
Therefore cathepsins have no effect on the tenderness of the steak. Steaks cooked the old-fashioned way quickly reach a temperature of 122☏. Gradually allowing your steak to come up to temperature in the oven quickly ages it creating a more tender steak than traditionally seared steaks. In contrast, as the steak heats up, the potential of cathepsins increases quicker until it ceases at 122☏. The fridge’s temperature causes these enzymes to develop so slowly that meat has to be dry-aged for 4 weeks. Unfortunately, storing steak in the fridge does not help the development of cathepsins much. These enzymes are also credited with making dry-aged steaks super tender.

The enzymes are responsible for breaking down proteins tough muscles. Whether it is pork butt or pork shoulder, all meats have compounds known as cathepsins. In the case of searing steak, reverse searing creates a more tender steak due to enzymatic tenderization. When you desire a reverse seared steak, you can place the entire rack into the oven and cook it to perfection. The cool air that circulates in the refrigerator will dehydrate the steaks’ exterior surface. Place your steak into the fridge overnight uncovered. If you want to sear brown your steak even more, place your steak onto a wire rack set over a rimmed cookie sheet. This occurs because as the steaks cook gently in the oven, its exterior dries out, creating a surface that browns quickly. Reverse searing removes as much moisture as possible from the surface of the steaks. In addition to this, ensuring the steak is dry will also decrease the chances that it will overcook while it is being cooked. Reducing the moisture on the steaks surface increases the chances that it will brown easier. Ultimately, moisture will prevent you from achieving the perfect steak. In the same way, the Maillard reaction will not occur until the steak has a temperature of 300☏. Moisture will not evaporate from the steaks surface until it has a temperature of 212☏.
#Reverse searing series
This reaction involves a series of chemical reactions that happen when proteins and sugars in meat come into contact with high heat.Įssentially the pan has to be hot enough to cause moisture to evaporate, which triggers the Maillard reaction. To accomplish the perfect sear, the Maillard reaction has to occur. Searing a steak aims to create a rich brown crust that makes the moist pink meat underneath pop. Superior BrowningĮver cooked a porterhouse steak that had some spots that browned more than others? In contrast, reverse searing a steak cooks it gently, which means it cooks evenly.Ĭooking the steaks in the oven using a low temperature almost guarantees you will have no overcooked parts of the steak, and you will end up with a juicy moist steak. As the meat cooks, energy transference occurs.Įssentially, the higher the heat you use to cook a steak, the more energy is transferred, which causes your steak to cook unevenly. Whether you are smoking brisket, cooking ribs 3-2-1 style, or reverse searing steak temperature is important. Have you ever cut into a tomahawk steak and noticed some parts were more cooked than others? In turn, reverse searing creates a better end result. However, the biggest benefit of searing steaks is it adds flavor to ranch or Denver steaks. The idea behind searing steaks is that it seals in the juices. The reason why it’s called reverse sear is that it literally turns the traditional way of cooking steak upside down.

#Reverse searing how to
If you want to know how to sear a steak, check out our in-depth guide. Next, the steak is seared in a hot skillet until it is perfectly browned.ĭue to the Maillard reaction, cooking the steak using direct heat creates the most beautiful crust. It involves cooking your steak in the oven and allowing it to reach your desired temperature.Ĭooking the steak using indirect heat prevents the steak from being overcooked, giving you a perfectly cooked steak. Reverse sear refers to a two-step cooking method that is used most often to cook steaks. Why Should You Reverse Sear Your Steak?.
