To Broil Beef Steaks

Modern cookery for private families · Acton, Eliza · 1845

Source: Modern cookery for private families
Status: success · extracted 13 days ago
Not a recipe: No

Ingredients (13)

For the steaks

steaks should be from half to three quarters of an inch thick, equally sliced, and freshly cut from the middle of a well kept, finely grained, and tender rump of beef ↝ Beef, ribeye, steak, boneless, choice, raw [Beef Products]

For broiling

fresh mutton suet ↝ Beef, variety meats and by-products, suet, raw [Beef Products]
pepper the steaks slightly ↝ Spices, pepper, black [Spices and Herbs]

Optional accompaniments

a small quantity of choice mushroom catsup ↝ Mushrooms, raw [Other vegetables and combinations]
raw eschalot
A thin slice or two of fresh butter ↝ Butter, stick, unsalted [Dairy and Egg Products]

Appropriate tureen sauces

onion sauce ↝ Onions, raw [Vegetables and Vegetable Products]
tomata sauce ↝ Sauce, NFS [Dips, gravies, other sauces]
oyster sauce ↝ Oyster sauce [Soy-based condiments]
eschalot sauce
hot horseradish sauce ↝ Sauce, horseradish [Soups, Sauces, and Gravies]
brown cucumber sauce ↝ Cucumber, raw [Other vegetables and combinations]
mushroom sauce ↝ Mushrooms, raw [Other vegetables and combinations]

Instructions (16)

Prepare the fire to be strong and clear.
Ensure the gridiron bars are thin and not too close together.
Thoroughly heat the gridiron bars.
Wipe and rub the heated gridiron bars with fresh mutton suet.
Slightly pepper the steaks.
Lay the steaks on the gridiron.
Broil on one side, then turn and broil on the other.
Catch any draining gravy in the dish intended for serving.
Serve the steaks the instant they are taken from the fire.
Ensure the serving dish, cover, and plates are hot.

Optional Accompaniments

If desired, warm a small quantity of mushroom catsup in the serving dish.
If using eschalot, rub the serving dish with the cut end of a raw eschalot before adding catsup.
Optionally, place a thin slice or two of fresh butter under the steaks to melt into the gravy.

Notes on Broiling

For this recipe, steaks are turned only once, differing from the 'often' method recommended by some authorities.
To enhance heat without smoke, throw a few bits of charcoal on the fire a few minutes before laying down the steaks.
A coke fire is also advantageous for broiling.

Original Text

TO BROIL BEEF STEAKS.

The steaks should be from half to three quarters of an inch thick, equally sliced, and freshly cut from the middle of a well kept, finely grained, and tender rump of beef. They should be neatly trimmed, and once or twice divided, if very large. The fire, as we have already said in the general directions for broiling (page 175), must be strong and clear. The bars of the gridiron should be thin, and not very close together. When they are thoroughly heated, without being sufficiently burning to scorch the meat, wipe and rub them with fresh mutton suet; next pepper the steaks slightly, but never season them with salt before they are dressed; lay them on the gridiron, and when done on one side, turn them on the other, being careful to catch, in the dish in which they are to be sent to table, any gravy 188which may threaten to drain from them when they are moved. Let them be served the instant they are taken from the fire; and have ready at the moment, dish, cover, and plates, as hot as they can be. From eight to ten minutes will be sufficient to broil steaks for the generality of eaters, and more than enough for those who like them but partially done.

Genuine amateurs seldom take prepared sauce or gravy with their steaks, as they consider the natural juices of the meat sufficient. When any accompaniment to them is desired, a small quantity of choice mushroom catsup may be warmed in the dish that is heated to receive them; and which, when the not very refined flavour of a raw eschalot is liked, as it is by some eaters, may previously be rubbed with one, of which the large end has been cut off. A thin slice or two of fresh butter is sometimes laid under the steaks, where it soon melts and mingles with the gravy which flows from them. The appropriate tureen sauces for broiled beef steaks are onion, tomata, oyster, eschalot, hot horseradish, and brown cucumber, or mushroom sauce.

Obs. 1.—We have departed a little in this receipt from our previous instructions for broiling, by recommending that the steaks should be turned but once, instead of “often,” as all great authorities on the subject direct. By trying each method, our readers will be able to decide for themselves upon the preferable one: we can only say, that we have never eaten steaks so excellent as those which have been dressed exactly in accordance with the receipt we have just given, and we have taken infinite pains to ascertain the really best mode of preparing this very favourite English dish, which so constantly makes its appearance both carelessly cooked and ill served, especially at private tables.

Obs. 2.—It is a good plan to throw a few bits of charcoal on the fire some minutes before the steaks are laid down, as they give forth a strong heat without any smoke: a coke fire is also advantageous for broiling them.

The upright gridirons, by which meat is rather toasted than broiled, though used in many kitchens, and generally pronounced exceedingly convenient where they have been tried, do not appear to as so well adapted for dressing steaks as those of less modern fashion, which are placed over, instead of before the fire.

Notes

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