Is there a better beef steak deal at Costco than this?
http://i.cubeupload.com/SiZLJz.jpg

I cut off about 4-1/4 pounds of fat, where the result is about sixteen
10-ounce steaks out of the original $75 14-3/4 slab of meat:
http://i.cubeupload.com/LyZAKj.jpg

My kid loves steak, but I'm not much of a cook, and he doesn't like the
maillard reaction that everyone else seems to love when cooking steak.

So I bake the steak at about 200 degrees in the oven until it measures
about 145 degrees inside.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/a...-safety-rules/

This is what I do, where the result is about seven dollars a pound or about
five dollars for every 10-ounce steak, so I'm just wondering if there is a
better deal at Costco for beef steak?

On 12/23/2016 3:04 PM, Hazuki Nakamura wrote:
Is there a better beef steak deal at Costco than this?
http://i.cubeupload.com/SiZLJz.jpg

I cut off about 4-1/4 pounds of fat, where the result is about sixteen
10-ounce steaks out of the original $75 14-3/4 slab of meat:
http://i.cubeupload.com/LyZAKj.jpg

My kid loves steak, but I'm not much of a cook, and he doesn't like the
maillard reaction that everyone else seems to love when cooking steak.

So I bake the steak at about 200 degrees in the oven until it measures
about 145 degrees inside.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/a...-safety-rules/

This is what I do, where the result is about seven dollars a pound or about
five dollars for every 10-ounce steak, so I'm just wondering if there is a
better deal at Costco for beef steak?


Sounds like good steak, lousy cook.
Good steak does not have to be cooked well done. Inside of uncut meat
is sterile and bacteria on surface is destroyed by cooking.

On Fri, 23 Dec 2016 20:04:24 +0000 (UTC), Hazuki Nakamura
wrote:

Is there a better beef steak deal at Costco than this?
http://i.cubeupload.com/SiZLJz.jpg

I cut off about 4-1/4 pounds of fat, where the result is about sixteen
10-ounce steaks out of the original $75 14-3/4 slab of meat:
http://i.cubeupload.com/LyZAKj.jpg

My kid loves steak, but I'm not much of a cook, and he doesn't like the
maillard reaction that everyone else seems to love when cooking steak.

So I bake the steak at about 200 degrees in the oven until it measures
about 145 degrees inside.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/a...-safety-rules/

This is what I do, where the result is about seven dollars a pound or about
five dollars for every 10-ounce steak, so I'm just wondering if there is a
better deal at Costco for beef steak?

What makes beef a higher grade is a higher fat content. You have
Choice, if it was Prime, there would be even more fat but it would
taste better (more tender etc)

Maybe you should be buying London Broil or some other cut with a lower
fat content if that bothers you.
BTW $7 a pound is not bad for steak.

said:

What makes beef a higher grade is a higher fat content.

The butcher at Costco explained to me that their "Choice" is "almost prime"
in that Costco guarantees "choice or better". Dunno if that's accurate but
he told me that when he went back to get a slab for me of the New York Beef
Loin Top, Choice.

He explained there are two types of fat, which is the stuff you cut off (of
which I cut off about 5 pounds on that 15 pound slab), and what he called
"marbling" which is the internal fat stripes.

He said the marbling on this cut he gave me is prime but Costco doesn't
label it prime.

You have
Choice, if it was Prime, there would be even more fat but it would
taste better (more tender etc)

But is that "more fat" the marbling? Or is it all that fat I cut off the
sides?

Maybe you should be buying London Broil or some other cut with a lower
fat content if that bothers you.

I am confused by your statement because the fat I cut off was pure fat (as
you can see from the photo). Nobody eats pure fat, do they?

The "marbling" is fat that was kept but that was "inside" the steak whereas
the fat I cut off was outside.

BTW $7 a pound is not bad for steak.

I was wondering, because Costco sells cut steaks, about 5 or so at a time,
at about 7 dollars a pound, whereas mine was 5 dollars a pound for a
15-pound chunk. I don't know if they cut off all the fat that I cut off
which made each 10 ounce steak about 5 dollars (or about 7 dollars a pound
for the marbled stuff with no fat on the edges).

Frank said:

Sounds like good steak, lousy cook.

Lousy cook is a given since I am a lousy cook.
Normally, I read we should grill a steak, but I don't have an indoor grill.
The kid doesn't like the "burnt" flavor anyway as he's grown up with my
baked steaks for years and he gets set in his ways.

Good steak does not have to be cooked well done.

I go by price mostly, and quality, which is a balance.

At Safeway, the steak is more expensive than at Costco, so I get it at
Costco but then I have to buy 15 pounds at a time to get the 5-dollar a
pound price for beef top loin choice grade (the butcher usually has to get
it for me as they don't have it on the floor most of the time).

I tried Costco tritip, but it was too chewy (maybe I cooked it wrong).
I don't want to get a brisket or other tough meat since I don't know how to
cook them such that they won't be chewy.

Inside of uncut meat
is sterile and bacteria on surface is destroyed by cooking.

I never know what temperature to aim for.

