Acceptable to cut steak before searing?
I have a rather dumb issue; I have some cuts of steak that are too large for my cast iron, and if I tried to cook them, the ends would be lifted into the air which I assume is not preferable (although I am no expert). Is it fine to cut the steak when it is raw or will it do something terrible to it?
I am of the mindset that it is just cutting the raw beef, so no juices or anything will run out like cutting a steak before letting it rest, but again, I'm no expert!
Best Answer
Why would it not be acceptable to cut raw meat? It was already cut from another larger piece of meat that was cut from a whole animal. Nothing terrible will happen. A steak is not a bag of juices, nothing significant will leak off of it.
It's indeed better to cut in a smaller piece that fits your pan, the whole steak should touch the bottom of the pan otherwise you might have uneven cooking / raw ends.
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Quick Answer about "Acceptable to cut steak before searing?"
A steak is not a bag of juices, nothing significant will leak off of it. It's indeed better to cut in a smaller piece that fits your pan, the whole steak should touch the bottom of the pan otherwise you might have uneven cooking / raw ends. Show activity on this post. TL;DR: Yes, it's fine to cut meats before cooking.Should I cut my steak before or after cooking?
The reason behind resting is that steak needs a few minutes after cooking to let its juices run back through it. If you slice it immediately, you'll lose all those juices on your plate, leaving the steak dryer and chewier than it would be if you let it rest for a few minutes.How long should steak sit out before searing?
Take your steak out of the fridge about 20 minutes before grilling to bring it to room temperature. A freezing-cold steak won't cook evenly. 5.When should I cut my steak?
When you cook your steak, the protein fibers in the meat constrict and push the juices towards its center. By cutting into it as soon as you finish cooking it, you're allowing these juices to flow out of the meat and take moisture and flavor with them.Should You Let steak rest before searing?
As I like to cook my steak in a low temperature oven, there is no need to let the steak sit at room temperature before cooking. On cooking methods: Make sure the steak is super dry before searing. Even if it looks dry I'll still dab it with a paper towel before putting the steak on the pan.Anthony Bourdain on the worst mistake when cooking steak
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Answer 2
TL;DR: Yes, it's fine to cut meats before cooking.
Another option to pan cooking You might consider using a sous vide cooker (or water bath with a good thermometer) to thoroughly cook the meat before searing. This works by keeping the meat just below the temperature that makes the proteins bind up and squeeze out liquids (see below). The result is meat that is always perfectly cooked to the done-ness you want (pro-tip - use Ziploc or silicone bags, not vacuum sealing, to make it simpler). Then, because it's already done cooking you take the meat out of the bag, put a little butter in a very hot skillet, and sear the meat on all sides just long enough to brown. Result - perfectly done inside, tasty caramelized skillet cooked outside, without having to worry about if some part got under-cooked. I've been doing this for years, and have never even had a mediocre steak since I started it. That isn't bragging. It's just that easy.
Food too large for the pan You are correct that cooking just about anything with edges lifted in the air will result in those parts under-cooking compared to the rest of the food. As for cutting steak, doing so before cooking will not result in lost liquids, etc.
How to cut When sizing meat for a certain pan size, be sure to cut across the grain. Meat fibers run in strands that can be tough and stringy if cut so they stay long. Cutting across these fibers cuts them short, so they are easier to chew, and results in meat that can seem more tender.
Regarding lost liquid in meat For just about all meat cuts, as the meat heats, at certain temperature points the meat proteins tighten up. Think of a Slinky toy stretched out, and then pushing it together. As they tighten, liquids are forced out of the muscles. That is how we get dry meat from cooking too hot.
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Answer 3
I've cut roasting joints into steaklets before, one time it was all they had and another it was on special offer. Took a thick bit for me (I like it rare in the middle) and thinner slices for the others who like it well done. Was OK.
As others have said, cut across the grain. If you can't tell by looking it's usually less stretchy in the grain direction.
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