Steaks from supermarket (not quite a rant)

So Sunday I grilled some porterhouses. Seasoned with kosher salt and pepper, let sit at room temp for 3 hours. Patted dry, rubbed with a tiny bit of olive oil, grilled. A little Maldon salt, very satisfying.

Now, I'd love to always get my steaks from Lobels or Bryan Flannery. But reality (in sense of both $$$ and time/convenience)means that sometimes I have to get at Costco, Stew Leonards, or local supermarket. The problem with most of these options is that 80% of the time, you have to settle for steaks cut an inch or so thick. My question is why do they cut the steaks so damn thin? I like my steaks blue/rare, Betsy is more medium-rare. Guests can range from blue to medium. It is FAR easier to do a steak correctly if it's 2- 2.5 inches thick (I generally sear over hot part then move to cooler part to finish).

In this case, Stew Leonards had about 100 packages of porterhouse out, I got the only 2 that were thick. They do have a service counter, but line was long (had a special on whole filets). Local market has only thin ones, and it is a pain sometimes to get a butcher to cut something (and sometimes they've cut up everything already). I know I'm not alone in liking my steaks thicker, it seems to me they could cut 20-25% thick.

[Robin Garr]

Dale, that was a not-quite rant well-ranted, if you know what I mean.

I'm thinking that I have never seen steaks cut as thick as 2 or 2 1/2 inches in any supermarket. It almost seems like a special order. We generally get ours (usually Green River Kentucky natural rib eyes) at a supermarket with a good butcher who'll cut to order, but to be honest, about 1 to 1 1/2 have has always seemed enough for me. Another data point: At the seasonal farmers' markets, where we get most of our steaks from local producers, they bring in meat cut and packaged, and I've never seen a 2 1/2-incher there either. Maybe it's just a special-order product?

Dale,

I'm in your camp and like a nice, thick Porterhouse. However, not a one of my regular female guests could finish a 2 1/2" Porterhouse so I would not purchase them for a dinner with guests because too much would go to waste.

One thing we've learned recently is to not assume all steaks at a given counter are cut the same or even the same grade. On a trip up to the Brunswick Navy Commissary last month we picked up three porterhouses that were stacked together. They were all "choice", but the first one we grilled was about 1 1/2" thick and well marbeled. It was fantastic. The second one didn't even seem to come from the same cow. It was not only 1" thick, but was devoid of fat; and grilled up tough. The third one is still in the freezer, and we're going to have to decide whether to grill it or grind it up.

The local Giant has started putting out thicker (2 in.+) cuts. Has not been long enough to know if it will become standard or just a temporary thing. Would be interesting to find out why they started. My guess is that it will last only through "grilling season".

[James Roscoe]

The local Giant has started putting out thicker (2 in.+) cuts. Has not been long enough to know if it will become standard or just a temporary thing. Would be interesting to find out why they started. My guess is that it will last only through "grilling season".

What Giant are you going to? Most of the stores in the Bowie area are salling meat like Dale describes. I will say that BJ's sells a decent cut of beef, at least our local one. Of course the butcher's wife works for my wife. We get treated well there. Most of us can't live the rich life style of Boss Garr.

I can live with 1.5 inch, it's the prevalence of 1 inchers that drives me crazy. It's virtually impossible to get a rare steak with a truly good sear with one inch steaks. Which is why you never see one in a good steakhouse (no, Sizzler doesn't count)

Betsy can't finish a 2.25 inch porterhouse (about 28 ounces) either. Which is why I just had her leftovers for lunch.

We did a steak each Sunday, because I was in the mood. But in reality we can share a big one. If we do a dinner party for 6, my standard ploy is to buy 4 2.5" porterhouses (usually about 8-9 pounds total), cook and slice them. We poll guests to see spectrum, but usually ends up cooking one blue, two medium rare, 1 medium.

What Giant are you going to?

I am a lot farther south. The store in question is in California Maryland.

