# Is it possible to slow cook steak



## grgryl

I usually cook my steak on a frying pan (250 gram .  Some restaurants smoke the steak for many hours on a smoker to tenderize the meat ("Hog's Breath").  I would rather not buy and outdoor grill/smoker, and was wondering if I could replicate the results with an oven.  I realize that it might not be as tasty, but my main goal is to make the steak as tender as possible.  

HOw long and at what temperature would you recommend I cook the steak in the oven?  Would this method work?
Appreciate your help.


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## Uncle Bob

What cut of beef are we talking about?


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## coookies

Hmmm.. I don't know if I will be much help here but when I make steak and potato stew I slow cook the steak (of course it is with all of the rest of the ingredients)... it comes out so tender that you can cut it with a spoon.  That is in a slow cooker though, not an oven.  Not sure what kind of results you would get in an oven although I imagine it would be much dryer than in a slow cooker pot... 

hope that helps at leats a little, lol
Katie


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## Phil

*Here in Texas....*



coookies said:


> Hmmm.. I don't know if I will be much help here but when I make steak and potato stew I slow cook the steak (of course it is with all of the rest of the ingredients)... it comes out so tender that you can cut it with a spoon.
> Katie



We call that a roast or "meat" and potatoes. I'm thinking grgrly is talking about a rib eye, sirloin, T-bone, something on the "steak" side. I'm guessing like Uncle Bob. I've never had a steak slow cooked. You can, of course, but I don't think it would taste like a fired, grilled steak.


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## jennyema

Most steaks are very tender cuts to start out with. That's why they are cooked quickly over very high heat.

Meats that are tougher benefit from a low slow cooking process, like braising. This would be like a pot roast or brisket.

If you are buying what most people traditionally think of as a steak (ribeye/strip/porterhouse/tbone/filet mignon, etc) then the last thing you want to do is cook it low and slow. It'll just dry out.

If what you are buying is marketed as a "steak" but is really a tougher cut (like "round steak") then cooking it like a pot roast would work well.


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## grgryl

Sorry forgot to put that in the original post.  I've been buying Chuck Eye lately.  



Uncle Bob said:


> What cut of beef are we talking about?


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## jennyema

grgryl said:


> Sorry forgot to put that in the original post. I've been buying Chuck Eye lately.


 
If they are marketing that as "steak," well, shame on them.

Chuck eye can be braised, like pot roast or oven roasted. If you roast it, it'll be tender cooked just to medium or less. Braising it will give you very tender, but very well done, meat.


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## grgryl

Then how is it that people are able to slow cook steaks (like ribeye, tenderloin) in a smoker/grill and get very tender results without it drying out?




jennyema said:


> Most steaks are very tender cuts to start out with. That's why they are cooked quickly over very high heat.
> 
> Meats that are tougher benefit from a low slow cooking process, like braising. This would be like a pot roast or brisket.
> 
> If you are buying what most people traditionally think of as a steak (ribeye/strip/porterhouse/tbone/filet mignon, etc) then the last thing you want to do is cook it low and slow. It'll just dry out.
> 
> If what you are buying is marketed as a "steak" but is really a tougher cut (like "round steak") then cooking it like a pot roast would work well.


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## Leolady

I see them in the store all the time.  They call chuck "steak" charcoal steak here!

It is thinner than the chuck roast, and that's the only difference.


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## Uncle Bob

grgryl said:


> Sorry forgot to put that in the original post.  I've been buying Chuck Eye lately.



Personally I would cook a chuck-eye steak fast and furious!! The hotter and quicker the better...Medium Rare...no more.


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## grgryl

So for tender cuts, fast and furious gets more tender results??
Why is that the opposite for tougher cuts?  



Uncle Bob said:


> Personally I would cook a chuck-eye steak fast and furious!! The hotter and quicker the better...Medium Rare...no more.


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## Leolady

Tender cuts are from muscles that are not used much.  

Tough cuts come from muscles that are used often.  They require longer cooking because of that.


