Steaks...To Oil or Not To oil

[zwylde1]

WOW! Thanks for all of the responses guys. For what it is worth, I did up a couple of fillets last night, lightly coated them with some EEVO and the hit 2 of them with some Oak Ridge Santa Fe rub and dusted mine with HDD. Came out awesome.

But you all did give me several really good things to try....especially like Caseydogs method. Next time a steak hits my grill that is what I will be doing. :thumb:

 

[buccaneer]

:heh:that's the spirit!

 

[jasonjax]

Scroll down this page and look at how much "olive oil" can vary for smoke points. Thus the confusion in my opinion. http://missvickie.com/howto/spices/oils.html

 

[smokeyw]

Thanks for that link. It certainly explains the difference in opinions.

I didn't realize corn oil had a 450 degree smoke point. If you merely want to put a little oil on meat so that the seasoning adheres and not for flavor, this would be a good choice since it has virtually no taste or smell.

Scroll down this page and look at how much "olive oil" can vary for smoke points. Thus the confusion in my opinion. http://missvickie.com/howto/spices/oils.html

 

[augie]

FWIW, I let my steaks come to room temp on the counter, THEN hit them with a coat of salt for a half hour or so before putting them on the grill. I sprinkle a little rub (low/no salt since I've already salted them) on the side away from the grill, then on the other side at the turn.

Sometimes I'll put a dab of herbed butter on while they rest and sometimes I won't.

Bottom line, if you like them the way you do them, then it's the "right way".

 

[ggeilman]

EVOO. Had to google it to even know what it is. Tells you I never use it. We use canola when we use oil and never on our steaks. Although I forgot the last time I could actually afford a steak!

 

[cgaengineer]

I'm sure it's just a personal preference thing; but I never use any oil on steaks.

I never oil them either...or the grate for that matter. They will release in about 2 mins on a hot grill.

 

[cgaengineer]

Course salt/pepper and garlic is all for me...then a butter sauce for the steak. I would never marinate a steak...put it this way, if a steak has to be marinated its not really a "steak" in my opinion.

I have tried rosemary and black pepper and I like that on a steak as well...turns out good even if you use a cast iron pan.

 

[CTSmokehouse]

Okay Cliff, it was worth $15 but you know that wasn't the point I was making.
I know about Chianina beefcattle and Bistecca Alla Florentina, it isn't only in Italia but right here in Australia too. Of course, we don't call the cut a porterhouse. (I note it is cooked over fire rubbed with EVOO!:-D)

I was talking only about the false science they taught you, the smoke point and flash point temps of EVOO and canola.
Already refuted by food engineers but as you say, we believe who we want to and that forms our opinion.
Cheers Cliff.

Cheers,

It was a holiday cooking class taught by a very well known and appreciated French Chef, French born and trained in classic French cuisine, 40 years in the trade ...who by his own admission is very frugal.... "I have very deep pockets, but my arms are too short". Flash points aside, his message is that in Mediterranean cooking, Olive oil especially EVOO is about terroir, where it comes from, it is very important to their culture, whether it be France, Spain, Greece or Italy...it is usually used as a finish rather than to cook with...it is cherished...I cook with EVOO all the time from Costco (Wholesale Warehouse)...to me it is oil...I like the taste....

Adam Perry Lang, who the NY Times says cooks the best steaks in New York City, has Daisy May's BBQ, attended the Culinary Institute of America, worked under Daniel Boulud at Le Cirque and helped him launch Restaurant Daniel, worked with Guy Savoy and writes for Food and Wine Magazine for grilling, is a BBQ Champion and is his book "Serious Barbeque" in his recipe for Butter-Bombed Porterhouse..."season lightly with salt and pepper and using your hands or a brush, evenly but lightly coat with Canola oil". In the recipe he also uses Unsalted butter...it is all about building layers of flavor...

The key is that the oil helps hold the seasoning...lightly...too much and you are not going to get a sear but get a fire or fry...

I think we are on the same line...I have learned long ago, give different chefs the same ingredients, cooked in the same cooking device and you will get different results...

Yours in BBQ,

Cliff

 

[buccaneer]

Chefs who use and love EVOO also use other oils because if you have complex marinades and flavours then you want a neutral tasting oil.
If that recipe you mention is such a recipe it will call for the chef to choose an oil other than EVOO, and canola is an economical choice.
It has the same tolerances to heat also (according to the research I believe:wink
I do too, I use grapeseed oil, Rice bran oil and a variety of others depending on the desired outcome.
Please note everyone, I am only questioning the factual aspects of oils in this thread, I don't suggest steaks must be cooked with or without, or that one way is 'right', I just got caught up when it was suggested canola is better and that EVOO has a too low smoke point for grilling a steak.
Even red palm oil has it's uses.
Sump oil...not so much.:hand:

 

[Brizz]

Excellent info here but I'm gonna change directions. Does anybody else hit their steaks with a little cayenne? I started doing this a few years ago and the subtle pop it brings to the party is awesome.