I generally aim for 150 degrees F, but, I'm open to whatever degrees makes
sense since the colder the better when it comes to flavor but the warmer
the better when it comes to food safety.

On Fri, 23 Dec 2016 22:23:36 +0000 (UTC), Hazuki Nakamura
wrote:

said:

What makes beef a higher grade is a higher fat content.

The butcher at Costco explained to me that their "Choice" is "almost prime"
in that Costco guarantees "choice or better". Dunno if that's accurate but
he told me that when he went back to get a slab for me of the New York Beef
Loin Top, Choice.

He explained there are two types of fat, which is the stuff you cut off (of
which I cut off about 5 pounds on that 15 pound slab), and what he called
"marbling" which is the internal fat stripes.

He said the marbling on this cut he gave me is prime but Costco doesn't
label it prime.

You have
Choice, if it was Prime, there would be even more fat but it would
taste better (more tender etc)

But is that "more fat" the marbling? Or is it all that fat I cut off the
sides?

Maybe you should be buying London Broil or some other cut with a lower
fat content if that bothers you.

I am confused by your statement because the fat I cut off was pure fat (as
you can see from the photo). Nobody eats pure fat, do they?

The "marbling" is fat that was kept but that was "inside" the steak whereas
the fat I cut off was outside.

BTW $7 a pound is not bad for steak.

I was wondering, because Costco sells cut steaks, about 5 or so at a time,
at about 7 dollars a pound, whereas mine was 5 dollars a pound for a
15-pound chunk. I don't know if they cut off all the fat that I cut off
which made each 10 ounce steak about 5 dollars (or about 7 dollars a pound
for the marbled stuff with no fat on the edges).

You are right about the marbling but for a cow to get that much
marbling in the muscle, it will accumulate a lot of surface fat.
Costco buys that fat when they buy the primal and they in turn sell it
to you to get the price per pound down. The steaks in the foam tray
have most of that trimmed off. I end up feeding that kind of fat to my
dog, a little bit at a time in his dry chow so it does not go to
waste. He loves it.
If you know a bird lover, they feed this suet to the birds in the
winter but, again, they don't need that much. You also will attract
rats. A roof rat can get to just about anything a squirrel can get to.

On Fri, 23 Dec 2016 15:22:25 -0500, Frank "frank wrote:

Sounds like good steak, lousy cook.
Good steak does not have to be cooked well done. Inside of uncut meat
is sterile and bacteria on surface is destroyed by cooking.

Maybe the OP needs leaner cuts of meats and use a crock pot if his is
not a cook. BBQ is another story :-)

Some fat on meats will not render down (hard fat) and needs to be cut
off. Marbling in the meat gives the flavor and renders, juicy
flavors. You can take a choice cut and still make it taste good.

Cousin Meat Smoker Low & Slow :-)

"Hazuki Nakamura" wrote in message
news
I am confused by your statement because the fat I cut off was pure fat (as
you can see from the photo). Nobody eats pure fat, do they?

Of course they do. Not JUST the fat but along with the meat. And I'm not
talking about the fat within the muscle but that on the outside or,
sometimes, the inside. One of the things I miss in this new era of cryopak
meat is the bit of suet that was tucked in under the tenderloin in a
porterhouse. Now that and the tail are both gone. Ditto the various cuts
of sirloin.

Hazuki Nakamura pretended :
said:

What makes beef a higher grade is a higher fat content.

The butcher at Costco explained to me that their "Choice" is "almost prime"
in that Costco guarantees "choice or better". Dunno if that's accurate but
he told me that when he went back to get a slab for me of the New York Beef
Loin Top, Choice.

It is not unusual to have prime beef shipped in when dealing with
choice or better. Where I worked we had 'premium' which denoted the top
10% of the choice grade and often got boxes marked prime.

He explained there are two types of fat, which is the stuff you cut off (of
which I cut off about 5 pounds on that 15 pound slab), and what he called
"marbling" which is the internal fat stripes.

He said the marbling on this cut he gave me is prime but Costco doesn't
label it prime.

You have
Choice, if it was Prime, there would be even more fat but it would
taste better (more tender etc)

But is that "more fat" the marbling? Or is it all that fat I cut off the
sides?

Marbling.

Maybe you should be buying London Broil or some other cut with a lower
fat content if that bothers you.

I am confused by your statement because the fat I cut off was pure fat (as
you can see from the photo). Nobody eats pure fat, do they?

We were told to trim all but one eighth an inch off unless the customer
wanted more fat. That was a little more than the thickness of the steak
knife (butcher's knife).

The "marbling" is fat that was kept but that was "inside" the steak whereas
the fat I cut off was outside.

BTW $7 a pound is not bad for steak.

I was wondering, because Costco sells cut steaks, about 5 or so at a time,
at about 7 dollars a pound, whereas mine was 5 dollars a pound for a
15-pound chunk. I don't know if they cut off all the fat that I cut off
which made each 10 ounce steak about 5 dollars (or about 7 dollars a pound
for the marbled stuff with no fat on the edges).

