STEAKS.
The best piece of beef for a steak is the tenderloin.
What is called a porter-house steak is the tenderloin, sirloin, and other surrounding parts cut in slices.
A steak should never be less than three-quarters of an inch in thickness.
It should always be broiled; it is inferior in taste and flavor when cooked in a pan (sauté), or other utensil, but many persons cook it so, not having the necessary fire or utensil to broil; broiled or sauté, it is served alike.
The same rules are applied to steaks of venison, pork, etc.; turtle-steaks are also prepared like beef-steaks.
A good steak does not need any pounding; the object of pounding a steak is to break its fibres. A pounded steak may appear or taste more tender to a person not knowing or never having tasted a good steak, but an experienced palate cannot be deceived.
It is better to broil before than over the fire. (See Broiling.)
To cook a steak in an oven or drum, or any other badly-invented machine or contrivance, is not to broil it, but to spoil it.
To make tender.—When cut, trimmed, salted, and peppered, put them in a bowl, and sprinkle some sweet-oil or melted butter over them; turn them over in the bowl every two or three hours for from six to twelve hours.
To cut and prepare.—Cut the meat in round or oval slices, as even as possible, of any size, about one inch in thickness, and trim off the fibres and thin skin that may be around. Do not cut off the fat, but flatten a little each slice with a chopper.
To broil.—when the steaks are cut and prepared as directed, they are slightly greased on both sides with lard or butter (if they have not been in a bowl with oil or butter before cooking them), placed on a warmed gridiron, set before or on a sharp fire, turned over once or twice, and taken off when rather underdone. Salt and pepper them, dish, spread a maître d'hôtel over them, and serve very warm.
Cooks and epicures differ about the turning over of steaks; also about broiling them with or without salt; some say that they must not be turned over twice, others are of opinion that they must be turned over two or three, and even more times; some say that they must be salted and peppered before broiling, others say they must not; we have tried the two ways many times, and did not find any difference; if there is any difference at all, it is in the quality of the meat, or in the person's taste, or in the cook's care.
When the steak is served as above, place some fried potatoes all around, and serve hot. Instead of fried potatoes, put some water-cress all around, add a few drops of vinegar, and serve. The water-cress is to be put on raw and cold.
When the steak is dished, spread some anchovy-butter on it instead of a maître d'hôtel, and serve warm also. It may also be served with lobster-butter instead of a maître d'hôtel. Steaks are also served with horse-radish butter, and surrounded with fried or soufflé potatoes.
With a Tomato-Sauce.—Broil and serve the steak as directed above, and serve it with a tomato-sauce instead of a maître d'hôtel.
With a Poivrade or Piquante Sauce.—Broil and serve with a poivrade or piquante sauce, instead of a maître d'hôtel.
With Egg.—When the steaks are cut and prepared as directed, dip them in beaten egg, roll them in bread-crumbs, then broil, and serve them with either a maître d'hôtel or tomato-sauce, or with potatoes, etc.
With Truffles.—Set a saucepan on the fire with one ounce of butter in it; as soon as melted add half a tablespoonful of flour, stir, and, when turning brown, add also about a gill of broth; stir again for five or six minutes, when mix three or four tablespoonfuls of good gravy with the rest; boil gently ten minutes, take from the fire; slice two or three truffles, mix them with the rest; add salt and pepper to taste; give one boil, turn over the steak which you have broiled as directed, and serve.
With Mushrooms.—Proceed as for truffles in every particular, except that you use mushrooms.
Fancy Steak.—Cut the steak two or three inches thick, butter slightly both sides, lay it on a gridiron well greased and warmed; set it on a moderate fire and broil it well; to cook it through it must be turned over many times, on account of its thickness. Serve like another steak, with a maître d'hôtel, poivrade, potatoes, or water-cress, etc.