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## grgryl

I find that if the heat is too high, the steak gets burned on the outside, and is too raw on the inside.  



Uncle Bob said:


> Personally I would cook a chuck-eye steak fast and furious!! The hotter and quicker the better...Medium Rare...no more.


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## Uncle Bob

Leolady said:


> I see them in the store all the time.  They call chuck "steak" charcoal steak here!
> 
> It is thinner than the chuck roast, and that's the only difference.



A chuck "steak" and a Chuck-eye "steak" are different...Both from the chuck, but different...The Chuck-eye can at times be almost as good as a Rib-eye...My experience -- most times they are not...Both can be cooked fast and hot with some degree of success. When I see Chuck-eyes...I leave them in the counter...They are usually over priced for what they are...When I see chuck steaks...I normally think moist cooking methods/recipes etc.


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## jennyema

Uncle Bob said:


> Personally I would cook a chuck-eye steak fast and furious!! The hotter and quicker the better...Medium Rare...no more.


 

A chuck steak is too tough for me.  Same with chuck-eye, which I seldom see cut into a steak -- it's generally a larger hunk.

Anything labeled chuck gets braised. Unless it's a burger.


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## Leolady

I think that I should have been clearer.  

There is a thin, thin chuck steak here that they call charcoal steak.


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## Phil

*Too raw?*

I have several grills, but my favorite is the Weber. It's a domed shape, charcoal grill with vents in the bottom sides and top. I can take an inch and a half ribeye, throw it on at about 425+, and cook it for a total of about eight minutes and it will have a hot pink center with no blood. Raw for me is blood in the meat and that is unacceptable for me. But the Weber, with it's unique shape, is able to produce rare to med with no blood. It's a great grill and gives a great tasting steak.


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## grgryl

I still don't understand how a oven is different to a smoker (aside from the the difference in flavor).  I know people slow cook beef tenderloins in smokers but would not put it in an oven.  Is a smoker more moist than an oven?


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## Uncle Bob

grgryl said:
			
		

> So for tender cuts, fast and furious gets more tender results??
> Why is that the opposite for tougher cuts?



In simple terms...It takes longer to break down the tougher muscle fibers...



			
				grgryl said:
			
		

> I find that if the heat is too high, the steak gets burned on the outside, and is too raw on the inside.



On the stove sear (brown) your steak on each side in a very hot pan...Cast iron is good. Finish in a hot oven if needed to reach your desired degree of doneness

On an outdoor grill...Same thing. Sear the steak on both sides directly over the source of heat...Then move them to an area on the grill that is not directly over the heat to finish.


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## Phil

*Interesting...*



Leolady said:


> I think that I should have been clearer.
> 
> There is a thin, thin chuck steak here that they call charcoal steak.


...and not to high jack this thread, but I remember in the seventies that the meat department came up with many different names of meat. One was a "round tip-cap off" or some wild name I'd never heard of. Years later I found out that our "gubment" was taxing beef like crazy and meat procucers were naming their cuts of beef different names to avoid certain taxes. I never really knew this to be the whole truth, but I haven't see exotic cuts of beet since.


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## Uncle Bob

jennyema said:


> A chuck steak is too tough for me.  Same with chuck-eye, which I seldom see cut into a steak -- it's generally a larger hunk.
> 
> Anything labeled chuck gets braised. Unless it's a burger.



I rarely see chuck-eye steaks either...At one time they were quite popular here....Cooked like a normal grilling steak (hot & fast) you've got a 50/50 chance of having something you can chew...When you get lucky it's not bad....Not a Rib-eye...but Ok.

Braising is my preferred method for large portions of Chuck too....
A nice large Chuck roast can also be BBQed...using the same methods used for pork Butts..

Have Fun!


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## grgryl

I look for Chuck eye with marbling and it is surprisingly tender; a different league to Chuck steak I think. 