When we have steak, we like to have 16 ounces of meat (not counting bone) between two people. At that weight, you can barely get an inch on a ribeye, forget something with a bigger cross section. We buy mostly grass finished from a local provider at $26 a pound, so between the price and the portion there isn't a compelling reason to guarantee lots of leftovers just to get a better sear. Though maybe I could just cut a thicker steak in half...?

Have you tried cooking directly on the charcoal chimney? I haven't seen this technique in any cookbook, but I like the results. Fill the chimney 2/3rds with hardwood charcoal, let it get hot, and rest a grate on top of it. The cast iron grate I was using was visibly red hot even in the sun, and started to sag after a little while over the coals. Steaks had a restaurant-quality char and strong charcoal flavor. Of course, if you're cooking for ten, this might not be ideal.

Walt

[James Roscoe]

What Giant are you going to?

I am a lot farther south. The store in question is in California Maryland.

The one on 236? I used to work in Leonardtown. I know the area well. What the heck are you doing there? Are you a SMIB or an outsider?

We like thick steaks too, and our favorites are Lobels, but for us, they are more like a rare indulgence than the norm. Our steaks usually come from Costco when we are out west and we can usually find nice thick ones (sometimes 2 inches) at our Costco in La Quinta. I like Ribeyes, and Len is partial to NY Strip, so we usually buy a package of both and mix and match. (He always gets one and a half since I can usually only eat 1/2 of mine.) We are still looking for a good meat purveyor in NC since we sadly don't have a Costco nearby.
Totally agree, it's impossible to cook a thin steak to even medium rare while getting a good sear on the outside. Impossible.

When we have steak, we like to have 16 ounces of meat (not counting bone) between two people. At that weight, you can barely get an inch on a ribeye, forget something with a bigger cross section. We buy mostly grass finished from a local provider at $26 a pound, so between the price and the portion there isn't a compelling reason to guarantee lots of leftovers just to get a better sear. Though maybe I could just cut a thicker steak in half...?

Have you tried cooking directly on the charcoal chimney? I haven't seen this technique in any cookbook, but I like the results. Fill the chimney 2/3rds with hardwood charcoal, let it get hot, and rest a grate on top of it. The cast iron grate I was using was visibly red hot even in the sun, and started to sag after a little while over the coals. Steaks had a restaurant-quality char and strong charcoal flavor. Of course, if you're cooking for ten, this might not be ideal.

Walt

I've never heard of cooking directly on the chimney, Walt, but it sounds like a great idea. I'll have to keep that one in mind.

The answer of course is to buy the whole piece of meat and cut them yourelf. Just did that with ribeyes and tenderloins. Not always possible, I know.

I'm somewhat of a cheapie. While I love my T-bones, Porterhouses, Rib eyes, etc., they are usually priced out of my league, especially when cooking for several folks. Often I'll buy boneless chuck roast, cut it into single serving size pieces, tenderize them using my Deni (LINK) and season with Montreal steak seasoning. I've done the same thing with eye of the round, and while they look better than the chuck, I believe the chuck has a better flavor.

The one on 235? I used to work in Leonardtown. I know the area well. What the heck are you doing there? Are you a SMIB or an outsider?

Transplant. After a dozen years, no longer an outsider but definetly not a local. I work in St. Mary's and live in Charles (outside LaPlata). Just now starting to get acceptance. If you worked in Leonardtown you understand. For instance and somewhat related to this thread, yesterday we finally got in on some steaks & roasts from the only local Bison herd.

We are still looking for a good meat purveyor in NC since we sadly don't have a Costco nearby.

Carrie,

Are you close to Charlotte? If so, I could ask my buds at Wachovia where they would recommend for good meat.

[David M. Bueker]

When visiting my folks in Harrisonburg, VA I sometimes end up at the store with them. If you find a 1" thick steak you are lucky. Almost everything is specifically cut thin. 1/2" or so is the common thickness.

Have you tried cooking directly on the charcoal chimney?

I've never heard of cooking directly on the chimney, Walt, but it sounds like a great idea. I'll have to keep that one in mind.

My little grill is, essentially, a chimney. I just cooked skirt steak and rib lamb chops on it. Got the best black and blue I've ever done....

