Domain: tiger-web1.srvr.media3.us Probably a dumb question, but ribeyes/olive oil? | Food and Drink
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Probably a dumb question, but ribeyes/olive oil?

Posted on 7/4/10 at 2:40 pm
Posted by MOT
Member since Jul 2006
30711 posts
Posted on 7/4/10 at 2:40 pm
I normally put salt, pepper, and garlic on my ribeyes several hours before grilling and then melt a little butter on them just before taking them off. If I'm going to try the olive oil thing when do I put it on? While I have them sitting with the seasoning, just before grilling, or what?
Posted by Tigerpaw123
Louisiana
Member since Mar 2007
17828 posts
Posted on 7/4/10 at 2:48 pm to
NOt sure why you need olive oil, your butter technique sounds great, don't mess with success

Or the other question would be What are you trying to accomplish with the olive oil?
Posted by MOT
Member since Jul 2006
30711 posts
Posted on 7/4/10 at 2:54 pm to
quote:

What are you trying to accomplish with the olive oil?




I've seen so many people swear by it I figured I would give it a shot. I'm normally not one to experiment on the 4th, but we had a big cookout yesterday and this will basically just be a dinner thing.
Posted by TigerMyth36
River Ridge
Member since Nov 2005
41201 posts
Posted on 7/4/10 at 3:00 pm to
I would assume olive oil would help sear the meat with a crispier crust if cooking on the stove top. Not sure why you would need it on the grill.

Maybe brush the grill with a little to keep the steak from sticking but I doubt you really need it.

If you already have a good recipe no reason to mess with it.
Posted by tracytiger
Baton Rouge
Member since May 2009
3631 posts
Posted on 7/4/10 at 3:29 pm to
Yes! We use olive oil on all meats we grill. Let it sit out and season with sea salt(not Morton's!), cracked pepper and good quality olive oil. I know certain olive oils are used for high temps., but I have to use Terra Medi olive oil for everything. It is a great olive oil.
Posted by sstig
Houston
Member since Oct 2003
2924 posts
Posted on 7/4/10 at 3:58 pm to
I have used evo on all steaks prior to putting on the seasoning. Light coating then Tony's four hours before I throw them on the grill. Always taste great.
Posted by ThePlumber
NOLA
Member since Jul 2005
970 posts
Posted on 7/4/10 at 5:22 pm to
The oil will basically help transfer heat to the steaks, but it will also cause flare ups when cooking on a grill. Shouldn't matter when you apply the oil if you want to go that route.
Posted by LSUShoes
Baton Rouge
Member since Oct 2006
76 posts
Posted on 7/4/10 at 6:17 pm to
Don't think you need the oil and the butter. I would do one or the other...I also like to pour a cap full of bourbon on the meat when it is marinating. Give that a try when you are feeling bold!
Posted by L.A.
The Mojave Desert
Member since Aug 2003
65608 posts
Posted on 7/4/10 at 8:05 pm to
Olive oil is ok. I had a well known Italian butcher tell me that salt, black pepper and olive oil is the ONLY way to cook a good steak. I tried it once but I didn't think the olive oil added that much. So I normally just add cracked black pepper and salt. Sometimes I used kosher salt, but I prefer smoked salt if have it on hand.

One other thing he said was to NEVER add the salt until right before you start to cook the meat. He said salt draws the juices out of the meat toward the surface and that if you add the salt too soon it would remove moisture from the steak. FWIW.
This post was edited on 7/4/10 at 8:07 pm
Posted by AreJay
Member since Aug 2005
4186 posts
Posted on 7/4/10 at 8:35 pm to
quote:

I normally put salt, pepper, and garlic on my ribeyes several hours before grilling and then melt a little butter on them just before taking them off. If I'm going to try the olive oil thing when do I put it on? While I have them sitting with the seasoning, just before grilling, or what?


depends what you are looking for. oil will help it brown but ribeyes have a good amount of fat and will do that anyway. i think when they do the famous big t-bones in tuscany they drizzle it on afterwards.


Posted by notiger1997
Metairie
Member since May 2009
61558 posts
Posted on 7/4/10 at 8:50 pm to
quote:

that if you add the salt too soon it would remove moisture from the steak. FWIW.


I have heard that this is just an old myth that carried over from the days of the old timers who always said don't ever put salt on the meat until after you cook it.

You never know with that kind of stuff though.
Posted by ThePlumber
NOLA
Member since Jul 2005
970 posts
Posted on 7/4/10 at 8:57 pm to
quote:

One other thing he said was to NEVER add the salt until right before you start to cook the meat. He said salt draws the juices out of the meat toward the surface and that if you add the salt too soon it would remove moisture from the steak. FWIW.