Uncle Bob said:


> I rarely see chuck-eye steaks either...At one time they were quite popular here....Cooked like a normal grilling steak (hot & fast) you've got a 50/50 chance of having something you can chew...When you get lucky it's not bad....Not a Rib-eye...but Ok.
> 
> Braising is my preferred method for large portions of Chuck too....
> A nice large Chuck roast can also be BBQed...using the same methods used for pork Butts..
> 
> Have Fun!


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## Uncle Bob

grgryl said:


> I look for Chuck eye with marbling and it is surprisingly tender; a different league to Chuck steak I think.




I agree...they are not the same. I also agree it is a surprise when you find a nice tender chuck-eye steak!!! 

Have Fun & Enjoy!!!


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## jennyema

grgryl said:


> I look for Chuck eye with marbling and it is surprisingly tender; a different league to Chuck steak I think.


 

They are similar, in fact.  Both are from the chuck or shoulder part of the cow.  Marbling doesn't matter very much when you are starting out with a tougher cut to begin with.

Anything from the chuck section of the cow is going to be tougher than many other cuts.

Like Uncle Bob said, it's a cousin to the rib eye steak which is located farther down toward the animal's midsection.  A chuck eye will not be as tender or flavorful as a rib eye.

If you cook it past medium with dry heat it will be dry and tough.


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## ChefJune

grgryl said:


> Then how is it that people are able to slow cook steaks (like ribeye, tenderloin) in a smoker/grill and get very tender results without it drying out?


 
They are _not_ able to COOK those cuts of meat low and slow without turning them into veritable shoe soles.  Smoking is a different technique. However, in my area, smoking a Porterhouse is not a common practice.


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## ChefJune

jennyema said:


> A chuck steak is too tough for me. Same with chuck-eye, which I seldom see cut into a steak -- it's generally a larger hunk.
> 
> Anything labeled chuck gets braised. Unless it's a burger.


 
Jenny, back in the day, we used to marinate chuck steak overnight and then grill them. They were butterknife tender, but without the marinade, they would have been a bonafide disaster.


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## grgryl

Are you saying that only tough meats should be smoked?  
Why does cooking tender meats 'low and slow' turn them into shoe soles?  

Is it the acid in the marinade that makes the beef tender?  Would you suggest soaking the meat in white vinegar the night before cooking?



ChefJune said:


> They are _not_ able to COOK those cuts of meat low and slow without turning them into veritable shoe soles. Smoking is a different technique. However, in my area, smoking a Porterhouse is not a common practice.


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## jminion

grgryl said:


> Are you saying that only tough meats should be smoked?
> Why does cooking tender meats 'low and slow' turn them into shoe soles?


 
Tough cuts have connective tissue that as it breaks down and releases it's moisture keep the cut moist during the long slow cook. When you are talking a steak, a tender cut, that connective tissue is not present to break down and supply the moisture to the steak. As the steak cooks slowly it dries out from the exterior inward. A sear with a high  temp cook is the best way to handle steaks.

Jim


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## Palmertron

Well this is from their web site.

We slow cook our Prime Rib steak for at least 18 hours, then finish with high temperature searing on a char grill to seal in the maximum flavour for your enjoyment.

So I guess you can but I don't know what method they use.


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## Andy M.

Palmertron said:


> Well this is from their web site.
> 
> We slow cook our Prime Rib steak for at least 18 hours, then finish with high temperature searing on a char grill to seal in the maximum flavour for your enjoyment.
> 
> So I guess you can but I don't know what method they use.




Which website is that?  I'd like to read up.


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## TATTRAT

Andy M. said:


> Which website is that?  I'd like to read up.



Telling ya, this is the best method I have ever had, and used. Super easy, no muss no fuss. If you give it a try, I promise you will do it again, and again.

Perfect Prime Rib - Easiest Prime Rib Recipe Ever! - Holiday Prime Rib of Beef - YouTube


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## Palmertron

Andy M. said:


> Which website is that?  I'd like to read up.




Hog's Breath Cafe - PRIME RIB STEAK


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## TATTRAT

Grilling a piece of standing rib roast(it's only Prime Rib if rated Prime), is kinda just silly. . .just order a ribeye/Delmonico.

