Ingredient

WEIGHT VOLUME

SCALING

PROCEDURE

Safety tipsfor deep-frying: see page 4 Safety tips for bio wtorching: see page 2

Creamed Spinach (see page 82) and Spinach Butter (see variation on page 39) make wonderful accompaniments to steak.

Preheat a water bath to 55 “C/131 °F.

Place each steak in a separate zip-top bag with just enough oil to coat

“ the meat. Remove as much air as possible, and seal.

₄

Preheat the frying oil to 225 “C/437 °F in a large, deep pot no more than half full.

^ Remove the cooked steaks from the bags, and pat them dry.

Ј2 Deep-fry the steaks until they turn dark brown and crispy, about 30 seconds, and then drain them on a wire rack.

^ Brush the steaks with melted butter.

Season generously with salt to taste. Slice and serve immediately.Best Bets for Cooking Tender Meat Sous Vide

To cook steak sous vide, follow the steps on the previous page. For more on cooking to a target core temperature and other sous vide techniques, see chapter 3 in the main volume. For suggested times and temperatures for cooking tough cuts of meat sous vide, seethe table on page 99. Flank steak can be treated as either a tender or tough cut.

Target core temperature

	Rare		Medium rare		Pink		Medium
Ingredient	(°C)	(°F>	(°C)	(°F)	(°C)	(°F)	(°C)	(°F)	Note		See page
beef, filet	50	122	53	127	56	133	62	144
beef, flank	54	129	56	133	59	138	62	144	cut thinly against the grain for maximum tenderness, or use a kalbi marinade		51
beef, rib eye	54	129	56	133	58	136	60	140	to tenderize, hold at 56 °C/133 °Ffor3 hours
beef, strip steak	52	126	55	133	57	135	62	144	dry-aged is ideal; see page 186 in the main volume for a trick that mimics aging		next
lamb loin, rack	54	129	57	135	59	138	62	144	coat with olive oil to prevent a strong lamb flavor from developing
pork loin chop	n/a		58	136	60	140	62	144	brine before cooking		83
pork tenderloin	n/a		56	133	59	138	61	142

(temperatures in bold are those that we prefer)

SOUS VIDE STEAK IN A COOLER

YIELD:

TIME ESTIMATE:

STORAGE NOTES:

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

four servings (l kg/2 steaks)

1 hour overall, including 50 minutes unattended

serve immediately

easy

cooler, blowtorch or grill

You can make perfectly cooked steak even when tailgating or at a picnic by simply using your cooler as an improvised water bath. Pour hot water into the cooler, drop in the sealed steaks, and head to the game or the beach. That’s it! You need about 8 quarts of water per steak to maintain the water temperature, which will drop when you add the meat. Start with room-temperature steaks and water that is 8 °C / 14 °F hotter than the target core temperature. Eat the steak within 4 hours of putting it in the water; steak held longer than that is not safe to eat. Fish and tender cuts of chicken also can be cooked this way; see the tables on pages 127 and 109 for temperatures.

INGREDIENT	WEIGHT	VOLUME	SCALING	PROCEDURE
Beef strip steaks,	1 kg/2.2 lb	2 large	100%	® Bring the steaks and a large coolerto room temperature.
at Ieast2.5 cm/1 in thick Neutral-tasting oil	20 g	25 mL/IViTbsp	2%	(D Place each steak in a separate zip-top bag with 10g/15 mL/1 Tbsp of oil, and seal by usingthe water-displacement method (see page 6). © Fill the cooler with 60 °C/140 °F water, drop in the bags, and close the lid. Make sure there is plenty of space between the steaks. © Cook sous vide to a core temperature of 52 °C/126°F, about 50 minutes, for medium-rare steaks. © Transfer the cooked steaks to a rack or a bakingsheet. © Sear on all sides by using a blowtorch or on a very hot grill.
Unsalted butter, melted (optional)	as needed			© Brush over the steaks.
Flaky salt (Maldon brand)	to taste			© Season generously. Slice, and serve immediately.