 

[toadhunter911]

All the restaurants/clubs I worked at had their own version of a "blessing" we put on steaks and chops before they hit the grill. The common ingredients in all were salt, cracked pepper, garlic, and EVOO. Some used shallots, some fresh rosemary or other fresh herbs.

 

[jimmyinsd]

my 2 cents on the subject....from a SD beef producer....

thanks for eating beef.:-D

do you prefer coke or pepsi? chevy or ford? winter or summer?

imo peoples personal tastes are as varied as the questions. popular cooking processes are for the most part are as acceptable as they are rarely unique in that they are "borrowed" from some unnamed, underpaid, back yard artist that just didnt have a face for TV, or the recognition.

i have had meat done more ways than i care to count and i would bet that i liked 99% of them enough to eat them again and enjoy the experience. if we truly liked our food prepared only one way, why the hell do we waste so much of our time searching for better methods to cook it?

post thought: following the lines of "never trust a bald barber, or a skinny cook" how many people have seen a fat french man? :razz:

thanks for those that have given me some new ideas, for the record my goto with beef steak and burgers is 1/3 onion salt, 1/3 course grnd black pepper, and 1/3 garlic powder. i hit the meat when i unrapped it on one side and then hit the other side when i throw it on the grill. i havent had a steak house give me better flavor yet, but i still search.:-D

 

[CTSmokehouse]

Chefs who use and love EVOO also use other oils because if you have complex marinades and flavours then you want a neutral tasting oil.
If that recipe you mention is such a recipe it will call for the chef to choose an oil other than EVOO, and canola is an economical choice.
It has the same tolerances to heat also (according to the research I believe:wink
I do too, I use grapeseed oil, Rice bran oil and a variety of others depending on the desired outcome.
Please note everyone, I am only questioning the factual aspects of oils in this thread, I don't suggest steaks must be cooked with or without, or that one way is 'right', I just got caught up when it was suggested canola is better and that EVOO has a too low smoke point for grilling a steak.
Even red palm oil has it's uses.
Sump oil...not so much.:hand:

Cheers,

The thread was as I understand was whether to oil or not...

I think that alot has to do with the preference of the cook...

I appreciate your input and your opinion...

...neutral, economic oil Canola

Never tried red palm oil, am going to try canola...sump oil? Not sure...

Do know that I organized a grilling, BBQ through Rotary International for over 200 people, represented was Australia, USA, and South Africa, the top 3 grilling countries in the world in no particular order...BBQ Ribs, Pulled Pork, Sausage, Potluck, Dessert etc...

Result: Awesome!

BTW... it it almost summer down under?

Yours in BBQ,

Cliff

 

[buccaneer]

I never use canola myself, rape seed oil is not fit for human consumption and to make it so fit it undergoes genetic modification to make canola oil, is my understanding.
Not for me or mine.

I also like to hear other views and so thanks to all who participate.

The Sethefrikaans are really good BBQers too, love their sausages and they are pretty common here.

Yes, summer is here and a cracker of a day today.
It has arrived very late this year but it gets so hot that none of us mind if summer is shortened by a month or so.
We get summer weather even in winter here, pretty awesome climate.
I just saw a show with Stephen Fry driving through Wisconson, freezing his bread rolls off and tasting cheese.
I don't know how you guys survive in that kind of weather.:faint:

 

[RevZiLLa]

Depends on what I feel like doing. Both are good. You don't put on very much oil anyway. Burning is so NOT an issue in the real world with a few drops of EVOO rubbed around.

 

[gtsum]

EVOO is not good for high heat grilling...use Virgin Olive Oil or Olive Oil instead..holds up to the intense heat better

 

[troytime]

EVOO is not good for high heat grilling...use Virgin Olive Oil or Olive Oil instead..holds up to the intense heat better

if you're actually grilling over high heat, all of those oils are going to burn up just as fast.

 

[tjus77]

post thought: following the lines of "never trust a bald barber, or a skinny cook" how many people have seen a fat french man? :razz:

Does a cajun count? lol

I oil with EVOO and was taught that by a chef. He stated it was to help sear the meat if you don't have super hot fires like a resturant would. The oil would cause controlled flare ups, that would normally happen on a super hot fire (as the fat renders). It is all personal preference and I've never had a complaint. I agree, to each his own, which was the original intent of the post I believe.

 

[smokeyw]

I tend to agree that the smoke temp of the oil does not matter much if any. Besides, what is the smoke temp of beef fat? I'm sure it is probably quite low.

if you're actually grilling over high heat, all of those oils are going to burn up just as fast.