18hours also seems silly for roasting a rib roast, seriously.

Is this a plug for the restaurant? Bumping a thread from 3 years ago and all . . .


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## PolishedTopaz

grgryl said:


> Is it the acid in the marinade that makes the beef tender? Would you suggest soaking the meat in white vinegar the night before cooking?


 
Yes....acids will make meat tender, if left too long tho the meat then becomes "mushy", fork tender? Yes, but to some inedible. Soaking ANY meats in straight vinegar would end up . I have "Round" steaks available here in my market too, they are simply eye of round roasts cut into thickish slices, IMO only good for a pepper steak sort of thing. 

I have never heard of "slow cooking" a steak. And it seems to me anyway, to be a set-up for diisappontment. The best thing to do with a minimally marbled piece of steak is to either do a hard and fast "sear n serve" as was suggested already. Or buy the whole roast, and do a slow even braise in the oven. If you are cooking just for yourself, leftovers can be made into a filling for tacos, shredded for sammies or chili or diced up and added to a beef soup.


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## Bolas De Fraile

Once in a while when we are away from the house all day I vacpak a rib eye with any herbs and or marinades. I set my old chip fryer to its lowest temp about 55c and leave them in the water for 8 hrs +or- a few hrs. They come out looking like crap but you just mark then on a hot skillet. They do tend to come out any where between rare and medium


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## buckytom

pretty cool, bolas. i've heard of but have never tried a sous vide steak.


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## Caslon

Slow cooking a steak? Said steak ends up "boiling" itself. It may have been a steak before, but it wasn't afterwards.


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## Andy M.

I suppose you can sous vide a steak to 120ºF for 18 hours then quickly sear it on the grill or in a skillet but there are much easier ways to cook a steak.


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## CraigC

TATTRAT said:


> 18hours also seems silly for roasting a rib roast, seriously.


 
Not if it is an 18 lb roast and you use the 500F for 5 minutes and 200F for 1 hour/per lb method. I would never slice and sear though. That would over cook for my taste.


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## Bolas De Fraile

Andy M. said:


> I suppose you can sous vide a steak to 120ºF for 18 hours then quickly sear it on the grill or in a skillet but there are much easier ways to cook a steak.


I sorta agree M. I would like to try taking the pouch out of the water bath and "shock" it in iced water then store inthe fridge for a few days to see if it come up rare still when you have marked it.


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## racheal1

*Yes you can slow cook steak.*

Steak is excellent slow cooked. It needs to be done at a very low temperature. Around 50 degrees celcius for 18 hours or 75 degrees for about 9 hours, even up to 100 degrees for about 4 hours. It results in a very tender piece of meat. Yes, steak tends to be the more tender cut of meat, but age, quality, handling and even cooking can make it go tough. 

Bring the meat to room temp. Pre-heat oven and put meat on a rack over a tray. Slow cook. After the time period, it shouldn't really look cooked at all, but will be firmer. Heat a fry-pan to a medium high heat. Brush the steak with a little oil and season. Brown on both sides and serve. Perfect!!!


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## taxlady

racheal1 said:


> Steak is excellent slow cooked. It needs to be done at a very low temperature. Around 50 degrees celcius for 18 hours or 75 degrees for about 9 hours, even up to 100 degrees for about 4 hours. It results in a very tender piece of meat. Yes, steak tends to be the more tender cut of meat, but age, quality, handling and even cooking can make it go tough.
> 
> Bring the meat to room temp. Pre-heat oven and put meat on a rack over a tray. Slow cook. After the time period, it shouldn't really look cooked at all, but will be firmer. Heat a fry-pan to a medium high heat. Brush the steak with a little oil and season. Brown on both sides and serve. Perfect!!!


18 hours at 50C! That's right in the danger zone for growing micro-organisms.


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## racheal1

Yes, it is right in the Danger zone, but provided the meat is handled right and is of good quality, then all should be good. Been making steak like this for 20 years and no problems so far. If worried about it, then cook higher for less time.


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