In article ,
says...

On Fri, 23 Dec 2016 22:23:36 +0000 (UTC), Hazuki Nakamura
wrote:

said:

What makes beef a higher grade is a higher fat content.

The butcher at Costco explained to me that their "Choice" is "almost prime"
in that Costco guarantees "choice or better". Dunno if that's accurate but
he told me that when he went back to get a slab for me of the New York Beef
Loin Top, Choice.

He explained there are two types of fat, which is the stuff you cut off (of
which I cut off about 5 pounds on that 15 pound slab), and what he called
"marbling" which is the internal fat stripes.

He said the marbling on this cut he gave me is prime but Costco doesn't
label it prime.

You have
Choice, if it was Prime, there would be even more fat but it would
taste better (more tender etc)

But is that "more fat" the marbling? Or is it all that fat I cut off the
sides?

Maybe you should be buying London Broil or some other cut with a lower
fat content if that bothers you.

I am confused by your statement because the fat I cut off was pure fat (as
you can see from the photo). Nobody eats pure fat, do they?

The "marbling" is fat that was kept but that was "inside" the steak whereas
the fat I cut off was outside.

BTW $7 a pound is not bad for steak.

I was wondering, because Costco sells cut steaks, about 5 or so at a time,
at about 7 dollars a pound, whereas mine was 5 dollars a pound for a
15-pound chunk. I don't know if they cut off all the fat that I cut off
which made each 10 ounce steak about 5 dollars (or about 7 dollars a pound
for the marbled stuff with no fat on the edges).

You are right about the marbling but for a cow to get that much
marbling in the muscle, it will accumulate a lot of surface fat.
Costco buys that fat when they buy the primal and they in turn sell it
to you to get the price per pound down. The steaks in the foam tray
have most of that trimmed off. I end up feeding that kind of fat to my
dog, a little bit at a time in his dry chow so it does not go to
waste. He loves it.
If you know a bird lover, they feed this suet to the birds in the
winter but, again, they don't need that much. You also will attract
rats. A roof rat can get to just about anything a squirrel can get to.

You can render that fat down to tallow and use it for making great
tasting French fries (and other deep fried stuff).

--
RonNNN

Hazuki Nakamura wrote:

I tried Costco tritip, but it was too chewy (maybe I cooked it wrong).
I don't want to get a brisket or other tough meat since I don't know how to
cook them such that they won't be chewy.

Tri-Tip and briskit are tough cuts. They need to be cooked low and slow for a
long time to break down the collegen which is what makes meat tough. Cook them
fast like a regular steak and they will be very tough. When served, they also
need to be cut in thin slices across the grain, not with the grain.

Costco sells Prime (restaurant quality) grade steak - look for the blue tray.
They are very expensive though, so you do need to know how to cook a steak
properly and definitely not any more than medium, preferably medium rare.

Some Walmarts sell Choice grade - look for the black tray. Both are better than
Select or supermarket ungraded steak.

Hazuki Nakamura wrote:

But is that "more fat" the marbling? Or is it all that fat I cut off the
sides?

Marbling is the flecks (not streaks) of fat in beef. You do want to trim the
exterior fat, while leaving a small band around the edge. That renders down
during cooking and gives the steak more flavor. If trimmed down properly, what's
left is eaten with the beef, again for flavor.

There are plenty of You Tube videos on this...

On Fri, 23 Dec 2016 22:09:43 -0700, Arthur Conan Doyle
wrote:

Some Walmarts sell Choice grade - look for the black tray. Both are better than
Select or supermarket ungraded steak.

Publix uses an ungraded steak for the most part and it runs the gamut
from something close to prime down to dog food so you really need to
know what you are looking at. The best time to buy is
counterintuitive. It is when they are having a super sale (right now
it is rib roast for $6.99/lb). On these sales they move a lot of meat
and there are some pearls in the case. I always laugh when I see some
dumb woman saying, "look at all the fat" and they pick up something
that is pure fire engine red. It seems they trim those particularly
close so the dumb folks will grab them up. "Here is a nice one, no fat
at all". I bet you need a hack saw to cut that if they cook it "well
done" (another thing I see these snowbirds do).
I either cook it as a roast or cut it into steaks.

On 12/23/2016 5:23 PM, Hazuki Nakamura wrote:
Frank said:

Sounds like good steak, lousy cook.

Lousy cook is a given since I am a lousy cook.
Normally, I read we should grill a steak, but I don't have an indoor grill.
The kid doesn't like the "burnt" flavor anyway as he's grown up with my
baked steaks for years and he gets set in his ways.

Good steak does not have to be cooked well done.

I go by price mostly, and quality, which is a balance.

At Safeway, the steak is more expensive than at Costco, so I get it at
Costco but then I have to buy 15 pounds at a time to get the 5-dollar a
pound price for beef top loin choice grade (the butcher usually has to get
it for me as they don't have it on the floor most of the time).

I tried Costco tritip, but it was too chewy (maybe I cooked it wrong).
I don't want to get a brisket or other tough meat since I don't know how to
cook them such that they won't be chewy.

