Chuck Steak

[howard88]

I have a three pound, one inch thick center cut chuck steak. I like the flavor and taste of chuck but have had better experiences slow and low cooking it in the oven or even a crock pot. I would love to grill this one, but more often than not the product eats tough even when it is rare and medium rare. Any ideas on a marinade or something to tenderize it for the grill. One that does not impart much flavor since I want the steak to be the primary taste.

[MatthewB]

Are you planning to grill it at a low temp and/or indirect method?

[Basilgirl]

My mom used to marinate chuck in lemon juice, a little sugar and scallions and then grill it.

I think she marinated it overnight.

I used to love it. I'll have to find that recipe...

[howard88]

Matthew: I was planning on treating it like it was a ribeye or something really expensive and crank the Weber up high, sear it and then lower the heat level.

[MatthewB]

Matthew: I was planning on treating it like it was a ribeye or something really expensive and crank the Weber up high, sear it and then lower the heat level.

I tend to think that may not be the best way to cook that cut.

I would lean toward the "low & slow" methods--either bbq'ing or braising.

But I might be way off.

[Dave the Cook]

There are some interesting treatments in this thread.

Odd hunk of beef that the chuck is, "center cut chuck steak" could mean any of several different things, and treatments vary accordingly.

Could you be more specific? Is it chuck eye? Seven-bone steak? Shoulder steak? Something else?

[Kenk]

Go ahead and grill it.

In my family we often grilled chuck.

Chuck is made of many different sections, some are more tender than others. It is usually best to select a piece of chuck that is closest to the rib. This cut will have a section that is as tender as ribeye. It is the same muscles as ribeye.

The better the quality(fat content, aging, how the animal is raised, etc..)

the better the taste and tenderness of the meat. You may find that some parts are quite chewey. This is good to keep your carnavor's tools in shape.

I don't usally marinate the meat but this is a good idea. Choose a marinate that will enhance the chuck's tenderness.

I often take a chuck roast and cut it along the fat and muscle separations and grill the meat in sections. This way you can also snack along he way.

By the way I just bought a couple of really good looking chuck today and will be grilling it on hardwood charcoal tomorrow.

[Jason Perlow]

Chop it up in a food processor and make one nice hamburger out of it.

[Ladybug]

Chop it up in a food processor and make one nice hamburger out of it.

One nice teensy little ol' three pound burger?

[Jinmyo]

Hmmmmmmm. I'm just not convinced about grilling it. Sear it then treat it as a pot au feu.

[Nick]

Either braise it or cut it up into little pieces and use it in a slow cooked chili.

[Lyle]

Would this be an appropriate cut for smoking?

[MatthewB]

As I noted earlier, I'd lean toward the "low & slow" methods.

However, Dave asked the right question: What particular cut of chuck is it? We could be dealing with some very different cuts.

Howard?

[Kenk]

I just started marinating my chuck(blade roast/steak) in;

Kejup manis

soya sauce

Sherry

chili flakes

Sriracha sauce

garlic

sesame oil

It is going to hit the charcoal later this evening with all the fire and smoke I can generate.

My canine teeth are there for a reason!

[russ parsons]

i too would braise it. but if you're going to grill it, do it over indirect heat. and then slice it thin before serving it. it'll be chewy, but good flavor. i'm not sure about all those seasonings. i'm a salt-and-pepper man myself.

[howard88]

I put together a marinade with half a cup of soy sauce, quarter cup of Chinese Shaiu Shing wine, two cups of water and cracked black pepper. Into a pyrex dish and the 3lb. chuck steak is totally covered in the marinade. In a few hours it will have had 24 hours in the marinade. I will be a grillin at the 24 hour point, rain or not. I will report back with details. Thanks for all your comments.

[Kenk]

I ate the chuck I marinated last yesterday, grilled it on a hot flame MMMMMMMM.

The outside had a really nice char, it was cooked medium rare. Most of the piece of meat was nice and tender the rest I tore into and chewed it into submission MMMMMMM.

Had some steamed asparagus, a tomato salad with onion cucumbers topped with fresh basil and fresh oregano and dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinager.

Selecting the right cut of the Chuck is important if you are looking for tender roasts or steaks(this of course goes for any cut of meat).

[iriee]

mmmm sounds good! whens the next cookout??? are we all invited??

[howard88]

Due to severe downpour of rain, I decided to cook the chuck steak inside. Four minutes on each side on a very hot grill pan and then into a 425 degree oven until internal temperature was 133 degrees. Let it rest for 8 minutes and dug in. The taste was mildly soy but the full flavor and intensity of the chuck steak came through nicely. It was done medium rare on the rare side and was tender. I did add a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar to the marinade which I forgot to include in the recipe.

