not well-schooled in the complex relationships among human activities, animal digestion, food production and atmospheric chemistry." Many who promote the "meat = heat" misinformation are hard-core vegetarians and vegans who strive to eliminate meat from everyone's diet.

Their emotionally-driven, anti-scientific approach led to climate-gate, in which true-believers in global warming knowingly and intentionally used fraudulent data to cover up the evidence that there has been no global warming in the UK over the last 15 years. Even the U.N.'s own researchers had to admit that their forecasts of melting Himalayan glaciers, disappearing polar ice caps, and dwindling Amazon rainforests were based on shoddy evidence.

The extremists' response? Do they apologize for their errors? No, of course not. Like true-believers throughout history, when proven wrong, they deny any error, they attack the messenger, and they change their words but not their message. Thus, they no longer call it "global warming": it's now called "climate change". If new, real scientific evidence shows that there is no change in "climate change", extremists will deny that fact, attack the science and scientists, and rename "climate change" to -- what?.

Extremists are not concerned with science or truth. They are driven by their emotions and beliefs. They will continue to use unfounded claims to attack steak lovers, farmers, and everyone else connected with livestock and the meat industry.

For extremists:
Earth is their god.
Mankind is their devil.
Veganism is their religion.


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Sunday, March 21, 2010

Film Review: Food, Inc.

Food, Inc. is the 2009 film about the food industry. It was was nominated but did not win Best Documentary at the 2010 Academy Awards.

The film goes far beyond even propoganda by making intentional misprepresentations, lies and distortions.

Propoganda means "a form of communication aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position. As opposed to impartially providing information, propaganda in its most basic sense, presents information primarily to influence an audience. Propaganda often presents facts selectively (thus possibly lying by omission) to encourage a particular synthesis, or uses loaded messages to produce an emotional rather than rational response to the information presented. The desired result is a change of the attitude toward the subject in the target audience to further a political agenda." See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda

"Food, Inc." goes beyond propoganda because it lies: that is, the film knowingly misrepresents facts. Many of these lies are documented in the film review by SafeFoodInc.org.

Because the SafeFoodInc review details the film's lies and distortions in such detail and with scientific citations, the lies and distortions will not be repeated here. Suffice it to note that, if the film makes even one statement that is knowingly false, then no rational person will bother to examine the other claims in the film, since its other claims are suspect.

Finally, click here to see the rational reason that hog farmers keep sows in individual stalls rather than let them live together in the open or even in pens.

Please share your comments, below.

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Friday, March 19, 2010

Terminology: "Artisan"

The word "artisan" is often used to describe some steak, beef and other food. But what exactly does it mean?

There is no legal defintion of "artisan" in the United States. Neither the United States Department of Agriculture nor any other federal or state authority has defined the word or regulates its use.

However, most steak consumers do not know that the word has no legal meaning. They assume that a steak with an artisan label means that the steak has been produced and butchered by a highly skilled indivual craftsman. But this is wrong. The artisan label has no legal meaning.

Seak vendors often intentionally misuse the artisan label. As a result, steak consumers should place little importance on the artisan label itself. Instead, steak consumers should look beyond the label to determine exactly how the steak was actually produced and butchered. It is up to the consumer to determine if the steak meets a meaningful definition of artisan.

Although the word "artisan" has no legal meaning, its general, non-legal, dictionary meaning is a skilled manual worker who uses tools and machinery in a particular craft.

As applied to steak, the word means the following:
Please review and update these definitions. Post a comment below or email us.
Artisan farmer means a family farmer, who owns the farm and who cares personally for the livestock and/or crops raised on the farm.

Artisan farm means a farm owned by an artisan farmer to raise artisan livestock and/or crops.

Artisan cattle means cattle raised by an artisan farmer on an artisan farm.

Artisan beef means beef which comes from artisan cattle and which is slaughtered and processed by an artisan beef processor.

Artisan beef processor means a skilled beef processor, who owns the slaughterhouse and processing facility and who personally processes artisan cattle.

Artisan beef slaughterhouse and processing facility means a slaughterhouse and processing facility owned by an artisan beef processor to slaughter and process artisan beef.