Inside of uncut meat
is sterile and bacteria on surface is destroyed by cooking.

I never know what temperature to aim for.

I generally aim for 150 degrees F, but, I'm open to whatever degrees makes
sense since the colder the better when it comes to flavor but the warmer
the better when it comes to food safety.


My wife does the grocery shopping. I tell her that too watch my weight
and keep cholesterol down that I prefer not to eat more than a quarter
pound of red meat per day if any.

You are being given a lot of good advice in this thread. Take advantage
of it, watch videos and learn how to cook various cuts of meat. Cheaper
tougher cuts when properly cooked can be very tender and tasty. Some
cheap cuts may have so much fat to trim that the good meaty part
actually costs more.

My wife is a good cook and nobody taught her. Her mother did all the
kitchen work herself and did not involve the kids. Took her awhile
after we married but she learned it herself.

On 12/23/2016 5:23 PM, Hazuki Nakamura wrote:
Frank said:

The kid doesn't like the "burnt" flavor anyway as he's grown up with my
baked steaks for years and he gets set in his ways.

Good steak does not have to be cooked well done.



I tried Costco tritip, but it was too chewy (maybe I cooked it wrong).
I don't want to get a brisket or other tough meat since I don't know
how to
cook them such that they won't be chewy.

Inside of uncut meat
is sterile and bacteria on surface is destroyed by cooking.

I never know what temperature to aim for.

I generally aim for 150 degrees F, but, I'm open to whatever degrees
makes
sense since the colder the better when it comes to flavor but the warmer
the better when it comes to food safety.

Good beef can be eaten raw or just seared on the outside. As mentioned,
the inside is sterile.

I take a well seared steak off the grill at 110 and let it rest. A
beef roast or your baked steak can go to about 125 and let rest.

Tough cuts (chuck, rump roast, brisket) for stew, pot roast bbq brisket
should be cooked at low temperature for a few hours or more. That
breaks down the collagen and makes the meat tender. It has to reach
160+ for that to happen

Pork tenderloin 130 to 135. Pork loin 140 t0 150. Pork butt or
shoulder, 185 to break down the collagen.

Chicken 160

Ed Pawlowski said:

It has to reach
160+ for that to happen

Pork tenderloin 130 to 135. Pork loin 140 t0 150. Pork butt or
shoulder, 185 to break down the collagen.

Chicken 160

This Science American says less but I don't know the details further.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/a...-safety-rules/

The Complex Origins of Food Safety Rules--Yes, You Are Overcooking Your
Food: U.S. agencies recommend temperatures and times far beyond those
supported by science

RonNNN said:

You can render that fat down to tallow and use it for making great
tasting French fries (and other deep fried stuff).

I like that idea of "rendering" the fat to "tallow" (whatever that process
is) because I do make potato wedges.

After parboiling the potato wedges, I dust them in flour and spices and
then I freeze them for frying in vegetable oil.

What is the process of making that tallow?
Is only 5 pounds of fat enough?

In article ,
says...

RonNNN said:

You can render that fat down to tallow and use it for making great
tasting French fries (and other deep fried stuff).

I like that idea of "rendering" the fat to "tallow" (whatever that process
is) because I do make potato wedges.

After parboiling the potato wedges, I dust them in flour and spices and
then I freeze them for frying in vegetable oil.

What is the process of making that tallow?
Is only 5 pounds of fat enough?

Cut the fat into small pieces, or grind it if you have a meat grinder,
and then cook over a low heat until all of the fat has turned into oil.
Add a small amount of water right at first just to keep the fat from
sticking to the bottom of your pan, it will completely evaporate before
you are done. Just strain the oil to remove what solids are left. You'll
know when all of the water is gone when it no longer makes bubbles. You
can do this in a slow cooker if you wish, but I usually do it on the
stove-top. It does take several hours, but no real work.

--
RonNNN

On Friday, December 23, 2016 at 5:23:42 PM UTC-5, Hazuki Nakamura wrote:
Frank said:

Sounds like good steak, lousy cook.

Lousy cook is a given since I am a lousy cook.
Normally, I read we should grill a steak, but I don't have an indoor grill.
The kid doesn't like the "burnt" flavor anyway as he's grown up with my
baked steaks for years and he gets set in his ways.

Good steak does not have to be cooked well done.

I go by price mostly, and quality, which is a balance.

At Safeway, the steak is more expensive than at Costco, so I get it at
Costco but then I have to buy 15 pounds at a time to get the 5-dollar a
pound price for beef top loin choice grade (the butcher usually has to get
it for me as they don't have it on the floor most of the time).

I tried Costco tritip, but it was too chewy (maybe I cooked it wrong).
I don't want to get a brisket or other tough meat since I don't know how to
cook them such that they won't be chewy.

Inside of uncut meat
is sterile and bacteria on surface is destroyed by cooking.

I never know what temperature to aim for.

I generally aim for 150 degrees F, but, I'm open to whatever degrees makes
sense since the colder the better when it comes to flavor but the warmer
the better when it comes to food safety.