Safety tips for blowtorching: see poge2

LOW-TEMP OVEN STEAK

YIELD:

TIME ESTIMATE:

STORAGE NOTES:

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

four servings (l kg/2 steaks)

IV2 hours overall, including 10 minutes of preparation and 80 minutes unattended

serve immediately

easy

digital thermometer with oven-safe probe

Some professional chefs use water-vapor ovens to cook with greater precision at very low temperatures. Although home ovens don’t yet offer such “set it and forget it” convenience, you can achieve similar results by using a warm conventional oven (even a good toaster oven), a digital probe thermometer, and frequent checking and adjustment to compensate for inevitable drifts in the oven temperature.

We highly recommend that you first freeze the outside of the steaks so that you can sear them without overcooking the interior. The preseared meat then cooks to perfection in the low-temperature oven. This technique takes some patience, but the result is worth it. If your oven cannot hold a low temperature, try a different impro­vised setup, such as the recipe on the previous page for cooking in a cooler.

INGREDIENT	WEIGHT	VOLUME	SCALING	PROCEDURE
Beef strip steaks, at least 2.5 cm/1 in thick Neutral frying oil or pressure-rendered beef fat see pages viii or 41	1 kg/2.2 lb 25 g	2 large 25 mL/2Tbsp	100% 2.5%	® Place the steaks on a baking sheet, and freeze them for30 minutes. © Preheat the oven to 70 "C/160 °F or Its lowest temperature setting. (5) Brush the fat on the partially frozen steaks. © Heat a dry skillet over high heat, and searthe steaks until dark brown, about 60 seconds on each side.
				© Transferthe seared steaks to a baking sheet. Insert the oven-safe probe of a digital thermometer into the thickest part of one steak. © Cook in the oven to a core temperature of55°C/133°F, about 50 minutes.
Unsalted butter, melted (optional)	as needed			© Brush overthe steaks.
Flaky salt (Maldon brand)	to taste			© Season generously. Slice and serve immediately.

”1 Place the steaks on a baking sheet, and set In the freezer for 30 minutes

* to freeze the exterior. The interior ofthe meatshould remain unfrozen.

Preheat the oven to 70°C/160 “For its lowest temperature setting. If “ you have a water-vapor oven or home combi oven, set it to 1 °C/2°F higher than the desired final core temperature ofthe steaks (seethe table on the previous page for suggested core temperatures).

^ Brush the fat on the partially frozen steaks.

/1 Heat a dry skillet over high heat, and sear the steaks until they turn

■ dark brown, about 60 seconds on each side. Press down on the steaks to ensure even browning. You may want to sear the fat as well by hold­ing the steak on its side.

C Transfer the seared steaks to a rack ora baking sheet. Insert the oven- ^ safe probe of a digital thermometer into the thickest part of one steak.

/T Place the steaks in the oven, and cook them to a core temperature ” of55°C/133°Ffor medium-rare strip steaks, or to another tempera­ture selected from the table on page 80. The cooking time will vary greatly depending on the thickness ofthe meat; allow about 50 minutes for strip steaks 2.5 cm/1 in thick. The core temp-erature rises slowly at first but increases more quickly as time passes. Once the temperature is within about 10 “C/18 °F ofthe target temperature, check the steaks every minute orso to avoid overcooking. The core temperature will continue to rise a few degrees after the steaks come out ofthe oven.

Brush the steaks with melted butter.

(J Season the steaks generously with salt to taste. Slice the meat, and serve it immediately.

