I was reading the obituaries for Ruth Fertel, who owned the Ruth’s Chris steakhouses and in the AP obituary it mentioned that:
. I thought it was a misprint and went to the New York Times where I read :
.
My question is how the heck do they get the grill to that temperature without melting it, and how do you cook a steak at such high heat, do you just sear it there and move it elsewhere???
Keith
As a former employee of RCSH, The answer: They don’t reach 1800 degrees. At least not when there are 25 steaks cooking in there, the grill is constantly being exsposed to the outside air to add more steaks, and much of the heat escapes due to the open front end of the broiler. I think what this actually means is that if the broiler were allowed to reach its maximum temperature, it would be around 1800 degrees.
Have you ever had a Ruths Chris steak? I was really looking forward to going there because I had heard they had the best steaks. My ribeye was burnt on the outside, raw in the middle, and full of gristle. I was not impressed with their famous cooking method.
1800 degrees Fahrenheit isn’t really all that high for the application.
The melting point of pure iron is 2795 degrees Fahrenheit.
If I were designing that thing I would go for a stainless steel (generally a listed melting point above 2550 degrees Fahrenheit).
I have eaten at Ruth’s Chris once and it was easily the best steak I have ever had.
Cooking a steak in this manner (burned on the outside, raw in the middle) is called “Pittsburg rare”, allegedly because steelworkers would cook their steaks in blast furnaces. It locks all the juices in. Heap good eatin’!
I have never been to a Roth’s Chris, but just this past weekend I went to a similar place – well, so I was told – called “Chophouse '47” that used some 1700-degree ovens. They served me an incredibly good filet. My mouth is watering now when I think about it. Yum!
RR
I was incredibly disappointed with the Ruth’s Chris in Austin when i lived there - the dinner I had was in no way worth what I paid for it. Hell, I’ve had better steaks at Outback.
If you’re lucky enough to have a Dan McClusky’s in your town, get your expensive steaks there - you’ll get your money’s worth.
I thought the secret to Ruth’s Chris was the stick of butter your steak was fried in as it cooks.
I’m still amazed I got through that one meal without a heart attack.
And where the heck did the name “Ruth’s Chris” come from, anyways?
Ruth bought Chris Steak House, hence Ruth’s Chris.
I should add, home of the expense account - I don’t believe they could survive without them. My good friend took me there for anything I wanted on my 40th birthday, and I think he paid it off last year (I’ll be 49 in a couple of weeks).