What Makes A Steak Great?

By Catering Staff | May 8, 2017

Great steak definitely isn’t fake steak, a product exposed by Greg Mrvich, the man behind Ballistic BBQ on YouTube. According to Mrvich, fake steak is actually leftover scraps literally glued together with meat glue, a clotting agent used in binding protein-containing foods. When cooked, the product looks, smells and tastes like the premium cuts of meat offered in many eateries.

The bottom line: You should know what you’re paying for. If you’re paying for a premium slab of steak, then you should be getting a premium slab of steak! You are then well-advised to order steaks using Black Angus Steakhouse catering prices website, for example.

What then makes for a great steak? Let’s take a look at the factors that affect it.  

USDA Prime Grade Only 

The higher the grade, the more expensive the price but since you’re also getting the best quality, you will be more than willing to pay it. In the United States, the most expensive cuts of beef are rated as USDA Prime, which accounts for nearly 2% of the country’s beef production.

Unfortunately, your typical supermarkets don’t carry USDA Prime beef. Your best choices are in steakhouses like Black Angus Steakhouse.  

Select Seasonings Only

When you already have a great cut of beef, you just need a few seasonings. Each chef and cook will have his preferred seasonings, such as sea or kosher salt, coarse ground black pepper, and herbs, as well as butter. The butter should be added at just the right time or else it can ruin the entire flavor profile.

Many cooks will also marinate the beef but it can also ruin the flavor. This is especially true for aged beef, which should be grilled without too many accoutrements.  

Expert Eyes and Hands Only

Broiling the perfect steak is part art, part science. High heat in direct contact with the meat is a must to achieve the perfect texture and taste from every bite. The best steakhouses then use overhead infrared boilers, which generate the high heat needed for cooking perfect steaks.

But even with the right equipment, amateur cooks can still ruin a perfect slab of steak due to their ignorance. Cooking the perfect steak may seem easy but it takes a few years of training to acquire the expert eyes and hands for it.  

And then there’s also the fact that cooking steaks has its hazards albeit relatively small. There will likely be splattering of the oil, smoke from the broiler, and even fire. But when you can produce great steaks every time, then these are hazards you will likely accept.