Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Emeril on steak


wannabechef

Recommended Posts

I have a meat question. I watched Emeril tonight - something that I ususally never do, but while channel surfing, I saw he was doing a program dedicated to beef. Being that I love everything beef, I tuned in.

He said that one can go to a butcher and buy a "rib roast" which is not all THAT expensive. Then you can go home, and cut a few steaks out of it and have the equivalent of a rib steak - a highly coveted cut. He made the joke that butchers will be mad at him for giving away the secret, etc. Is there any truth to this?

I just bought two incredible prime rib steaks the other day, 1.75" thick, which ran me almost $30 a pop. Granted, they were out of this world, but I'd like to know if there really is some sort of secret to getting a high quality cut at cheaper prices? Are a rib roast and rib steak one and the same?

Thanks!

~WBC

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's true! The difference in price between a rib roast and a rib steak can be ridiculous. I have even asked for a 1-rib roast so I get it at the price of the roast and not the price of the steak! But most of the time I buy the roasts when they are well priced and "butcher" them myself.

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yup, rib roasts are about two dollars cheaper per pound than steaks at my local supermarket. I find a nice roast and get it cut to my specs at no charge.

PJ

"Epater les bourgeois."

--Lester Bangs via Bruce Sterling

(Dori Bangs)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yup, rib roasts are about two dollars cheaper per pound than steaks at my local supermarket. I find a nice roast and get it cut to my specs at no charge.

PJ

Your supermarket will butcher meat on request? How cool is that...

I wonder if mine does and I have never thought to ask....

He don't mix meat and dairy,

He don't eat humble pie,

So sing a miserere

And hang the bastard high!

- Richard Wilbur and John LaTouche from Candide

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's true. I did this for years in Canada. All you need is a good knife. I can't stand watching Emeril but I find myself using a lot of his recipes....

Ask for a well-marbled bone-in rib roast, from the 'prime' (smaller, more tender) end of the big rib primal cut. A 2-bone roast will be maybe 6" thick. I'm not 100% sure if these terms apply in the USA, but 'prime' rib is the first 3 or 4 ribs from the small end of the roast, and 'standing' rib is the next 3 or 4 at the bigger end.

Then cut the bones off in one slab for a great BBQ-able or roastable rack of beef bones, and slice the rest into rib steaks of whatever thickness you like. Or alternately keep the bones on, and slice into 3" thick 'cowboy' bone-in rib steaks, which you grill or blacken and finish in the oven, and can serve sliced for sharing between 2 carnivores. Only trick is if you want individial portion bone-in rib steaks, which is my favorite cut, you have to talk the butcher into running it through their saw.

If you've got a vacuum bag rig, you can then seal the steaks and they'll keep for weeks (heck, they'll actually improve - I've had steaks up to 3 months old this way) in the fridge, no need to freeze.

Strangely, in Hong Kong, a rib roast usually costs MORE than rib steaks, and it's not easy to find one! Roasts are a premium cut here because few people have ovens or BBQs, so most meat is sold in small cuts suitable for Chinese style cooking.

The same concept usually applies to chicken - buying whole ones and spending a few minutes cutting them up is usually a lot cheaper than buying parts. Plus you get all those great bones for stock.

I find that the few remaining supermarket butchers love to be asked to do special stuff. I always make friends with my butcher. That way my hamburger comes from the fresh-ground stuff in the cooler, not the day-old stuff on display....

Hong Kong Dave

O que nao mata engorda.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You can often find great bargains on rib roasts at Sam's (and I suppose Costco). We buy them and cut them into steaks quite a bit. Vacu pac and keep in the fridge, or freeze if they are destined for a trip to the lakehouse.

Brooks Hamaker, aka "Mayhaw Man"

There's a train everyday, leaving either way...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You can often find great bargains on rib roasts at Sam's (and I suppose Costco). We buy them and cut them into steaks quite a bit. Vacu pac and keep in the fridge, or freeze if they are destined for a trip to the lakehouse.

how do like that vacu pak? i have been looking at them for years, if you can believe that. after that chicken pot pie recipe, you are my god. on your say, i may own one by lunch. also if you have brand rec, that would be great

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Then cut the bones off in one slab for a great BBQ-able or roastable rack of beef bones, and slice the rest into rib steaks of whatever thickness you like. Or alternately keep the bones on, and slice into 3" thick 'cowboy' bone-in rib steaks, which you grill or blacken and finish in the oven, and can serve sliced for sharing between 2 carnivores. Only trick is if you want individial portion bone-in rib steaks, which is my favorite cut, you have to talk the butcher into running it through their saw.

Thanks Dave! This is hard for me to imagine since I've never bought a rib roast before. But I'll have to try it out. Is it possible to cut the bones yourself at home? Do you need some sort of saw to do this?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The same is sometimes true of beautiful boneless rib-eye roasts. Last summer during their truck-load meat sale (yup, they have one every year), I noticed that my IGA had rib-eye roasts for $7.99/lb, while rib-eye steaks were $9.99. I bought two roasts and sliced them each down to 3 gorgeous steaks.