I don't recall any food stories where people got food poisoning
from steaks that were even done rare. Like Frank said with a solid piece
of meat, bacteria are generally confined to the outside, which even when
going for a rare temp, winds up way hotter, unless you're using sous-vide
method or something similar. The bad stories are typically with ground
beef or cross contamination. Like the big mess at Chipotle. IDK if they
ever figured out what was going on there, but all there meat has always
been well done, so I suspect it was improper handling, storage, etc of
some ingredients. Ground beef is the worst, because any bacteria can
be in all of it, so if the center winds up rare, it's not enough to kill
the bacteria.

On Saturday, December 24, 2016 at 12:09:45 AM UTC-5, Arthur Conan Doyle wrote:
Hazuki Nakamura wrote:

I tried Costco tritip, but it was too chewy (maybe I cooked it wrong).
I don't want to get a brisket or other tough meat since I don't know how to
cook them such that they won't be chewy.

Tri-Tip and briskit are tough cuts. They need to be cooked low and slow for a
long time to break down the collegen which is what makes meat tough. Cook them
fast like a regular steak and they will be very tough. When served, they also
need to be cut in thin slices across the grain, not with the grain.

Turning brisket into corned beef or bbq is a classic example of that,

On Saturday, December 24, 2016 at 10:43:49 AM UTC-5, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 12/23/2016 5:23 PM, Hazuki Nakamura wrote:
Frank said:

The kid doesn't like the "burnt" flavor anyway as he's grown up with my
baked steaks for years and he gets set in his ways.

Good steak does not have to be cooked well done.



I tried Costco tritip, but it was too chewy (maybe I cooked it wrong).
I don't want to get a brisket or other tough meat since I don't know
how to
cook them such that they won't be chewy.

Inside of uncut meat
is sterile and bacteria on surface is destroyed by cooking.

I never know what temperature to aim for.

I generally aim for 150 degrees F, but, I'm open to whatever degrees
makes
sense since the colder the better when it comes to flavor but the warmer
the better when it comes to food safety.

Good beef can be eaten raw or just seared on the outside. As mentioned,
the inside is sterile.

While I agree with the basic principle put forth, "sterile" it isn't.
Unless it's been irradiated or similarly processed. IT's just that it
won't have the worst of those bad bacteria inside that can get on the
outside during processing or throughout ground beef. But any viruses,
bacteria that were in the cow's blood when it was slaughtered will be
there. Fortunately almost all those seem to have no effect on humans,
Mad Cow disease being an exception.

On Saturday, December 24, 2016 at 9:43:49 AM UTC-6, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 12/23/2016 5:23 PM, Hazuki Nakamura wrote:
Frank said:

The kid doesn't like the "burnt" flavor anyway as he's grown up with my
baked steaks for years and he gets set in his ways.

Good steak does not have to be cooked well done.



I tried Costco tritip, but it was too chewy (maybe I cooked it wrong).
I don't want to get a brisket or other tough meat since I don't know
how to
cook them such that they won't be chewy.

Inside of uncut meat
is sterile and bacteria on surface is destroyed by cooking.


If beefs are sterile, how do they reproduce and make little beefs? (・_・ヾ

[8~{} Uncle Beefy Monster

RonNNN said:

Cut the fat into small pieces, or grind it if you have a meat grinder,
and then cook over a low heat until all of the fat has turned into oil.
Add a small amount of water right at first just to keep the fat from
sticking to the bottom of your pan, it will completely evaporate before
you are done. Just strain the oil to remove what solids are left. You'll
know when all of the water is gone when it no longer makes bubbles. You
can do this in a slow cooker if you wish, but I usually do it on the
stove-top. It does take several hours, but no real work.

Thank you for that method which I will try!

On Sat, 24 Dec 2016 18:23:04 +0000 (UTC), Hazuki Nakamura
wrote:

RonNNN said:

Cut the fat into small pieces, or grind it if you have a meat grinder,
and then cook over a low heat until all of the fat has turned into oil.
Add a small amount of water right at first just to keep the fat from
sticking to the bottom of your pan, it will completely evaporate before
you are done. Just strain the oil to remove what solids are left. You'll
know when all of the water is gone when it no longer makes bubbles. You
can do this in a slow cooker if you wish, but I usually do it on the
stove-top. It does take several hours, but no real work.

Thank you for that method which I will try!

If you want Lard (pork fat rules) here is a clean and simple method
with easy cleanup.

Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzNT_h9Nhts

On Sat, 24 Dec 2016 16:27:29 +0000 (UTC), Hazuki Nakamura
wrote:

Ed Pawlowski said:

It has to reach
160+ for that to happen

Pork tenderloin 130 to 135. Pork loin 140 t0 150. Pork butt or
shoulder, 185 to break down the collagen.

Chicken 160

This Science American says less but I don't know the details further.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/a...-safety-rules/

The Complex Origins of Food Safety Rules--Yes, You Are Overcooking Your
Food: U.S. agencies recommend temperatures and times far beyond those
supported by science

Not all temperature probes are equal. Take the meat off the cooking
source when it approaches the desired range. Allowing it to rest, the
temps will rise as it is stilling cooking a bit. Resting the meat
allows the juices to be pulled back into the meat for tenderness and
juices.

