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Prevent steak from curling when pan frying

 
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falcios



Joined: 31 Oct 2006
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 11:16 am    Post subject: Prevent steak from curling when pan frying Reply with quote

Is there a way to keep steak from curling when pan frying?
Thanks
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Javaman



Joined: 09 Mar 2007
Posts: 4

PostPosted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 9:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The best way I've found is to remove most of the fat on the outside edges of the steak. At the very least, score it almost down to the meat every 1/2 inch or so. You may need to cut into the meat to deal with silverskin (The thin tough shiny looking stuff) but it's best not to cut into the meat more then necessary due to moisture loss during cooking.
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DrBiggles



Joined: 12 May 2005
Posts: 356
Location: Richmond, CA

PostPosted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 10:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Javaman wrote:
The best way I've found is to remove most of the fat on the outside edges of the steak. At the very least, score it almost down to the meat every 1/2 inch or so. You may need to cut into the meat to deal with silverskin (The thin tough shiny looking stuff) but it's best not to cut into the meat more then necessary due to moisture loss during cooking.


Remove the fat? But that's where the steak gets juicy flavor. I use a bacon press.

Biggles
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GaryProtein



Joined: 26 Oct 2005
Posts: 535

PostPosted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 4:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was going to say the same thing as DrBiggles. The bacon press is the way to go. If you want to get rid of the fat, do it AFTER you cook the meat.
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Thor



Joined: 24 Jul 2006
Posts: 112
Location: Camp Hill, PA

PostPosted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 9:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Compromise. Trim off some of the fatty fringe and toss it in the pan to fry with the steaks.

I don't own a bacon press. But I do have a brick and some aluminum foil.
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Javaman



Joined: 09 Mar 2007
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 12:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wouldn't any type of press or weight squeeze juices out of the steak?
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GaryProtein



Joined: 26 Oct 2005
Posts: 535

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 2:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Javaman wrote:
Wouldn't any type of press or weight squeeze juices out of the steak?


No, it won't...not if you start using the bacon press while the meat is first put in the pan. If you use the bacon press after the meat starts to cook, you will squeeze the juice out. Use the press start to finish and you will be fine. Also, we're taking about placing the steak under a bacon press, not a five ton forge! I never used a brick on a steak, but a brick, may be too heavy for a steak, but may be perfect for pressing a pannini sandwhich
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Thor



Joined: 24 Jul 2006
Posts: 112
Location: Camp Hill, PA

PostPosted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 3:57 pm    Post subject: Brick Too Heavy Reply with quote

Maybe a double layer of foil containing some dried beans could act as a press without being over zealous.
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SirSpice



Joined: 04 Dec 2006
Posts: 95

PostPosted: Fri Mar 16, 2007 12:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Buy a round 5-10 pound weight at walmart, wrap it in foil, put something flat over the steak, put the weight over that.

Also, you could try making small cuts near the edge of the steak as shown in this video:

http://www.bob-an.com/movie/asx/2-butanosuzigiri.asx
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DrBiggles



Joined: 12 May 2005
Posts: 356
Location: Richmond, CA

PostPosted: Fri Mar 16, 2007 2:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

SirSpice wrote:
Buy a round 5-10 pound weight at walmart, wrap it in foil, put something flat over the steak, put the weight over that.

Also, you could try making small cuts near the edge of the steak as shown in this video:

http://www.bob-an.com/movie/asx/2-butanosuzigiri.asx


5 to 10 pounds ?!?!? On a steak? Lordy.

That'd be fine for making a flattened whole chicken seared in a cast iron skillet, for sure. Beef is a tender meat and should be handled with care and thoughtfulness. My larger bacon press comes in at just under 2 pounds, cost 6 dollars at a local ace hardware.

I wasn't able to get the link for the slicing of the edges to load. I've made small slices around the steak and it looks like hell by the time it's ready to serve. I would have liked to see how they handled the slicing because it does help with the curling.

Biggles
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Thor



Joined: 24 Jul 2006
Posts: 112
Location: Camp Hill, PA

PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 9:20 pm    Post subject: Meat Spanking Reply with quote

The narration isn’t in English, so this is visual only for most of us, and we have to assume the method demonstrated is intended to prevent curling. The subject appears to be a boneless center cut pork chop that has an edging of fat, a potential curler. The point of a knife is used to produce a small nick in both the fat and the meat at the interface between said muscle and flavor. The fat band is left wholly intact. The entire perimeter of the chop is nicked at about 1 inch intervals. Once pork poking is complete, a flat meat mallet is used to slightly flatten the chop by spanking its edges. The blows concentrate on the fatty edges and use a sweeping motion from the center of the chop towards the edge. The entire perimeter is partially flattened in this manner. The demonstration ends without satisfaction.

Has anyone tried it to see if works??
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SirSpice



Joined: 04 Dec 2006
Posts: 95

PostPosted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 4:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, this isn't really meant for steak, it's for tonkatsu (schnitzel with panko instead of breadcrumbs). I've tried it with grilled chicken breast, but I'm not sure if it didn't curl because of the cuts.

And the weights I use are 2.5 pounds, I don't know how I came up with 10 pound.
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Thor



Joined: 24 Jul 2006
Posts: 112
Location: Camp Hill, PA

PostPosted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 6:21 pm    Post subject: Breasts Reply with quote

Quote:
I've tried it with grilled chicken breast, but I'm not sure if it didn't curl because of the cuts.


I've experienced a myriad of problems in conjunction with breasts, but curling has never been one of them. Have you had a chicken breast curl on you before???
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SirSpice



Joined: 04 Dec 2006
Posts: 95

PostPosted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 9:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Actually it wasn't grilled chicken, it was fried chicken schnitzel. And I have had chicken curl a bit when deep frying. I was just trying it for the sake of trying it and to see how the end product looks.

I do know that Tonkatsu tends to curl when I fry it. I've never tried the slits on it before though.
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