When it comes to choosing the best porterhouse in the country, there are number of factors that needs to be considered. First, cooked meat and raw meat ought to be considered distinctly from another. That is, the places that serve the most delicious steaks don’t necessarily (but often do) get their meat from the best suppliers. For instance, many would say that the best beef comes from Chicago, whereas the best steakhouse in the country – arguably Peter Luger’s – gets most of its beef from Colorado. But within each category, there are aspects of the porterhouse that must be considered in order for it to be considered quintessential, and, well, perfect.
When it comes to the raw product for porterhouse, size, marbling, and moisture content summarize the aspects of the steak that ought to be examined. Size really does matter for a porterhouse because the bigger the ‘face’ of the cut, the more weight it will have without having to be cut ridiculously thick, to the point of not cooking through. Small porterhouses are all too common these days: a nice steak for two, 38 ounces or so, shouldn’t be more than 2 and a quarter inches thick. Next, marbling is of the utmost importance. Without intramuscular fat, the steak will lack flavor, juiciness, and tenderness. The more intramuscular fat, the better; just ‘steer’ clear of big intramuscular ‘chunks’ of fat and try to avoid meat without good marbling. Last, lower moisture content is best for a tender, juicy steak whose flavor isn’t diluted by excess water or blood. Look for dry-aged meat, which will generally have a dark red to brown hue, indicating that it’s been dry aged. You may sometimes have to trade off size for proper aging; if you must, it is worth the trade, since thick steaks are a technical challenge for the chef, whereas overly wet steaks are more or less doom.
When it comes to a cooked porterhouse, the obvious thing to look for is flavor. But all meat flavor being equal, there are certain things that make some porterhouses better than others. First is the slice. Often the two steaks which comprise the porterhouse – the shell steak and the filet mignon – will be cut into slices that are too thin, robbing the meat of a lot of the mouth-feel that makes it so desirable. Another attribute that’s important for a good steak is temperature. A great porterhouse remains hot for the entirety of the meal; cold steak takes on a taste and texture comparable to cardboard. Last, the crust on the outside of the meat and the crispness of the fat is a true connoisseur’s delight; a good crust provides a delightful contrast of textures within the meat, and crispy fat has an intense and delicious beefy flavor .
Posted under food and drink
This post was written by admin on November 4, 2008