[formerly grueldelux]

Inspired by Mr. Cutlets avowed love for chuck which he declared in the Q and A now in the Fridge, I've done a little experimenting on the grill. Bottom line, I can't believe I've gone my whole life relegating chuck to the stew pot when clearly it's the tastiest option for the grill as well. The fact that's it's cheap doesn't hurt

but I think I'd choose it for the flavor regardless of price.

Mr. Cutlets says he prefers a thinner steak, since the thick ones tend to inch too closely to roast beef for his tastes. I don't really have a preference but I chose a massive one for this experiment because it nicely illustrates the "7 Bone" designation brought into question in the q and a (see the topic "ground, as opposed to intact.") In the grocery store where I purchased the steak they have several kinds of pre-cut chuck steaks, two of which are called "7 Bone." With the thinner 7 Bone (around 1 inch), the numeral 7 is not at all visible. Here it's plain as day.

Here's a side view. It's massive, corks high:

And a top (note the 7 on the left.)

Salted and air dried in the fridge for 24 hours (Many don't advise this. Proceed at your own risk.)

48 hours. Obvious shrinkage and darkening. The surface was still soft all over and required little trimming

Pre-heated the cooker for 45 minutes at 600 degrees. I'm not an expert on using this style of cooker for high/direct heat, but I know that it works best when the ceramic walls are fully heated so that the meat cooks as much from the heat radiating from the walls as from the fire below.

Steak on:

Cooking away with lid closed:

Flipped after 4 minutes. Maybe a tad over-charred:

Second side done, removed to warmed clay vessel to rest, covered:

Wow:

Okay, maybe not. I was aiming for rare, got nearly blue. I guess it should have been obvious that something this thick would need longer cooking at a lower temp. I ate it anyway.:

Several delicious meals later, the 7 arises:

And flips:

Thanks Mr. Cutlets! I'm a new man! For the most part, there is nothing tough about this cut at all and the flavor is outstanding. The tough parts provide their own pleasure, encouraging you to cut small, take your time, chew.

Michael

[Fat Guy]

All hail Cutlets.

[Schielke]

Thanks for the nice picture-rich report!

[wesza]

Michael:

Wonderfull presentation you sure did a excellent job.

I've always enjoyed the taste and flavor of 7 bone Chuck Roast. When it's on sale and I have some extra freezer space there's several extra things I do that even makes it better, plus provides one of my favorite Grilling or Braising dishes.

On the Bottom of your 7 Bone Roasts there are the Rib Sections that are used for Flanken or the best Korean Barbque Ribs. I will request the Butcher to sell me several large whole 7 bone roasts then request him to split them into 2 pieces, take them home and seperate by the fat seam the Short Ribs from the Chuck Section only takes a minute but provides 2 different dishes both delicious.

Another way of utilizing this cut is the Round Cut off the 7 bone is called the Chuck Eye or Filet when seperated into a whole piece from the Chuck this makes very good 'Chicken Fried Steaks" when pounded thin between plastic wrap or cut up thicker plastic bags or even a tasty "Steak Sandwich".

The balance is very good for stew beef or ground beef with flavor and character. The Bones are a welcome addition for Stock or Soup Base.

Irwin

[Gifted Gourmet]

Thanks for the nice picture-rich report!

Mad Cow Disease or no, I am an avowed beefaholic and this photo montage merely served to whet my otherwise ravenous desire to buy and grill a lovely piece of chuck! and definitely "bleu"!!

Thanks for this piece!!

[formerly grueldelux]

On the Bottom of your 7 Bone Roasts there are the Rib Sections that are used for Flanken or the best Korean Barbque Ribs. I will request the Butcher to sell me several large whole 7 bone roasts then request him to split them into 2 pieces, take them home and seperate by the fat seam the Short Ribs from the Chuck Section only takes a minute but provides 2 different dishes both delicious.

Another way of utilizing this cut is the Round Cut off the 7 bone is called the Chuck Eye or Filet when seperated into a whole piece from the Chuck this makes very good 'Chicken Fried Steaks" when pounded thin between plastic wrap or cut up thicker plastic bags or even a tasty "Steak Sandwich".

The balance is very good for stew beef or ground beef with flavor and character. The Bones are a welcome addition for Stock or Soup Base.

Thanks for the very interesting ideas. The way the cut naturally divided, especially after cooking, had made me curious about alternate uses for that rib section. There's now home-butchered Kalbi in my future.