Artisan beef butcher means a skilled butcher who personally butchers artisan beef.

Artisan steak means steak which is cut by an artisan butcher from artisan beef.

Carrie Oliver founded The Artisan Beef Institute, whose website has more information about the meaning of Artisan Beef. She has written the Artisan Beef Institute Cheat Sheet, which describes preferred attributes of artisan beef, including the identity and location of the farm, cattle breed, cattle feeding history, etc. She also defines artisan cattle as having received no preventative antibiotics, no artifical hormones and a high-quality, all-vegetable diet.

Again, please give us your thoughts and comments on these definitions.

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Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Great American Steak Out: March 20

Join the Great American Steak Out!!!

This Saturday, March 20, is the first day of Spring. Enjoy a great grilled steak. Then take a picture of your SteakPerfection and share it with us, send a copy to the Governor of Michigan, and enter it in the Earth Day Photo Contest.

Why send a steak pic to the Governor? Because Governor Granholm told Americans not to eat meat on this Saturday, March 20th, "Michigan Meatout Day”.

Let's stand shoulder-to-shoulder with America's farmers.

So on Saturday:

(1) Set up your backyard grill for the first steak of Spring. (If it's too cold, then pan-fry a steak on the stove.)

(2) Take a picture! This is important.

(3) Email the picture to the Governor of Michegan.

(4) Post your picture on Twitter. Tell us your cut of steak (top loin, tenderloin, ribeye, or?), how you cooked it, and how good it was!

(5) Post your picture to enter it into the Earth Day Photo Contest (see details at the National Beef Ambassadors website)!

The Great American Steak Out was created by Dewey Mann.
See more information at @Farm3rsDaught3r


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Saturday, March 6, 2010

8. Cooking Temperature: Inverse Square Law

This is the first in the following series of blogs on the ideal cooking temperature for grilling a steak over live coals:

1. Cooking Temperature: Ideal Temperature
2. Cooking Temperature: 1600 Degrees?
3. Cooking Temperature: Need to Modify Grill Height
4. Cooking Temperature: Measure Temperature
5. Cooking Temperature: Measure Grill Height
6. Cooking Temperature: Calculate Ideal Grill Height
7. Cooking Temperature: Modify Grill Height
8. Cooking Temperature: Inverse Square Law

Previous blogs describe (1) how to measure the temperature of a grill at the grill level and (2) how to measure the distance from the grill level to the live coals.

With these two measurements, the ideal distance from the grill level to the live coals can be calculated. As described in a blog on how to calculate this ideal distance, the calculation is complex. This blog describes the complex formula, for those who are comfortable with math.

One of the fundamental laws of thermodynamics, as applied to a backyard grill, states that temperature varies in inverse proportion to the square of the distance between the grill and the coals. This is called the inverse square law.

The formula of the inverse square law is as follows, where:

d1 = original distance
t1 = temperature at d1
d2 = new distance
t2 = temperature at d2

Using these variables, then the basic formula of the inverse square law is:

t1 / t2 = d2^2 / d1^2

Since d1, t1 and t2 are known, the formula for solving for d2 is:

d2 = ((t1 / t2) * d1^2)^0.5

In a previous blog, we show that the ideal cooking temperature at the grill level is exactly 750°. Applying this temperature to the formula assumptions, t2 (the new temperature) always equals 750°, so the formula may be resolved as follows:

d2 = ((t1 / 750°) * d1^2)^0.5

As an example, if the original distance of the grill above the coals is 5” (d1), and if the temperature at this distance is 370° (t1), then, in order to increase the temperature to 750° (t2), the formula may be applied, and the result shows that the distance of the gill above the coals must be changed to 3.5” (d2).

