# cooking “myths” debunked



## Andy (Aug 25, 2002)

*Some cooking "myths" debunked by Harold McGee,* an American author who writes about the chemistry, technique and history of food and cooking and has written two books on kitchen science. 

His first book, _On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen_ was initially published in 1984. A greatly revised second edition was published in 2004. McGee has put "geek" into cooking.

I just heard about him in Men's Health Magazine where he states that the recognized practice of searing a steak DOES NOT seal in the juices, but does provide some flavor.

McGee's Myth Busters:

*1.SEARING MEAT*

McGee has discovered that searing is OK for adding flavor but DOES NOT seal in juices. As Harold McGee writes in his classic book "On Food and Cooking" the searing does provide better flavor because of the chemical reactions that happen when meat is seared. However tests (weighing a seared and non-seared piece after cooking) show that the seared piece loses just as much weight. 

McGee's favorite method of pan-frying steak is to use an almost-white-hot-cast-iron pan, sear the steak on both sides and then stand it on end to render some of the fat and crisp the edges. 

Then he'll flip the steak every 10 to 15 seconds or so just to keep the juices from boiling to the surface.

This gives a brown and flavorful exterior while the interior cooks much faster and more evenly!

This constant flipping works for grilling also.

*2. SALTING MEAT BEFORE COOKING*

Salting meat and poultry ahead of time is best for flavor. 

This technique came originally from Judy Rodgers' _The Zuni Cafe Cookbook: A Compendium of Recipes and Cooking Lessons from San Francisco's Beloved Restaurant. _Rodgers massively salts chicken before roasting, and it works well for steaks. McGee has also experimented with this method.

Only a bit of salt gets absorbed into the meat. Most of it gets washed down the drain when you rinse off. 

Coat the meat with salt until you can't see red 15 min - 1 hour before grilling.
Use kosher or sea salt, not table salt. It will not work well with tiny grains of table salt. 
Best to use steaks 1″ or thicker. 
You can add a flavoring to the salting process - garlic, spices, herbs (rosemary)
Rinse, pat very dry and then you're ready. 

[FONT=Arial, Arial, Helvetica]If you salt just before grilling and if you don't pat the meat super-dry, you may draw out some water thus STEAMING the meat. Plus, your salt just sits on the surface of the steak, leaving the interior tasteless.

Salt removes water from the meat and you first think that might be bad, but water adds nothing to flavor. The best (most expensive) steaks are dry-aged to remove water.

Flavor and juiciness comes from the breakdown of protein and fat.



Why not brine? You could if you want water-logged diluted-tasting steak!

McGee says: "What you are doing is making meat that should be better in the first place tolerable by adding juices to it. If you imagine your butcher doing that, selling you a piece of meat that's 20 percent added water, you wouldn't appreciate it."

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## JerseyJohn (Oct 26, 2007)

I was surprised about massively salting beef ahead of time. I've been patting steaks dry and setting them uncovered in the fridge overnight, with a flip and pat dry of the other side in the AM. It dries the surface out way more than just patting. I put salt on at the very end, because I think the dry surface (which salt prevents) is more important than the small amount of flavor the salt would add to the interior of the meat if put on earlier. I have to disagree with his statement that "[FONT=Arial, Arial, Helvetica]Salt removes water from the meat and you first think that might be bad, but water adds nothing to flavor." Salting and rinsing would remove a lot more than just water from the meat.[/FONT]

I try to buy kosher chickens, which have already been salted. I've always heard one shouldn't brine a kosher chicken, though. I always brine pork (with salt, brown sugar and red pepper flakes), and it makes a difference. Again, you don't want to brine pre-brined pork, such as the "Tender Choice" brand (you don't want to buy it, either - better to brine it yourself).


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## Andy (Aug 25, 2002)

I tried this with a steak the other night and wasn't impressed. It tasted salty!! Maybe I didn't wash off all the salt or maybe left it on too long???

Will try again.


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## Bartolo (Mar 2, 2009)

Alton Brown did a searing vs. no searing test on one of his shows. He weighted the steaks after cooking and also showed that searing did not help "keep the juices in."


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## Longhorn212 (Apr 28, 2005)

Maybe I'm missing something but his alternative techniques do not "debunk" the myths. It looks like he sears his steaks on a white hot pan and salts the heck out of them beforehand.


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## logman (May 29, 2009)

Longhorn212 said:


> Maybe I'm missing something but his alternative techniques do not "debunk" the myths. It looks like he sears his steaks on a white hot pan and salts the heck out of them beforehand.


+1
He didnt debunk anything


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## Andy (Aug 25, 2002)

The myths are 1. Salting meat except just before cooking takes all the juiciness out of it.

And 2. You put the steak in a pan or on the grill and leave it there for 5 minutes and then turn it.

He is 1. Salting heavily some time before cooking and
2. Turning the steak constantly as he cooks it.


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## Andy (Aug 25, 2002)

*Phamous Phil's* Method of cooking steak:

Phil is a good friend and a gourmet cook and griller! For example I like Osco Buco and have ordered it many, many high end Italian restaurants. Phil's home cooked version is the best I've ever had!
I prepare steaks as follows.

1. Trim excess fat from the steaks, I prefer New York which usually 
has a rim of fat along one side. The fat needed for flavor comes from the marbling not the outside fat.