VARIATION: Frozen Steak

This recipe works with a fully frozen steak as well. Preheat a pan with neutral frying oil to its smoke point. Add the steak, and sear on one side until it turns dark brown. Searing one side is usually sufficient to develop the desired appearance and flavor. Butyou can also flip the steak, and sear the other side. Then continue with step 5. At step 6, add 20-25 minutes to the cooking time.CREAMED SPINACH

YIELD: four to eight servings (525 g/2^lA cups)

time estimate: 30 minutes overall

storage notes: serve immediately

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: easy

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Wondra, xanthan gum, Comtй cheese, Pressure-Cooked Garlic Confit (optional, see page 44)

Creamed spinach is a classic pairing for grilled steak, and it deserves Xanthan gum absorbs residual moisture, thickening the sauce more attention than the typical side dish does. We add salt at the without dulling the flavor. A hint of lemon zest and the savory,

start of the recipe to help draw excess moisture from the greens. nutty Comtй cheese make this dish bold enough to stand alone,

INGREDIENT	WEIGHT	VOLUME	SCALING	PROCEDURE
Baby spinach, washed Neutral-tasting oil Salt	600 g 20 g 2g	10 cups 25mL/iy2Tbsp ’/2 tsp	100% 3% 0.3%	® Working in batches, sautй over medium-high heat until the spinach is wilted, abouti minute. Alternatively, steam it until just tender. © Cool the spinach completely. © Squeeze it in cheesecloth or in the bottom of a sieve to remove excess liquid. © Chop it finely.
Pressure-Cooked Garlic Confit, mashed (or Dijon mustard) see page 44 Shallots, minced Neutral-tasting oil	24 g 20 g 20 g	1 '/2 Tbsp 2’/2 Tbsp 25 mi/V/2 Tbsp	4% 3% 3%	© Sautй until the shallots become translucent, about 2 minutes. © Stir in the chopped spinach, and cook for 3 minutes.
Mascarpone	100g	'/2 cup	17%	© Stir into the mixture until melted, and then remove it from the heat.
Whole milk, cold Xanthan gum	80 g 0.4 g	80 mL/1/3 cup	13% 0.07%	© Whisk together in a bowl. © Mix the milk mixture into the prepared spinach, and bring it to a simmer.
Comte cheese, finely grated Lemon zest, finely grated	40 g 0.5 g	Vs cup 3/2 tsp	7% 0.08%	® Fold into the warm, creamed spinach just before serving.
Black pepper, ground Salt	to taste to taste			© Season the spinach, and serve it warm.

If xanthan gum isn't available, you can substitute 2g/V4 tsp of Ultra-Sperse3 or Wondra for the xanthan gum in step 8. Ultra-Sperse 3 is made from precooked tapioca and has better flavor release than products based on wheat or cornstarch.

VARIATION: South Indian Watercress

In steps 1-4, use watercress In place ofsome or all ofthe spinach. At step 5, saute 40 g/4Tbsp of minced shallots and 5 g/2V4 tsp of black mustard seed in 25 g/25 mL/

2 Tbsp of mustard oil. Omit steps 7-10. instead, stir 30 g/ 2V2 Tbsp each of coconut milk and coconut cream into the greens, remove the mixture from the heat, and con­tinue with step 11. Garnish the dish with young coconut and finely sliced mint leaves.GRILLED PORK CHOP

YIELD:

TIME ESTIMATE:

STORAGE NOTES:

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: GOES WELL WITH:

four to eight servings (1 kg/four pork chops)

1 hour 30 minutes overall including 1 hour unattended

serve immediately

moderate

sous vide setup, charcoal grill, portable fan or hair dryer

Grilled Applesauce (see page 42), Shiitake Marmalade (seepage 64), Chinese Garlic Chili Condiment (seepage 117)

Poor grilled pork chops! People often feel obligated to cook them into dry pieces of leather for safety reasons—but, as we explained in Modernist Cuisine, this concern is outdated. Pork today is as safe as beef, and should be served done to juicy perfection and with a crisp crust—a result you can get every time by combining

low-temperature cooking with high-temperature searing. In this recipe, we suggest using a hair dryer to fan the coals so that they become extremely hot just before you sear the meat. Be aware that some ash will blow off the coals at first, and the embers will then burn much faster than usual, so do not leave the grill unattended.

INGREDIENT	WEIGHT	VOLUME	SCALING	PROCEDURE
Pork chops, loin end, bone in, at least 2.5 cm/1 in thick Neutral frying oil see page viii	1.8 kg/4 lb 40 g	4 large 45 mL/3Tbsp	100% 2%	® Preheat a water bath to 57 °C/135°F. © Place each pork chop in a separate zip-top bag with 10 g/15 mL/1 Tbsp of oil. Use the water-displacement method (see page 6) to remove as much airas possible from the bag, and seal it. (D Cook sous vide to a core temperature of 56 “C/133 °F, aboutl hour.
Rendered bacon fat or neutral frying oil see page 41	200 g	220 mL/1 cup	11%	© While the pork chops are cooking, build a large fire in a charcoal grill. © When the coals are gray and ashy, bank them to one side. © Place a clean rack overthe coals to preheat for at least 10 minutes. © Warm the bacon fat gently until it is just melted. © Remove the pork chops from the bags, and pat them dry. © Brush the bacon fat generously overall sides ofthe pork chops. © Hold a hairdryer underneath the grill, with the grill vents open, and aim the airflow at the coals. @ Sear the pork chops overthe very hot coals until they are marked by the rack, 30-60 seconds. Flip the chops over, and sear the other sides. © Turn off the hairdryer, and allow the chops to rest for 3 minutes.
Salt	to taste			@ Cut the pork from the bone, and slice it if desired. Season the meat, and serve it hot.

Any ofthe methods listed in the table on page 192 in the main volume for cooking steak work for pork chops as well.GRILLED STEAK

YIELD:

TIME ESTIMATE:

STORAGE NOTES:

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

four servings (l kg/ 2 steaks)

2Vi hours overall, including 1 hour of preparation and IV2 hours unattended

serve immediately

advanced (temperature control)

charcoal grill

Cooking steaks on the backyard barbecue is so festive and social that people tend to overlook the quality of the result. Try the Modernist technique described here to capture the aroma and appearance of a grilled steak with the succulent, even results of low-temperature cooking. The trick is to maintain a very low and even temperature on the grill. You can accomplish this by partially freezing the steaks before you give them an initial sear on a hot grill. Then let them thaw off the grill while the coals smolder. The final cooking is done slowly over indirect heat and on a cool, buffering layer of sliced onions (or another root vegetable). The onions won’t be fully cooked at this point, but they will have some of the grilled-beef flavor, so you can quickly sear or sautй them, and then serve them as a side dish.

Beef strip steaks at least 2.5 cm/1 in thick	1 kg/2.2 lb 2 large	100%	© Place the steaks on a baking sheet, and freeze for 40 minutes. © While the steaks freeze, build a large fire in a charcoal grill. When the coals are gray and ashy, bank them to one side of the grill. © Place a clean rack over the coals to preheat for at least 10 minutes.
Neutral frying oil see page viii	as needed		© Brush generously onto all sides of the partially frozen steaks. © Grill the steaks over very hot coals until marked and well seared, about 1 minute per side. © Transferto a rack placed on a baking sheet, and leave at room tempera­ture until completely thawed, aboutl hour.
Sweet onions	1.2 kg 3-4 medium	120%	© Cut the onions into slices 1 cm/% in thick. © Adjust the airflow of the grill so that the coals maintain a low, even smolder. Place a steel pan full of ice opposite the banked coals. © Arrange a bed of onion slices on the grill rack, above the ice. Place the steaks on the onion slices. ® Cook the steaks covered, flipping and rotating them every 5 minutes, until they reach an Internal temperature of 50 “C/122 °F, 30-40 minutes. @ Remove the steaks from the grill, and let them rest for 5 minutes.
Flaky salt(Maldon brand)	to taste		© Season the steaks generously. Slice the meat, and serve it immediately.