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7. Cooking Temperature: Modify Grill Height

This is the first in the following series of blogs on the ideal cooking temperature for grilling a steak over live coals:

1. Cooking Temperature: Ideal Temperature
2. Cooking Temperature: 1600 Degrees?
3. Cooking Temperature: Need to Modify Grill Height
4. Cooking Temperature: Measure Temperature
5. Cooking Temperature: Measure Grill Height
6. Cooking Temperature: Calculate Ideal Grill Height
7. Cooking Temperature: Modify Grill Height
8. Cooking Temperature: Inverse Square Law

If the temperature of your backyard grill is too low at the grill level (which is usually the case), then you should make a modification to change the distance between the top of your grill and the top of the live coals.

Previous blogs describe (1) how to measure the temperature of an unmodified grill, (2) how to measure the distance from the grill level to the live coals, and (3) how to calculate the ideal distance from the top of the grill, at the meat level, and the top of the live coals. With these calculations, you can determine the distance to raise the level of the charcoal grate. In most cases for a Weber Kettle, this distance will be about 1 1/2".

In most cases, there is no easy way to lower the grill level by this amount, so it is usually easier to raise the level of the charcoal grate (the metal grate on which the charcoal burns) by this amount.

Use bricks or balls of alumunium foil to raise the charcoal grate to the correct amount by using bricks or balls of aluminum foil. For most, the charcoal grate will have to be raised about 1 1/2",

It is very important to raise it my the exact amount, within 1/8”. The reason for the needed precision is that a tiny change in the charcoal level translates into a huge change in the temperature. For example, an error of 1/8” changes the temperature 20°.

After the grill level has been adjusted to the ideal distance, and before cooking a steak, light the normal amount of lump charcoal and let it come to the correct temperature (after about 30 minutes). Then measure the temperature at the meat level. (See how to measure the temperature. Verify that the temperature at the grill level is 750°. If the temperature is not between 720° and 780° (which is within 5% of the ideal temperature), then repeat the process.

SteakPerfection is a complex process that involves every detail, from pasture to plate.
Click here for our SteakPerfection Twitter.
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Friday, March 5, 2010

6. Cooking Temperature: Calculate Ideal Grill Height

This is the first in the following series of blogs on the ideal cooking temperature for grilling a steak over live coals:

1. Cooking Temperature: Ideal Temperature
2. Cooking Temperature: 1600 Degrees?
3. Cooking Temperature: Need to Modify Grill Height
4. Cooking Temperature: Measure Temperature
5. Cooking Temperature: Measure Grill Height
6. Cooking Temperature: Calculate Ideal Grill Height
7. Cooking Temperature: Modify Grill Height
8. Cooking Temperature: Inverse Square Law

Previous blogs describe how to measure the temperature of an unmodified grill and how to measure the distance from the grill level to the live coals.

With both the temperature and the distance of your grill, one can calculate the ideal distance between the top of the grill (the meat level) and the top of the live coals.

The calculation of this ideal distance is complicated. A future blog will describe the formula for this calculation.

The ideal distance between the top of the grill and the top of the coals differs for every grill. SteakPerfection uses a special computer program to calculate the ideal distance. Because the math is so complicated, SteakPerfection is offering as a free service to calculate the ideal distance.

To take advantage of this offer, email the two numbers you calculated above:

(1) The first number is the temperature at meat level, when you’re grilling with good lump coals. For most people, this will be about 370°.

(2) The second number is the exact distance -- to one-eigth of an inch -- between the top of the grill (where the steak rests on the grill) and the top of the burning lump charcoal. For most Weber grills, this is a distance of about 5”.

Email these two numbers to Joe.OConnell@SteakPerfection.com and then I will run the calculations and email back the ideal distance for your grill to cook at 750°, using your normal amount of lump charcoal.

SteakPerfection is a complex process that involves every detail, from pasture to plate.
Click here for our SteakPerfection Twitter.
Click here for our Steak Perfection Facebook.
Click here for our Steak Perfection Blog.
Click here for our Steak Perfection LinkedIn.
Click here for our Steak Perfection Wave.
Click here for our Steak Perfection website.