I have a Maverick ET 733 Wireless BBQ Thermometer for my smoker. Two
probes - one for the meat and one from the grate temps.

Review:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBtD_P3eTdw

I'm now ordering a 2-3 fast read probe (pro quality)

Thermapen® Mk4

(buy it only at the web site due to price variations)

http://www.thermoworks.com/Thermapen-Mk4

Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seMqkpNuqvE

On Sat, 24 Dec 2016 09:20:59 -0800 (PST), trader_4
wrote:

On Friday, December 23, 2016 at 5:23:42 PM UTC-5, Hazuki Nakamura wrote:
Frank said:

Sounds like good steak, lousy cook.

Lousy cook is a given since I am a lousy cook.
Normally, I read we should grill a steak, but I don't have an indoor grill.
The kid doesn't like the "burnt" flavor anyway as he's grown up with my
baked steaks for years and he gets set in his ways.

Good steak does not have to be cooked well done.

I go by price mostly, and quality, which is a balance.

At Safeway, the steak is more expensive than at Costco, so I get it at
Costco but then I have to buy 15 pounds at a time to get the 5-dollar a
pound price for beef top loin choice grade (the butcher usually has to get
it for me as they don't have it on the floor most of the time).

I tried Costco tritip, but it was too chewy (maybe I cooked it wrong).
I don't want to get a brisket or other tough meat since I don't know how to
cook them such that they won't be chewy.

Inside of uncut meat
is sterile and bacteria on surface is destroyed by cooking.

I never know what temperature to aim for.

I generally aim for 150 degrees F, but, I'm open to whatever degrees makes
sense since the colder the better when it comes to flavor but the warmer
the better when it comes to food safety.

I don't recall any food stories where people got food poisoning
from steaks that were even done rare. Like Frank said with a solid piece
of meat, bacteria are generally confined to the outside, which even when
going for a rare temp, winds up way hotter, unless you're using sous-vide
method or something similar. The bad stories are typically with ground
beef or cross contamination. Like the big mess at Chipotle. IDK if they
ever figured out what was going on there, but all there meat has always
been well done, so I suspect it was improper handling, storage, etc of
some ingredients. Ground beef is the worst, because any bacteria can
be in all of it, so if the center winds up rare, it's not enough to kill
the bacteria.

A lot depends on who grinds the beef. Virtually all of these E-coli
things involve factory ground beef and I am sure they grind every
speck, perhaps including something that was contaminated with gut.
If this is done at the grocery store, the chance of contamination will
come from not following proper practices like not steaming the grinder
after processing chicken. Chicken is probably the dirtiest thing in a
butcher shop.

In article ,
says...

On Sat, 24 Dec 2016 18:23:04 +0000 (UTC), Hazuki Nakamura
wrote:

RonNNN said:

Cut the fat into small pieces, or grind it if you have a meat grinder,
and then cook over a low heat until all of the fat has turned into oil.
Add a small amount of water right at first just to keep the fat from
sticking to the bottom of your pan, it will completely evaporate before
you are done. Just strain the oil to remove what solids are left. You'll
know when all of the water is gone when it no longer makes bubbles. You
can do this in a slow cooker if you wish, but I usually do it on the
stove-top. It does take several hours, but no real work.

Thank you for that method which I will try!

If you want Lard (pork fat rules) here is a clean and simple method
with easy cleanup.

Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzNT_h9Nhts

The process is the same, only the names have been changed to protect the
innocent! [g] I save bacon grease for cooking with too. Yummy!!!

--
RonNNN

On 12/24/2016 11:27 AM, Hazuki Nakamura wrote:
Ed Pawlowski said:

It has to reach
160+ for that to happen

Pork tenderloin 130 to 135. Pork loin 140 t0 150. Pork butt or
shoulder, 185 to break down the collagen.

Chicken 160

This Science American says less but I don't know the details further.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/a...-safety-rules/

The Complex Origins of Food Safety Rules--Yes, You Are Overcooking Your
Food: U.S. agencies recommend temperatures and times far beyond those
supported by science


Ed's advice is good. Scientific America advice is too general and broad
to apply to all meats. Cooking advice like letting meat rest before
carving won't be found in technical journals.

On 12/24/2016 2:25 PM, wrote:
On Sat, 24 Dec 2016 09:20:59 -0800 (PST), trader_4
wrote:

On Friday, December 23, 2016 at 5:23:42 PM UTC-5, Hazuki Nakamura wrote:
Frank said:

Sounds like good steak, lousy cook.

Lousy cook is a given since I am a lousy cook.
Normally, I read we should grill a steak, but I don't have an indoor grill.
The kid doesn't like the "burnt" flavor anyway as he's grown up with my
baked steaks for years and he gets set in his ways.

Good steak does not have to be cooked well done.

I go by price mostly, and quality, which is a balance.