As for chicken, I can't imagine why anyone would pay $3.99/lb. for boneless chicken breasts when you can get whole breast as low as $1.29/lb. (and I've even seen them in bulk packs on sale for $0.99/lb.) and bone them yourself in a heartbeat. Though I rarely use chicken breasts, since I prefer the flavor and fat of the thighs – which I buy in bulk for $0.79/lb. and bone myself. :biggrin:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

how do like that vacu pak?  i have been looking at them for years, if you can believe that.  after that chicken pot pie recipe, you are my god.  on your say, i may own one by lunch.  also if you have brand rec, that would be great

I use the Foodsaver Pro II Model. You should be able to get it NIB on eBay for ~200 vs. $300 on the Tilia website.

Here's a link to eGullet's FoodSaver thread.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As for chicken, I can't imagine why anyone would pay $3.99/lb. for boneless chicken breasts when you can get whole breast as low as $1.29/lb. (and I've even seen them in bulk packs on sale for $0.99/lb.) and bone them yourself in a heartbeat.

the quick answer is that not everyone can debone-deskin in a heartbeat. and others don't care about the extra 2 dollars.

my question is why not leave the bone on? well, for most applications at least.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

how do like that vacu pak?  i have been looking at them for years, if you can believe that.  after that chicken pot pie recipe, you are my god.  on your say, i may own one by lunch.  also if you have brand rec, that would be great

I use the Foodsaver Pro II Model. You should be able to get it NIB on eBay for ~200 vs. $300 on the Tilia website.

Here's a link to eGullet's FoodSaver thread.

do you mainly use it for meat? do you notice a differnece in the taste as opposed to just freezer wrap? i'll bet it looks a lot better

Link to comment
Share on other sites

how do like that vacu pak?  i have been looking at them for years, if you can believe that.  after that chicken pot pie recipe, you are my god.  on your say, i may own one by lunch.  also if you have brand rec, that would be great

I use the Foodsaver Pro II Model. You should be able to get it NIB on eBay for ~200 vs. $300 on the Tilia website.

Here's a link to eGullet's FoodSaver thread.

do you mainly use it for meat? do you notice a differnece in the taste as opposed to just freezer wrap? i'll bet it looks a lot better

just hit the foodsaver thread, for some reason did not see it the first time. thanks much, definatley getting on

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You can often find great bargains on rib roasts at Sam's (and I suppose Costco). We buy them and cut them into steaks quite a bit. Vacu pac and keep in the fridge, or freeze if they are destined for a trip to the lakehouse.

how do like that vacu pak? i have been looking at them for years, if you can believe that. after that chicken pot pie recipe, you are my god. on your say, i may own one by lunch. also if you have brand rec, that would be great

Check on ebay. You can save yourself a bunch of money, as they seem to be popular gifts to unload there.

And as far as liking it, the thing is great. Probably has paid for itself 50 times over at this point (peas and butterbeans are my upcoming vacu project-about two weeks away from freezing time). I also like it for freezing stuff to go to the lake. You end up with a solid little block of sauce or whatever and it takes a while to thaw. You can use them in ice chests instead of ice. :laugh:

I have a Kenmore Save and Seal (Sears) and it works great. It has the little jar attachment which is pretty handy as well. It takes just about any vacu bags (we buy em at Sam's).

Edited to say that I should have read through the thread. As usual, Rachel is waaay ahead of me. We're kinda slow down here (95F and 80% humidity will do that to you-these are current conditions, not some kind of theory :wacko: )

Brooks Hamaker, aka "Mayhaw Man"

There's a train everyday, leaving either way...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On the other hand, I waltzed by the meat counter at the earthy crunchy groceria where I work and spied a boned, rolled, tied rib roast for 251 bucks! That's gonna make some pricey Delmonicos.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I must really be spoiled. My butcher cuts extra thick prime rib steaks for my son and I from the roast, then charges us roast prices!

Dave Valentin

Retired Explosive Detection K9 Handler

"So, what if we've got it all backwards?" asks my son.

"Got what backwards?" I ask.

"What if chicken tastes like rattlesnake?" My son, the Einstein of the family.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Then cut the bones off in one slab for a great BBQ-able or roastable rack of beef bones, and slice the rest into rib steaks of whatever thickness you like.  Or alternately keep the bones on, and slice into 3" thick 'cowboy' bone-in rib steaks, which you grill or blacken and finish in the oven, and can serve sliced  for sharing between 2 carnivores.  Only trick is if you want individial portion bone-in rib steaks, which is my favorite cut, you have to talk the butcher into running it through their saw.

Thanks Dave! This is hard for me to imagine since I've never bought a rib roast before. But I'll have to try it out. Is it possible to cut the bones yourself at home? Do you need some sort of saw to do this?

Not easily, because you have to cut through those thick rib bones the long way, and that's a slog. You could try it yourself with a butcher's handsaw (basically a hacksaw, about $30) but it would take a huge amount of time and you would likely make a mess. Your butcher can cleanly turn a bone-in roast into bone-in steaks with her bandsaw (that noisy vertical silver machine with 'ButcherBoy' on the side) in just a few seconds.

If this is a problem, just start with a boneless rib roast instead of a bone-in. But I like that bone...

Hong Kong Dave

O que nao mata engorda.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...