A short link to this blog is http://bit.ly/cxp2ls

Thursday, March 4, 2010

5. Cooking Temperature: Measure Grill Height

This is the first in the following series of blogs on the ideal cooking temperature for grilling a steak over live coals:

1. Cooking Temperature: Ideal Temperature
2. Cooking Temperature: 1600 Degrees?
3. Cooking Temperature: Need to Modify Grill Height
4. Cooking Temperature: Measure Temperature
5. Cooking Temperature: Measure Grill Height
6. Cooking Temperature: Calculate Ideal Grill Height
7. Cooking Temperature: Modify Grill Height
8. Cooking Temperature: Inverse Square Law

After you have measured the temperature at grill level, you have to measure the distance between the grill and the top of the coals. This is an extremely precise measurement, so do it correctly!

If the charcoal is still lit, find the exact spot on your grill where the temperature is hottest. (See How to Calculate the Temperature.) Being careful not to burn yourself or anything else, take a long screwdriver or butter knife, and use it to mark the distance between the top of the grill and the top of the burning coals. Don’t burn yourself!! When you’ve found the exact distance on the butter knife, use a ruler to find out this distance to an accuracy of 1/8”.

REASON: The reason you have to be so precise is because of the law of thermodynamics (discussed in more detail in another blog). A difference of 1/8” in the distance results in a change of 20° in the temperature. So make a very precise measurement of the distance between the top of the grill and the top of the live coals.

SteakPerfection is a complex process that involves every detail, from pasture to plate.
Click here for our SteakPerfection Twitter.
Click here for our Steak Perfection Facebook.
Click here for our Steak Perfection Blog.
Click here for our Steak Perfection LinkedIn.
Click here for our Steak Perfection Wave.
Click here for our Steak Perfection website.

A short link to this blog is http://bit.ly/bxXHbq

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

4. Cooking Temperature: Measure Temperature

This is the first in the following series of blogs on the ideal cooking temperature for grilling a steak over live coals:

1. Cooking Temperature: Ideal Temperature
2. Cooking Temperature: 1600 Degrees?
3. Cooking Temperature: Need to Modify Grill Height
4. Cooking Temperature: Measure Temperature
5. Cooking Temperature: Measure Grill Height
6. Cooking Temperature: Calculate Ideal Grill Height
7. Cooking Temperature: Modify Grill Height
8. Cooking Temperature: Inverse Square Law

The ideal temperature for a backyard steak master to cook a steak on a grill over live coals is 750°, as measured at the grill level. As described in a previous blog, most grills are designed by the manufacturers for a temperature of only 370°.

In order to determine whether the grill owned by a backyard steak master needs modification, the temperature at the grill level should be measured. The easiest and most accurate way to measure this temperature is to use an infrared thermometer.

An infrared thermometer is the same one used by car mechanics to check disk brakes. It is also often used by backyard cooks to check the temperature of the oil when deep frying a turkey. If possible, the grill owner should borrow rather than purchase an infrared thermometer, since it is needed only once. If this is not possible, an infrared thermometer may be purchased online or at a local auto parts store for about $30.00.

Before measuring the grill temperature with an infrared thermometer, check its calibration with boiling water. To do this, bring a pan of water to a boil, and use the infrared thermometer to measure its temperature. It should measure 212F -- the boiling point of water at sea level. (If the altitude is significantly higher than sea level, then the boiling point of water will be higher. To find out the temperature for calibrating to boiling water, call a competent local chef, since all chefs should know the boiling point of water in their location.)

After calibrating the infrared thermometer, light the grill, using the same amount of charcoal as “normally” used.

What is the “normal” amount of charcoal? Every backyard steak master must learn how to use the same amount of charcoal, measured by weight, every time. To learn how much a “normal” amount weighs, fill a paper bag with this amount of lump charcoal, and then use a scale to weigh the bag. A bathroom scale works well: without holding the bag of charcoal, note the weight; then weigh, while holding the bad; the difference is the weight of the bag of lump charcoal.) Use this procedure to ensure that the “normal” amount of lump charcoal is used.

Light the lump charcoal, using no lighter fluid. After lighting, wait until the charcoal reaches its maximum temperature: when all the lumps of charcoal are covered with a layer of ash. Then use long tongs to break up any large the lumps and distribute the love coals evenly in the center of the charcoal grate.