We are still looking for a good meat purveyor in NC since we sadly don't have a Costco nearby.

Carrie,

Are you close to Charlotte? If so, I could ask my buds at Wachovia where they would recommend for good meat.

Thanks Dave, but no, we are more than two hours east of Charlotte and more than an hour south of Raleigh. Sort of in no-mans'-land. The other night though, Len picked up grass-fed ribeyes (on sale no less) from our favorite grocery store only 5-minutes away (Fresh Market--not to be confused with Fresh and Easy). They were delicious. (The best part was, he shopped and cooked the whole dinner--a rarity in our house--after I'd had a tough day at work.) We'd buy those again. Maybe we are onto something.

Thanks Dave, but no, we are more than two hours east of Charlotte and more than an hour south of Raleigh. Sort of in no-mans'-land. The other night though, Len picked up grass-fed ribeyes (on sale no less) from our favorite grocery store only 5-minutes away (Fresh Market--not to be confused with Fresh and Easy). They were delicious. (The best part was, he shopped and cooked the whole dinner--a rarity in our house--after I'd had a tough day at work.) We'd buy those again. Maybe we are onto something.

Carrie,

There is a Fresh Market about three minutes from my office. I find that it is a pretty good alternative to Whole Foods which is too far from home/work. It is not as good as the Whole Foods in the city, but definitely above the average grocery store chains. I would not do my everyday grocery shopping there but they often have some good sale prices on seafood and meat.

When you say, "Maybe we are onto something", do you mean onto something as far as shopping at Fresh Market or onto something as far as Len doing all the shopping and cooking?

Easy answer. Stack the steaks 2-high. At the end of cooking, separate the steaks and give the uncooked middle just enough flame time to kill the salmonella.

Thanks Dave, but no, we are more than two hours east of Charlotte and more than an hour south of Raleigh. Sort of in no-mans'-land. The other night though, Len picked up grass-fed ribeyes (on sale no less) from our favorite grocery store only 5-minutes away (Fresh Market--not to be confused with Fresh and Easy). They were delicious. (The best part was, he shopped and cooked the whole dinner--a rarity in our house--after I'd had a tough day at work.) We'd buy those again. Maybe we are onto something.

Carrie,

There is a Fresh Market about three minutes from my office. I find that it is a pretty good alternative to Whole Foods which is too far from home/work. It is not as good as the Whole Foods in the city, but definitely above the average grocery store chains. I would not do my everyday grocery shopping there but they often have some good sale prices on seafood and meat.

When you say, "Maybe we are onto something", do you mean onto something as far as shopping at Fresh Market or onto something as far as Len doing all the shopping and cooking?

Good point, Dave. I meant finding good steaks at a decent price locally, but Len doing the shopping and cooking once in a while is really nice too. But, I'm too much of a control freak in those areas to let him take over completely!

Edited to add: I shop at Whole Foods when we are in Massachusetts and now that I have quite a bit of experience with each store, I MUCH prefer Fresh Market. I wouldn't do my "everyday" shopping at either place either. Not the places you want to have to buy napkins and laundry detergent.

How about Costco steaks?

I don't usually buy meat there, but couldn't pass up bone in prime ribeyes for $9/lb.! Each steak was about 1.25 lbs., and they were delicious. Frozen, but extremely tender and flavorful. A little over an inch thick. They also had NY strip for a little more.

Walt

How about Costco steaks?

I don't usually buy meat there, but couldn't pass up bone in prime ribeyes for $9/lb.! Each steak was about 1.25 lbs., and they were delicious. Frozen, but extremely tender and flavorful. A little over an inch thick. They also had NY strip for a little more.

Walt

Frozen steaks from Costco? I've never seen that. Or did you mean you bought them and then froze them?
For years we have been very pleased with Costco's meat. I think you will find several people from this forum to agree.
The only thing I have ever found to complain about is their pre-cut filets. There is always at least one steak in the package that is from the skinnier, gristly end. They turn it upside down so that you don't see the sinew. Now, I buy a whole tenderloin and trim it myself.
We really like their veal, lamb and pork too.