Red Pill Dispenser

How to determine steak tenderness just by using your hand. There are two basic methods to test for how done your meat is while you are cooking it—use a meat thermometer, or press on the meat with your fingertips. The problem with the meat thermometer approach is that when you poke a hole into the meat with a thermometer, it can let juices escape, juices that you would rather have stay in the meat. For this reason, most experienced cooks rely on a “finger test” method, especially on steaks (whole roasts are better tested with a thermometer). My mother has been trying to get me to test meat with my fingertips for years, and for years, being somewhat of a scaredy cat (won’t it burn my fingers?) I ignored, avoided, ran away from the idea. Then my friend David showed me up. Here’s a guy who loves to grill but doesn’t know how to boil water. (Really. Cannot boil water. Just ask him, he’s proud of the fact.) David taught me how to test for the doneness of meat using this method and thes

This trick changes EVERYTHING. For more evenly-cooked, tender, and flavorful steaks off the grill, try scoring your meat! You heard us right: That method you usually apply to your holiday ham and duck breasts can also be used on your steak. HERE'S HOW: Using the tip of a sharp knife, first make shallow (about 1/8 inch deep) cuts across the grain one way, then the other way (perpendicular to first set of cuts). Repeat on the other side. Season the steak, then grill it on medium-high for a minute or two less per side. WHY BOTHER, YOU ASK? Well, if you like rubbing your steaks down with spices, garlic, or herbs, this trick makes sure the flavor sets in because you can really cram the seasoning into the cuts. The shallow cuts also give the heat from your grill easier access, thereby minimizing that dreaded, dry, gray line that can sometimes appear around the perfectly juicy, medium-rare band in the center of your steak. Read more...

1) TOP ROUND (AKA London broil) Very lean with mild flavor; dense and slightly chewy. Inexpensive with no fat to trim off, so more meat for your money; even shape makes it easy to slice thin. Marinating will tenderize the meat. Best served rare to medium (overcooking will turn this cut into leather). Must be carved very thin, against the grain. Great cold for sandwiches. "Best Buy" 2) RIB EYE (AKA Delmonico steak) Naturally tender cut cooks up juicy, with a rich flavor of caramelized meat. Can be sold bone-in for rib lovers and for a more dramatic presentation. Lots of marbling makes it self-basting. These steaks are pricey, so look for ones with a large "eye" and less surrounding fat. 3) FILET MIGNON (AKA tenderloin steak) Its mild flavor and tenderness make it the perfect canvas for a starring sauce. Expensive, but unlike other cuts, it doesn?t need to be trimmed and doesn?t shrink much during cooking. Avoid acidic marinades -- they'll de

Getting a perfect sear without overcooking a steak can be tough. In this clip from the America's Test Kitchen Cooking School, Bridget Lancaster teaches the Test Kitchen's secret technique for perfectly seared steaks.

This photo “United States of America”, by Dominic Episcopo , is in “Art of the State” at the The Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg.