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Conventional wisdom holds that frozen steaks should be thawed before cooking, but we wondered if you can cook frozen meat straight from the freezer. Cook’s Illustrated Senior Editor Dan Souza explains our cooking experiments.
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Recipe for Ultimate Charcoal-Grilled Steaks:
Recipe for Grilled Frozen Steaks:
Recipe for Pan-Seared Thick-Cut Strip Steaks:
EXPERIMENT
We cut a strip loin into eight steaks, cut each steak in half crosswise, put the pieces in vacuum-sealed bags, and froze them. We then thawed half of each steak in the refrigerator overnight and kept the other half frozen. Using our preferred method, we seared both sets of steaks in a hot skillet for 90 seconds per side and then transferred them to a 275-degree oven until they reached 125 degrees, or medium-rare. To track moisture loss, we weighed each steak before and after cooking.
RESULTS
Not surprisingly, the frozen steaks took longer to finish cooking through in the oven (18 to 22 minutes versus 10 to 15 minutes for the thawed steaks). What was surprising was that the frozen steaks actually browned in the skillet just as well as, and in the same amount of time as, the thawed steaks. Furthermore, they had thinner bands of gray, overcooked meat directly under the crust than the thawed steaks had. We also found that these steaks lost on average 9 percent less moisture during cooking than the thawed steaks did. Sampling the steaks side by side, tasters unanimously preferred the cooked-from-frozen steaks to their thawed counterparts.
EXPLANATION
A fully frozen steak is extremely cold, which prevents overcooking while the surface reaches the very high temperatures necessary for browning reactions. As for the difference in moisture loss, we know that when meat is cooked to temperatures higher than 140 degrees, its muscle fibers begin to squeeze out a significant amount of moisture. As its slightly thicker gray band indicated, the steak that had been thawed had more overcooking around the edge, so it made sense that it also had greater moisture loss.
THE TAKEAWAY
While we prefer to start with steak that’s never been frozen for the best texture, if we do have frozen steaks on hand, from now on we’ll cook them straight from the freezer. (But if you can choose between frozen vs. fresh, definitely go for fresh.)
Here’s what to do for the best frozen steaks: Freeze steaks, uncovered, overnight on a baking sheet (this dries them out to prevent excess splattering during cooking), then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, place in a zipper-lock bag, and return to freezer. To ensure that the steaks brown evenly, add oil to the skillet until it measures 1/8 inch deep. And because frozen steaks will splatter more during searing, use a large skillet.
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Like Northern Thai cooking guy comment. I to would not do this. Food is important. Just wait get your steaks to room temperature, season and cook. If your cooking a pan, Sear the steak high heat finish in oven if its a big piece of meat. Patience people. Sure this video will work. A ton of oil, freeze flat, and longer oven time. And you get to clean oil splatter. Thaw it ok..Grill it or cast iron pan it. Chef Mutt since 1988. Only thing that should be fast is your car, not your food.
Honestly I did this unknowingly before but not cook completely frozen steak. I would thaw it out a little and only cook when the middle section is still a little frozen
Ur theory is equal to U cook pastrami! … don't lecture !… Many fresh ideas like yours makes the meat have more bacteria . Some put frozen meat on under hot water sink. Some in under The Sun. Some in microwave. Just dont do mistakes.
Why would you cook a steak frozen, it sucks up the flavor big time. TO WHOMEVER COOLS FROZEN STEAKS, YOU SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO COOK STEAK EVER AGAIN.
tried cooking frozen meat before. Never consistent results, and takes too much time. Room temp works. Never heard of a hi end steakhouse cooking their product. And ive had my fair share.
Jesus do you guys reckon you could use some more plastic for a simple dam piece of meat…. Find an alternative, wtf did you all do before zip locks and copious amounts of plastic wrap….
1:11 We preferred the cooked from frozen steaks hands down. LOL of course you preferred cooked steaks over the frozen ones. Steak popsicles aren't very tasty. 😛
0:50 what the hell is happening here!? are they boiling the steaks???
Uhh…no…
Like Northern Thai cooking guy comment. I to would not do this. Food is important. Just wait get your steaks to room temperature, season and cook. If your cooking a pan, Sear the steak high heat finish in oven if its a big piece of meat. Patience people. Sure this video will work. A ton of oil, freeze flat, and longer oven time. And you get to clean oil splatter. Thaw it ok..Grill it or cast iron pan it. Chef Mutt since 1988. Only thing that should be fast is your car, not your food.
Could I do this in cast iron?
Science wins again…
I just wing it. My foods good. People like it
That makes no sense. If your reasoning is right, it should be beneficial to freeze fresh steaks as well.
Damn my nigga wit the pro's n cons
There is so much oil in those pans, Jesus…
Gordon Ramsay would be apalled
Honestly I did this unknowingly before but not cook completely frozen steak. I would thaw it out a little and only cook when the middle section is still a little frozen
Ur theory is equal to U cook pastrami! … don't lecture !… Many fresh ideas like yours makes the meat have more bacteria . Some put frozen meat on under hot water sink. Some in under The Sun. Some in microwave. Just dont do mistakes.
If only there was some of place which sold cuts of fresh meat and was open every day….
No!
People are so greedy with trying to make the steak juicy as hell. When cooked correctly I never once wished my steak had more juices.
Why would you cook a steak frozen, it sucks up the flavor big time. TO WHOMEVER COOLS FROZEN STEAKS, YOU SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO COOK STEAK EVER AGAIN.
tried cooking frozen meat before. Never consistent results, and takes too much time. Room temp works. Never heard of a hi end steakhouse cooking their product. And ive had my fair share.
Genius
Good tips bro. I’ll remember for next time.
I like sousvide steak. But I tried your way. Thank you.
This is bullshit ? I'll punch you in the face if you cook my 30 dollar steak from frozen. This is a hoax
What's with the oil? I use less with chips (fries).
How about not freeze your steaks but use fresh meat instead?
What about marinades and rubs; clarified instead of oil?
Jesus do you guys reckon you could use some more plastic for a simple dam piece of meat…. Find an alternative, wtf did you all do before zip locks and copious amounts of plastic wrap….
Jez would you like a little steak with your oil. Wth? That’s almost deep fryed??
Or you could just cook it sous vide and eat the greatest steaks you ever had.
1:11 We preferred the cooked from frozen steaks hands down. LOL of course you preferred cooked steaks over the frozen ones. Steak popsicles aren't very tasty. 😛
When science comes in to tell you how to cook your STEAKS or food its like like the government trying to Regulate how you live. ?
Most people are wondering what Gorden Ramsey would say.
May be a dumb question, but can you still season a frozen steak? Or do you add seasoning after its cooked?
This tip is useless for me. I don't eat any beef that's not at least medium well. Nasty raw beef.