2. Salt the steaks liberally with kosher salt on both sides. I also 
add ground black pepper. 
 
I don't cover it with salt just sprinkle a little like you wold do with food you were going to eat.

You could use garlic powder or other seasoning. 
 
3. Place the steaks on a wire rack on a cookie sheet. Let them 
stand at room temperature for at least one hour. At first the salt causes the meat to loose water, but by the end of the hour the meat reabsorbs the water with the salt and pepper adding flavor to the meat.

4. Put the steaks still on the wire rack and cookie sheet into a 
oven preheated to 275F.

5. After 20 minutes in the oven put the steaks on a very hot grill.

Don't crowd them together, don't put the lid of the grill down. The steaks cook quickly, just a few minutes. I use the touch method to test the firmness of the steaks as an indication of how done they are. The steaks form a flavorful crust on the outside (this is called a Mallard (sp) reaction I believe) and are uniformly done on the inside. I prefer a firm pink.

6. Let the steaks stand at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. 
This allows the meat to reabsorb the juice released by the heat.

7. Eat.!

This may seem like a lot of work, but it isn't. You just have to get started earlier. I've had very good results. The most important thing is to use good steaks there is no way to make poor meat taste good.

Phil​


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## Longhorn212 (Apr 28, 2005)

Andy said:


> The myths are 1. Salting meat except just before cooking takes all the juiciness out of it.
> 
> And 2. You put the steak in a pan or on the grill and leave it there for 5 minutes and then turn it.
> 
> ...


No - it said "searing meat" and "salting before cooking."

Regardless of how many times you turn it, cooking on a "white hot" surface is "searing". Ever hear the term "cook over medium heat", whether on a grill or pan? That's not searing. As far as salting (and other seasoning) goes, it more for the flavor than seeping any moisture.


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## JerseyJohn (Oct 26, 2007)

> 4. Put the steaks still on the wire rack and cookie sheet into a oven preheated to 275F.
> 
> 5. After 20 minutes in the oven put the steaks on a very hot grill.




Hmmm, interesting.

I let them come to room temp, and have wondered whether raising them slowly to some still higher temp would help. I wouldn't try this with the typical 3/4" supermarket steak, but at 1 1/4" it might be a good alternative to the classic technique of pan-searing first _then _oven roasting. I'm not sure it would make much of a difference, though, and wouldn't save any time or effort (since you still have to heat the oven).


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## Longhorn212 (Apr 28, 2005)

I do the same, particularly when I can't use the grill. I'll pan sear on the stove then put the steaks in the oven at about 350. When I grill I sear over direct heat uncovered for a few minutes then adjust the heat down, and cook over indirect heat for 15-20 minutes.


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## Andy (Aug 25, 2002)

Longhorn212 said:


> No - it said "searing meat" and "salting before cooking."
> 
> Regardless of how many times you turn it, cooking on a "white hot" surface is "searing". Ever hear the term "cook over medium heat", whether on a grill or pan? That's not searing. As far as salting (and other seasoning) goes, it more for the flavor than seeping any moisture.


Ah it's semantics and technique! What McGee is saying (and Alton Brown) is that putting meat on a hot pan for 5 (or so) minutes and then turning it, traditionally was called searing, BUT it does not sear the meat according to the new scientific research.

Searing is achieved (according to the new experts) by constantly turning the meat.


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## Lebewohl (May 21, 2009)

The best steak I've ever had was at David Burke Primehouse in Chicago. They dry age all their steak in a room with Himalayan salt. Such complex flavors! We got a porterhouse for two. I've never had a porterhouse with such different flavors from the two different sides.


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## Country Irish (Nov 10, 2005)

Andy Said:
I prepare steaks as follows.


I tried your method over the weekend. It works great. I had to adjust my schedule to give it the attention it deserved but since side dishes are simple in my house, it was no problem.
Keep the ideas coming...or do you plan an AAAcooking cd?

Thanks for the info guys. I am learning more about cooking here than from either ex wife. Of course they tended to kick me out of the kitchen.


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## WouldaShoulda (Aug 5, 2009)

After placing the steak on the grill or under the broiler (never a pan) I turn it thrice.

Not twice nor four times, but three!!

It only sits there for several minutes, I'm not sure how one could flip it moreso if they wanted to!!


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## KCKclassic (Jul 27, 2009)

The biggest myth about cooking?
People think it is difficult and time consuming.

While it can be that way, for the most part many dishes are a snap, plus its cheaper than eating out all the time. I tend to think some of my "signature" dishes are better than many restaurants in fact.

Many just need to get over the fear of the kitchen and dive in!


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## Miket61 (Mar 1, 2008)

I just saw _Julie and Julia_ this weekend, and one of the things I learned was that one must dry off pieces of meat before browning.

The other thing I learned was that the costume design people were excellent at everything except that they didn't really disguise the fact that Meryl Streep was wearing six-inch heels to portray the 6'2" Child.


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## Andy (Aug 25, 2002)

Miket61 said:


> I just saw _Julie and Julia_ this weekend, and one of the things I learned was that one must dry off pieces of meat before browning.
> 
> The other thing I learned was that the costume design people were excellent at everything except that they didn't really disguise the fact that Meryl Streep was wearing six-inch heels to portray the 6'2" Child.


You do have admit Meryl Streep has something! She doesn't look a thing like Julia, but when you see the previews on TV she *"seems"* like her!


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