There are several discussions in the forum on this subject. Just type in "wine" in the search bar at the top right of any page and you'll find many threads.

We do not use the type of grocery store cooking wine that you mention. They most often don't have good flavor. Any inexpensive dry white or dry red that has a decent flavor can be used. Some wine stores sell small bottles if you can't use up a regular-sized bottle within a few weeks to a month. Boxed wines are also good for longer storage. Cheers!

I have always rested my steaks and other meats, but never used a rack nor have I flipped it. Anxious to try this very soon as I just had a huge steak feed yesterday for a birthday. My husband always flips often whereas I was a flip once person - now I understand and will also be a flip often person.

This was great lesson, thanks,

Hi,

I recently cooked a thin rib eye steak for my husband and used higher (medium-high) on an electric stove. The steak was done as I liked it to be done but I did notice that the brown bits/sucs were burning. The pan was big enough really for just one steak and the the exposed parts of the pan seemed to be starting to turn black in some places. This renders the pan sauce bitter, right? So what can I do to cook my steak in a skillet and not have the brown bits burn?

Great question Swati. Really great!

You are correct, when cooking thin steaks, you do need higher heat, so you certainly got this part right. However, this does create some 'suc maintenance' issues. You need to protect the sucs! If they burn and you deglaze and then make a pan sauce with the deglazing liquid, the sauce will either be bitter or worse, burnt and not edible (as you noted).

Protecting the sucs is pretty easy given the quick cooking time.

1. Make sure you have a little excess oil in the pan. The sucs will burn much faster if they are dry.

2. Move the steaks around into the drier areas of the pan during the cooking process. If you are using the flip often method, every time you flip, just flip to another position in the pan (or more often if needed). Or slide the steak if using the flip once method.

3. And you did this part right, but highlighting for other students, make sure you select the right sized pan. To big a pan and there is just too much surface area to protect from burning.

Hope this helps. Cheers, Joe.

Do you think it's worth mentioning that one should add their steak to a preheated hot plate? My steaks tend to cool down too fast while eating it.
Thanks!

Yes, this is a general rule when plating food. Hot food should be served on warmed plates and cold food on chilled plates. Please refer to the lesson on The Basics of Plating for more information. Cheers!

You discuss the reasons for starting steaks at room temperature. Should all cuts of meat, beef/poultry/fish..., be started at room temperature for similar reasons?

Meats and poultry can be tempered but use common sense when doing so for food safety reasons. Large cuts of meat (roast/turkey) can stand at room temperature for 30 mins to an hour. Smaller cuts need less time...they can stand at room temperature just to take the chill off prior to cooking them. Fish does does not need and should not be tempered (refer to the lessons in the Fish section of the school). Cheers!

Question: I go out for a beutifully prepared medium rare t-bone steak. Way too much to eat at one sitting....so I "doggy bag it". (not REALLY for my dog, of course!). Tomorrow, when I want to have it for lunch, how do I reheat it without ruining the integrity of the wonderful medium rare taste?

Re-heat the steak on medium heat in a pan, flipping it back and forth until warmed to your liking. It is likely going to be a bit more cooked than when you first had it. You can also slice it cold into thin slices and use it in a stir-fry. Cheers!

If I need to keep my steaks warm in the oven after they are ready for some length of time, what temperature should I set to keep them at the same doness? Thanks in advance.

The oven should be at the lowest setting (just warm). Ideally, you should organize your meal so that the steaks don't sit for too long once they are done (just enough time to properly rest them). Organize or adjust the other components so everything comes together at once to obtain the best results. Cheers!

Does the flip often method apply to other meats as well? Chicken, lamb, pork etc?

Thanks,

Andrew

Since the flip-often method is beneficial in keeping the juices within the steak, it also certainly works for other thicker meats as well. Cheers!

I temp every piece of meat. The touch method is great when accomplished, however, I still see friends temping. If you are new to meats...TEMP.

In the lesson you reference using veal or chicken stock to create a pan sauce. Veal stock makes sense to me; but I would think you'd want to use a beef stock before chicken?

It's really up to the cook. A delicious chicken stock (white or dark) can make an excellent full-flavored pan sauce that pairs very well with steaks. In fact, we prefer it over veal and beef stock. It has a milder flavor in comparison to those stocks. You will have to test all of them out and see which you prefer. Cheers!

i'm cooking 3 steaks tomorrow and my pan can fit two steaks at once tops. So I'm bound to cook two steaks first, then cook the last steak. i'm kind of puzzled about when to make pan sauce. Should I make it after i'm done with my first batch, and then clean my pan and cook the last steak, or can i just make the pan sauce at last? I'm afraid the sucs may be burnt by then? thanks for answering!

Ideally, it is best to use a pan that will fit all three inside at once. If you can't, then cook the first two steaks, set them on a rack and cover loosely with foil. Place into the oven on the lowest setting. Continue to cook the last steak and then make a pan sauce. The sucs won't burn if you monitor/adjust the heat and use enough oil so the pan is never dry. You can pour off any excess oil prior to making the sauce. It's all about timing and getting used to how far to cook the steaks so they are done to your liking once they have rested and you plate the dish. Cheers!

Having grown up on a cattle ranch I thought I knew every thing about cooking steaks. I do know how to pick a good steak, but was amazed how much i learned from this lesson. I cooked a prime ribeye, flipping it. The result was a home run out of the ball park.

That's great to hear Bart. Thanks for taking the time to give us your feedback. Cheers!

For the longest time every time I tried to test a steak by feel I would have to pull my finger back too soon due to the heat. Now instead of testing for doneness right after I flip the steak, I've found that waiting until right before I flip the steak again (1 min) allows me to test for doneness without getting burned.

Does it make a difference if I add cold butter to finish the pan sauce versus using a butter 'substitute' (i.e. a vegetable fat spread)? I normally don't keep butter on hand but think I may need to. Using the vegetable fat spread this evening caused the sauce to discolour somewhat.

When it comes to finishing sauces with butter, there is really no substitute. Butter is used to add a bit of extra flavor and a glossy sheen. Butter "substitutes" just do not compare. It may add a bit of a glossy sheen (or it may just make the sauce greasy) but it won't add the right flavor. And depending on the ingredients of the "substitute" they could even have contributed to the discolouration of the sauce. If you are not going to use butter then I would suggest that you just to leave it out instead of adding a substitute.

For more information and discussions on pan sauces, be sure to check out the lesson called "How to Make Pan Sauces" Hope that helps. Cheers!

In the videos both stainless steel and cast iron is used. Is there a preferred one? I've always used cast iron but that's only because that was what I was taught previously. What are the advantages of one vs the other? Which one do you think is overall better to use? Thanks!