What factors can lead to a steak being dry, other than marbling and overcooking? A few months ago, I ordered some frozen prime ribeyes off Wild Fork. I sous vided them until 130° F, then gave them a quick blowtorch sear. Despite that, they were really dry. Why? Is there something else about steaks that can mess them up, other than intramuscular fat and temperature?
>>21628574>frozenNgmi
>>21628574ya didn’t baste it with butter
>>21628574Do a reverse-sear and salt by weight
>>21628574Go to libgen and download Fennema's Food Chemistry textbook and go to the section on meat (edible muscle tissue) to get more insights. I'm not an expert on proteins but I do know that what we call "juicy," with respect to meats, is primarily due to the fat content and type of fat in the adipose tissue and as a result, the temperature at which you take the bite. Maybe you just got crappy steaks, the diet of the animal was a bit different than what you're accustomed to etc.Don't know if you have access to academic papers but here is an insightful article https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2022/fo/d2fo00581f
>>21628619meat is juicy when you sear it good and the crust seals in the juices.
>>21628574You should've dry-brined it.Add 1% salt by weight, and let it sit overnight to diffuse into the cells.The internal sodium gradient allows the tissue to retain more moisture than unseasoned meat. It also internally seasons the steak so you can taste more of the intrinsic flavor. Also, pushing the electrolytic balance towards salty relaxes the meat fibers so they don't contract as tightly which in itself squeezes out more liquid and results in a drier steak.This method is most notable for poultry, but red meat benefits from the same technique. The difference between a properly brined chicken breast and unbrined is as stark as night and day. I brine my turkey for 3 days before thanksgiving, and the breast meat gushes juice when being sliced.
>>21628574Freezing causes damage to the cells, and results in moisture loss. I'm not saying that's why your steak turned out on the dry side, but it can happen.
>>21628623Not necessarily. More importantly, try this: provide a CLEAR DEFINITION of "juiciness." Its much more tricky than you thinkIt is not just moisture content, it encompasses the perception of fat and moisture. You can try this yourself by preparing ground beef patties with different fat contents and fat TYPES. Taste your samples at hot and cold temperatures.>t. Phd chemist that worked at a food science capacity for a large company Also, check out Chef Jean Pierres video on cooking steaks for evidence the so called "seating seals in juices" idea is really wonky
>>21628581>>21628665I just to happened to have pulled a 30lb beef rib slab out of my freezer this evening and hackzall-ed off a ribeye and sous-vide-ed it, and it was one of the most tender I've ever made.Freezing isn't bad, freezing poorly is. If you freeze too slow, don't keep it cold enough, or let the temperature wobble up and down, which can happen if you put it near the door of an outward-opening freezer.>>21628574If it is freezer-caused, then keep your meat at the far back of the freezer, or better yet, if you plan to spend good money on pre-frozen or freezing your own meat, get a chest freezer. They are dirt cheap, use basically no electricity, and keep things cold enough to give you frostbite if you don't handle them properly, so your steaks will get super cold, and stay that way until you take them out. The only downside is that they take up a lot of space.As for sous-vide issues, grab an instant-read thermometer and make sure your circulator's thermostat agrees with it by measuring the water, you may be over-cooking it and not knowing. Make sure not to leave the meat in for too long, as water will start to seep out of it no matter the temperature. Bring the water up to temp first, then add the steak. If it takes too long to bring the water back up to temperature, your circulator might just be crap.Finally, if your sear too aggressive, you may be overcooking the outside, and if its too thin, that "outside" might be enough to make it all feel overcooked. Make sure to let it rest and come back down 10 degrees or so before searing so you have wiggle room to really give it as much heat as you can without risking going over temp. If you try it again, use an instant-read thermometer post-sear to make sure this isn't happening.
>>21628574Was it dry aged?