At Safeway, the steak is more expensive than at Costco, so I get it at
Costco but then I have to buy 15 pounds at a time to get the 5-dollar a
pound price for beef top loin choice grade (the butcher usually has to get
it for me as they don't have it on the floor most of the time).

I tried Costco tritip, but it was too chewy (maybe I cooked it wrong).
I don't want to get a brisket or other tough meat since I don't know how to
cook them such that they won't be chewy.

Inside of uncut meat
is sterile and bacteria on surface is destroyed by cooking.

I never know what temperature to aim for.

I generally aim for 150 degrees F, but, I'm open to whatever degrees makes
sense since the colder the better when it comes to flavor but the warmer
the better when it comes to food safety.

I don't recall any food stories where people got food poisoning
from steaks that were even done rare. Like Frank said with a solid piece
of meat, bacteria are generally confined to the outside, which even when
going for a rare temp, winds up way hotter, unless you're using sous-vide
method or something similar. The bad stories are typically with ground
beef or cross contamination. Like the big mess at Chipotle. IDK if they
ever figured out what was going on there, but all there meat has always
been well done, so I suspect it was improper handling, storage, etc of
some ingredients. Ground beef is the worst, because any bacteria can
be in all of it, so if the center winds up rare, it's not enough to kill
the bacteria.

A lot depends on who grinds the beef. Virtually all of these E-coli
things involve factory ground beef and I am sure they grind every
speck, perhaps including something that was contaminated with gut.
If this is done at the grocery store, the chance of contamination will
come from not following proper practices like not steaming the grinder
after processing chicken. Chicken is probably the dirtiest thing in a
butcher shop.


Ground beef especially from the store should be cooked well done as
exterior bacteria is introduced throughout by grinding.

It's all in the butchering and hanging and gutting a steer keeps gut
contents from contaminating outside surfaces. Gutted chickens have it
splattered all over them and are the dirtiest meat in the butcher shop
or store.

On Sat, 24 Dec 2016 13:29:17 -0600, RonNNN wrote:

In article ,
says...

On Sat, 24 Dec 2016 18:23:04 +0000 (UTC), Hazuki Nakamura
wrote:

RonNNN said:

Cut the fat into small pieces, or grind it if you have a meat grinder,
and then cook over a low heat until all of the fat has turned into oil.
Add a small amount of water right at first just to keep the fat from
sticking to the bottom of your pan, it will completely evaporate before
you are done. Just strain the oil to remove what solids are left. You'll
know when all of the water is gone when it no longer makes bubbles. You
can do this in a slow cooker if you wish, but I usually do it on the
stove-top. It does take several hours, but no real work.

Thank you for that method which I will try!

If you want Lard (pork fat rules) here is a clean and simple method
with easy cleanup.

Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzNT_h9Nhts

The process is the same, only the names have been changed to protect the
innocent! [g] I save bacon grease for cooking with too. Yummy!!!

I plan on making some home made bacon. Watched plenty of videos, but
I think Rus Jones has it down pat. Berkshire pig is the best pork.

His video @ Smoky Ribs BBQ & Southern Cuisine channel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWRbTKnwtjc YUM

In article ,
says...

On Sat, 24 Dec 2016 13:29:17 -0600, RonNNN wrote:

In article ,
says...

On Sat, 24 Dec 2016 18:23:04 +0000 (UTC), Hazuki Nakamura
wrote:

RonNNN said:

Cut the fat into small pieces, or grind it if you have a meat grinder,
and then cook over a low heat until all of the fat has turned into oil.
Add a small amount of water right at first just to keep the fat from
sticking to the bottom of your pan, it will completely evaporate before
you are done. Just strain the oil to remove what solids are left. You'll
know when all of the water is gone when it no longer makes bubbles. You
can do this in a slow cooker if you wish, but I usually do it on the
stove-top. It does take several hours, but no real work.

Thank you for that method which I will try!

If you want Lard (pork fat rules) here is a clean and simple method
with easy cleanup.

Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzNT_h9Nhts

The process is the same, only the names have been changed to protect the
innocent! [g] I save bacon grease for cooking with too. Yummy!!!

I plan on making some home made bacon. Watched plenty of videos, but
I think Rus Jones has it down pat. Berkshire pig is the best pork.

His video @ Smoky Ribs BBQ & Southern Cuisine channel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWRbTKnwtjc YUM

I do a lot of my own meat processing, but that would be a bit over the
top for me. [g]

--
RonNNN

On Sat, 24 Dec 2016 15:12:50 -0500, Frank "frank wrote:

On 12/24/2016 2:25 PM, wrote:

A lot depends on who grinds the beef. Virtually all of these E-coli
things involve factory ground beef and I am sure they grind every
speck, perhaps including something that was contaminated with gut.
If this is done at the grocery store, the chance of contamination will
come from not following proper practices like not steaming the grinder
after processing chicken. Chicken is probably the dirtiest thing in a
butcher shop.


Ground beef especially from the store should be cooked well done as
exterior bacteria is introduced throughout by grinding.