Next, place the cooking grill over the live coals, and allow the temperature of the cooking grill to rise and stabilize, which may take 5 minutes. At this time, place a thin metal object (an empty beer can works perfectly -- just stomp it flat first) on the cooking grill, and allow it to heat up completely, which may takes 5 minutes. When it has reached its maximum temperature, use the infrared thermometer to measure its temperature. Move the metal object to different sections of the cooking grill, wait 5 minutes for the temperature to adjust, and take the temperature again. Repeat this several times, writing down the various temperatures and sections. This list will be useful in the future, so retain it.

The temperature on the hottest spot is the grill’s “current temperature” -- which means the temperature at grill level using a normal amount of lump charcoal.

SteakPerfection is a complex process that involves every detail, from pasture to plate.
Click here for our SteakPerfection Twitter.
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Click here for our Steak Perfection Blog.
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Tuesday, March 2, 2010

3. Cooking Temperature: Need to Modify Grill Height

This is the first in the following series of blogs on the ideal cooking temperature for grilling a steak over live coals:

1. Cooking Temperature: Ideal Temperature
2. Cooking Temperature: 1600 Degrees?
3. Cooking Temperature: Need to Modify Grill Height
4. Cooking Temperature: Measure Temperature
5. Cooking Temperature: Measure Grill Height
6. Cooking Temperature: Calculate Ideal Grill Height
7. Cooking Temperature: Modify Grill Height
8. Cooking Temperature: Inverse Square Law

The biggest mistake made by backyard steak masters is grilling steaks at too low a temperature.

The single most important thing that a backyard steak master should do to improve steak quality is to modify the grill to reduce the distance between the top of the grill (i.e. meat level) and the top of the coals. As discussed in a previous blog (see http://bit.ly/dixHpA), the correct temperature for cooking steak, when measured at the level where the steak sits on the grill (called the meat level or grill level) is 750°.

Most grills are designed to cook at a temperature of only 370°, using a normal amount of charcoal briquettes or lump charcoal. The way to increase the temperature to 750° is to reduce the distance between the grill level and the charcoal level.

The problem for most backyard steak masters is that most popular grills, such as the Weber Kettle, do not have adjustable grills, so the distance between the grill and the charcoal cannot be changed up or down. Grills usually have a fixed distance at 5” between the grill and the top of the charcoal. At a distance of 5", the temperature of a "normal" charcoal fire will be between about 370°.

REASON: Manufacturers design their grills for 5" between the top of the grill and the top of the layer of charcoal briquettes, so that the temperature will be about 370°. A temperature of 370° is ideal for cooking hamburgers all the way through. At a higher temperature, the hamburger would burn on the outside before cooking thoroughly on the inside. So it is safer for manufacturers to design their grills to cook at a lower temperature, where hamburgers will be safely cooked on the inside. But 370° is much too low to cook a steak perfectly, because it would not develop an exterior crust and would be overdone on the interior.

So that’s the problem. You want your hamburger grilled at 370° but your steak grilled at 750°.

The backyard chef has three major options to achieve these two temperature variants.

One option is to purchase a new grill -- one which can raise and lower the grill and/or charcoal grate. The problem with this solution is money: variable grills are very expensive, compared with non-variable grills.

A second option to reach a higher temperature on a grill is to use much more charcoal than normal. But that wastes charcoal and might even overheat the grill to create a fire risk. More importantly, however, the goal is to reach a grill temperature of exactly 750°, so adding more charcoal does not solve the problem of achieving the exact temperature.

A third option is for the backyard steak master to modify the grill to reduce the distance between the top of grill (the meat level) and the top of the coals. The next blog will explain how to modify the grill to increase the cooking temperature to the ideal steak cooking temperature of 750°.

SteakPerfection is a complex process that involves every detail, from pasture to plate.
Click here for our SteakPerfection Twitter.
Click here for our Steak Perfection Facebook.
Click here for our Steak Perfection Blog.
Click here for our Steak Perfection LinkedIn.
Click here for our Steak Perfection Wave.
Click here for our Steak Perfection website.

A short link to this blog is http://bit.ly/dey34j