With the helpful responses and great references on my ‘crepe chemistry’ thread I thought I’d ask about how folks cook meat from a basic principle standpoint.
Specifically I’m looking to cook the wonderful Trader Joe’s Carne Asada.
I tried to seal up the pan to lock in the moisture, and I found I got a soupy mess that leeched the flavor out. I’m guessing I’m going to need to cook hotter and faster to ‘seal in the moisture’.
Any good general concept tips on cooking different types of meats?
I’d guess that your first attempt was unsatisfactory for precisely the reason you mentioned - by leaving the lid on you effectively steamed the meat in its own juices as they were being leeched out from the heat. This undoubtedly left a poor, gummy texture.
If you cook hotter and faster, you would be searing the meat. Contrary to popular belief, searing does not “seal in moisture.” Nonetheless, this technique does impart considerable benefits in the form of enhanced flavor (carmelization) and texture. Go ahead and try it.
If you want to sear it first for a few minutes, then pour some wine or broth into the pan to finish the cooking process, you’d be braising.
You could also roast it in the oven or try grilling it.
Meat basic (singular): Cut it across the grain thin enough that you can chew through it and singe the two sides. Salt and pepper to taste. Cut the slice into pieces you can fit in your mouth and don’t plan on talking for a while.
I agree with hobscrk777 - tender cuts of meat like the steak used to make carne asada should be cooked hot and fast. The idea is to get the meat up to temperature before it dries out. Broiling works well, as does pan-searing. If you have a cast-iron skillet, try heating it over a high flame until it starts to smoke, then put in the meat without adding any oil. As I remember, TJ’s carne asada comes thinly sliced, so you will want to cook it only a minute or two per side using this technique. Don’t try this with any other type of pan - the meat will stick to an ungreased stainless pan, and the heat will ruin a non-stick pan.
Cooking at high temp alone will not give you the same flavor. You’ll need to marinade the skirt steak in lime juice, garlic, cumin, tequila, & olive oil for a few hours prior to searing. Also, if you have a grill that will get up to high temps, that would be the preferred cooking method.
TJ’s Carne Asada is fairly thinly sliced and pre-marinaded/spiced, but what I was doing was cutting it into chunks and cooking in a pan. Sounds like I should cook whole pieces and cut after cooking. I’m guessing less moisture loss that way as well.
This is the same idea behind pepper steak. Most people think you have to broil steak for it to be tender and tasty. Not true, of course. Quickly frying a good steak in a heavy skillet at high heat produces the same result without heating up the kitchen.
The Trader Joe’s product described in the OP is marinated within an inch of its life.
Anther tip - the meat comes out of the package covered in sauce - pat dry and you’ll get a nice crust on the meat with no “boil-off” to steam the meat into mush.
This is one of those huge topics that you could write a whole book on (and people have), but I’ll start with my basic tip: pick a cooking method to complement the meat in question. There are a lot of different ways to cook different meats and they’re used for different reasons. The way you cook a steak sucks for brisket and cooking a steak like a brisket is just as bad. So think about the kind of meat you’re cooking and what you want to do with it.
Thin cuts, moderate fat, tender, like most steaks: These cuts just need some heat and flavor - you’re trying to preserve the basic moisture and texture. Cook as hot and as fast as you can. Use a grill, broiler or a really hot, dry pan. You want good char/carmelization on the outside, but without killing the interior (pink/red for beef).
Thin cuts, low-fat, tender, like most fish, pork chops and chicken breast: These cuts also don’t need a lot of help, except maybe to add moisture/fat. Consider pan frying, as this gets you a crispy outside and the oil helps to counter the lean meat. If not, practice the same basic practice as above, but keep in mind that leaner meats stick, so you’ll almost always need some oil to help.
Thin cuts with lots of connective tissue, like most flank steaks, and other less ideal beef steaks or end pork chops: You want to minimize the toughness caused by the connective tissue and avoid the tendency to dry out. Marinade, if possible, to start breakdown of the meat before cooking. Cook quickly and hot, like the first category of steaks. Counteract the connective tissue by cutting the meat after cooking into thin strips cut across the grain. Some people use tenderizers and frying techniques can still work well (chicken fried steak being an extreme example of both).
Thick cuts with lots of connective tissue, like pot roasts, pork shoulder, brisket, etc: Cutting is probably not realistic as a way to deal with connective tissue here and the thick cuts protect moisture. Cook slowly and for a long time. Consider smoking (say, 200 degree heat, lots of smoke, for 4+ hours), braising (cooking with liquid in the bottom of the pan), roasting/baking and other slower methods. Count on collagen and fat to keep the meat feeling moist to the mouth, even if it’s thoroughly well-done. Sauces don’t hurt either. For some cuts, you can start with a hot grill or pan to get the outside seared, and then finish slowly.
Obviously, this is largely simplified, but it seems to help a lot of people I talk to, who don’t realize the interplay between cooking methods and
Oh, I thought he was trying to recreate the carne asada from Trader Joe’s. Didn’t realize they sold a pre-marinated cut of meat in a package. Any idea what cut of beef they are using?
I tossed the package, and haven’t been to the store since, but a quick online search seems to indicate that it’s thinly sliced sirloin.
For the future, I would recommend just buying some skirt steak at the store and making your own.