In my experience, this is not as big of a deal as it's often made out to be. It makes sense in theory. The salt will initially pull water out of the steak, but the salt will also move into the steak. It's not as if the meat is impermeable to the ions from the salt; they simply diffuse along the solute concentration gradient in the opposite direction of the water.

I've experimented with salting steaks an hour or so before cooking versus immediately before, and I haven't been able to tell a difference between the two in any aspect, whether it be juiciness, texture, saltiness, or crust formation.
Posted by L.A.
The Mojave Desert
Member since Aug 2003
65608 posts
Posted on 7/4/10 at 10:07 pm to
quote:

I have heard that this is just an old myth that carried over from the days of the old timers who always said don't ever put salt on the meat until after you cook it.
I don't think this one is a wive's tales. Salt will flat out absorb moister. It makes sense that it would draw moisture out of meat. The butcher I mentioned didn't say anything about waiting to putthe salt on AFTER the meat was cooked. He said to wait until just BEFORE you start cooking to add it.
Posted by Gris Gris
OTIS!NO RULES FOR SAUCES ON STEAK!!
Member since Feb 2008
49636 posts
Posted on 7/4/10 at 10:40 pm to
If salt draws out the moisture, then how does brining it have the opposite effect.

I've never noticed any salted meats to be dry, when I've prepared them and brining is great.
Posted by L.A.
The Mojave Desert
Member since Aug 2003
65608 posts
Posted on 7/5/10 at 12:45 am to
quote:

If salt draws out the moisture, then how does brining it have the opposite effect.

I'm not an expert in this, but I think your basic premise is wrong. Brining does NOT have the opposite effect, at least accoring to this article on brining from the Weber grill people:

quote:

Historically, brining has been used as a method to preserve meat. Meat is soaked for many days in a very strong saltwater solution with the addition of sugar, spices, and other ingredients. This curing process binds the water in the meat or removes it altogether so it's not available for the growth of food-spoiling microorganisms.


The other thing about brining is that you are introducing water INTO the meat, hence the meat seems "juicier" or moister, but it's really just that you've introduced salty water into the meat. Do you really want to add water to your steaks?

Here's another quote from a differnt article about brining:

quote:

Obviously, there's more going on than simple osmosis. It is true that salt enters the meat (it tastes more salty after brining). But why is it also more juicy? Well, when water flows out of the meat, salt flows in and begins to break down some of the proteins in the cells. In the broken down state, the molecules become more concentrated and the solute levels rise within the meat. This causes additional water to flow into the meat.


This is common sense, really. Salt absorbs moisture. It stands to reason that salting meat too early will draw the moisture from the meat to the surface of the meat. Just add the salt a few minutes before you're going to cook.

Keep in mind we're talking about steaks here. Perhaps the dynamics are different with turkeys, chickens, etc.

LINK


LINK
This post was edited on 7/5/10 at 11:14 am
Posted by Gris Gris
OTIS!NO RULES FOR SAUCES ON STEAK!!
Member since Feb 2008
49636 posts
Posted on 7/5/10 at 12:51 am to
Thanks for the comparison. I hadn't thought of the moisture being introduced in the brine. I've also never had a problem with salt drawing the moisture from a steak when introduced a while be cooking the steak, though it's rare that I'd have it on the steak more than about 30 minutes or so.
Posted by TigerMyth36
River Ridge
Member since Nov 2005
41201 posts
Posted on 7/5/10 at 1:16 am to
Here is a short video that explains salting meats.

LINK
Posted by L.A.
The Mojave Desert
Member since Aug 2003
65608 posts
Posted on 7/5/10 at 11:29 am to
quote:

Thanks for the comparison. I hadn't thought of the moisture being introduced in the brine.
You bet. I remember asking Chicken for the longest time to add a food board and my reasoning was right along the line of this thread. I thought how great it would be to have a board where a bunch of us who love to cook could share information with each other about what we've learned or tried over the years. I know I've gotten a bunch of good ideas from other people on this board.


quote:

I've also never had a problem with salt drawing the moisture from a steak when introduced a while be cooking the steak, though it's rare that I'd have it on the steak more than about 30 minutes or so.
Same here. Even before I got this inforamtion from that butcher I still never added the salt to the steaks very far in advance. Now I add it just before the steaks go on the grill, simply because the butcher's info just seemed logical to me.

Btw, my wife, my daughter and I are all off work today so I'm cooking some 1 1/2 inch t-bones on the grill this afternoon. I'm just adding a little smoked salt and some cracked black pepper. My daughter is helping me with dinner. She's going to make some red potatoes cut into wedges and cooed in olive oil, garlic and parmesan. She's also making a caesar salad. I can't wait!


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