Crust wasn’t what I was hoping for but inside looked pretty damn good for my first steak without a thermometer.
Any tips for a better crust? Preheated my cast iron on medium high and then used avocado oil. I salted about 2 hours before putting it on
by RaiderDaave
29 Comments
I think the crust looks great! If you wanted a better crust I guess just leave it on a little longer, but you would risk it being cooked a bit more on the inside, which for wagyu isn’t a huge deal and sometimes is preferred. Either way don’t be afraid to flip the steak multiple times until you are satisfied with the crust
Dude no that’s a perfect crust
Honestly op I see no problems. If you wanted more crust maybe a tiny bit longer but careful your middle is almost perfect! My understanding from wagyu is your supposed to cook it a little more than you do regular steak?
If the internal temp is what you were shooting for, more oil and higher heat may be necessary. If you leave it to sear longer you’ll overshoot on internal temp. With higher heat, flipping often (every 30 seconds or so) is important so you don’t start burning the surface. The outside should be completely dry, not sure if you were resting in the fridge or on the counter after salting, but a fridge will help with drying the surface. If you use pepper, a coarse grind can actually lift the steak up off the pan and cause more steaming than searing. Using weights to improve contact with the pan can also help.
That being said, your crust isn’t bad. Maybe not as dark as you’d prefer, but that is still more than passable.
You could have aged it in the fridge longer. That would have yeilded a dryer crust.
Looks yummy
The crust isn’t as bad as you think it is. A lot of people on here refer to char as crust.
It could be a bit darker or more even certainly but this was a worthy attempt. And it looks absolutely delicious. Try cooking the exact same time but on a slightly higher heat if you can push it.
I think crust is the wrong term. A nice steak deserves a golden brown sear… (Maillard reaction).
IMHO, A crust = char…. a good steak doesn’t need to be blackened via seasoning or cooked to the charcoal stage… especially a VERY expensive cut like wagyu – ymmv
BTW i think that cook and sear like perfect
Naw it looks good, sometimes to get a better crust i go too long and the internal temp suffers. I end up with good crust overdone steak. I rather have what you have right here.
Looks good to me, but you can use a weight to get higher contact in the middle (assuming that’s what you were unhappy with)
Looks so good
That’s a good sear
Make sure that you pat the steak dry before seasoning. Otherwise, the liquid between the surface of the steak and the pan interferes with the Maillard Reaction. Your steak looks great though.
But did it taste good?
My man, this looks fantastic. Very nicely done. I would be happy to receive this.
Only thing that will yield better crust without ruining the internal cooking is a hotter pan or reducing moisture on the outer layer of the meat. There’s many ways to do that ranging from cheap quick options to patting your steak an extra couple times with a paper towel to more expensive and time consuming ways like dry aging.
Nah. This looks fantastic. And now I’m hungry
Still looks good OP 👍
That’s solid all around, cooking it any longer would be a waste on a quality cut like that
Did you pat dry with paper towel before putting in pan?
I’m a bit of a fanatic about crust and this isn’t nearly as bad as you’re saying. Stick around for a bit and you’ll see some gray, gross abominations.
Just turn the heat up a bit next time, and make sure you pat it dry. One thing I like to do now is put a weight on top to make good surface contact, but that’s not necessary.
echoing that it looks great, i wouldn’t have risked a darker crust over getting the perfect cook on the inside
If you really want to try more, salt 4 hr, or overnight. Will dry out the exterior and help you crisp up that outer layer
Nice
Bro, throw that banana away already 😂
As others mentioned, sear is already good but you could probably press down the steak as you cook it so you don’t end up with unseared spots.
Holy shit, Ream’s! Man their jerky is incredible. I didn’t know they had wagyu they looked this good.
My brother in Christ, that looks perfect
Don’t be afraid to put some pressure on the steak once it starts to soften in the pan to ensure full contact. I’ll sometimes pull it off a bit early if I see some light spots get the pan back to ripping hot and give them a flash by the time the heat calms back down a bit it’s ready for a quick baste 👍
Hey listen, I’d still absolutely fuck that up, it looks amazing big man!