It's all in the butchering and hanging and gutting a steer keeps gut
contents from contaminating outside surfaces. Gutted chickens have it
splattered all over them and are the dirtiest meat in the butcher shop
or store.

I have been eating raw hamburger for about 65 years and never got sick
so this might be a little overblown.
Or maybe, I have just built up an immunity. Either way I don't like
well done burgers.

On Sat, 24 Dec 2016 16:03:51 -0500, wrote:


I have been eating raw hamburger for about 65 years and never got sick
so this might be a little overblown.
Or maybe, I have just built up an immunity. Either way I don't like
well done burgers.

Raw oysters never hurt me :-)

Lemon juice, Tabasco and a Saltine cracker. Shuck me two dozen :-)

Ceviche (shrimp or fish) is essentially made using only lemon or lime
juice until opaque. (marinated with onion, green pepper) YUM-

On Sat, 24 Dec 2016 13:23:54 -0800, Oren wrote:

I have been eating raw hamburger for about 65 years and never got sick
so this might be a little overblown.
Or maybe, I have just built up an immunity. Either way I don't like
well done burgers.

Raw oysters never hurt me :-)

Same kind of thing I guess but I don't eat oysters.
Bait.

On Sat, 24 Dec 2016 16:31:29 -0500, wrote:

On Sat, 24 Dec 2016 13:23:54 -0800, Oren wrote:

I have been eating raw hamburger for about 65 years and never got sick
so this might be a little overblown.
Or maybe, I have just built up an immunity. Either way I don't like
well done burgers.

Raw oysters never hurt me :-)

Same kind of thing I guess but I don't eat oysters.
Bait.

My Yankee bride never ate raw oysters until she met me. I'd buy bushel
bags off the boat dock during the harvest season. YUM

On Sat, 24 Dec 2016 10:49:23 -0800, Oren wrote:

I'm now ordering a 2-3 fast read probe (pro quality)

Thermapen® Mk4

(buy it only at the web site due to price variations)

http://www.thermoworks.com/Thermapen-Mk4

Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seMqkpNuqvE

BTW. The price dropped $12 since yesterday after I checked again. Just
have to wait for the truck to show up

Many BBQ guys I watch on YouTube use this instant read probe and they
all love it.

On 12/24/2016 11:27 AM, Hazuki Nakamura wrote:
Ed Pawlowski said:

It has to reach
160+ for that to happen

Pork tenderloin 130 to 135. Pork loin 140 t0 150. Pork butt or
shoulder, 185 to break down the collagen.

Chicken 160

This Science American says less but I don't know the details further.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/a...-safety-rules/

The Complex Origins of Food Safety Rules--Yes, You Are Overcooking Your
Food: U.S. agencies recommend temperatures and times far beyond those
supported by science


They can be safe at less, but that is not my concern. The temperatures I
use are from years of cooking and getting the best taste and texture.
When I smoke brisket, I cook it at a smoker temperature of 250 to 275
and take the meat to about 195. That would make a steak into a hockey
puck but a brisket will be fork tender.

On Sat, 24 Dec 2016 20:15:32 -0500, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On 12/24/2016 11:27 AM, Hazuki Nakamura wrote:
Ed Pawlowski said:

It has to reach
160+ for that to happen

Pork tenderloin 130 to 135. Pork loin 140 t0 150. Pork butt or
shoulder, 185 to break down the collagen.

Chicken 160

This Science American says less but I don't know the details further.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/a...-safety-rules/

The Complex Origins of Food Safety Rules--Yes, You Are Overcooking Your
Food: U.S. agencies recommend temperatures and times far beyond those
supported by science


They can be safe at less, but that is not my concern. The temperatures I
use are from years of cooking and getting the best taste and texture.
When I smoke brisket, I cook it at a smoker temperature of 250 to 275
and take the meat to about 195. That would make a steak into a hockey
puck but a brisket will be fork tender.

I do the long and slow with pork shoulder.
You can do a decent job in the oven if you don't have a smoker.
I will put on a rub and pretty much burn it for an hour or so
(425-450). That gets a good bark on it.
Then reduce the heat to 250-275, pour in about 3-4 ounces of bourbon
and seal the pan up good with broiler foil. Cook it another 4 hours or
more. It will be moist and flake apart with a fork. I think the
alcohol helps break down the collagen and adds some flavor.
Your rub is your own secret but it is usually salt, pepper and an
assortment of herbs and spices. Montreal Steak will work if you are
lazy.

On Sat, 24 Dec 2016 20:15:32 -0500, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

The Complex Origins of Food Safety Rules--Yes, You Are Overcooking Your
Food: U.S. agencies recommend temperatures and times far beyond those
supported by science


They can be safe at less, but that is not my concern. The temperatures I
use are from years of cooking and getting the best taste and texture.
When I smoke brisket, I cook it at a smoker temperature of 250 to 275
and take the meat to about 195. That would make a steak into a hockey
puck but a brisket will be fork tender.

Drool :-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnDm2gMVSY0

Trim 18 lb. Brisket

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3TsNaiFx_s

Brisket is on my to-do list, never done one before.