OT - Grilling London Broil

[HeyHuey]

I prefer Oyster-cut. Either way I smash the livin' S#!t out of both sides with a meat hammer....especially sections that don't surrender easily because they will be the toughest part to chew if you don't. No matter what recipe you use doing this will only make it better. (and you feel better after you've done it.)

 

[RU848789]

If London Broil is good enough for Lidia Bastianich, then it's good enough for me. She just did a show featuring her 24-hour marinade for LB - looked yummy.

http://www.recapo.com/the-talk/the-...tianich-london-broil-steak-tomato-mint-salad/

 

[Ole Cabbagehead]

Is this only available online? Funny, when I go to the Amazon link I get a list of all the cheap knock-off competitors.

They have no distribution as far as I can tell. I originally balked at the price and bought 2 separate cheap knockoffs, which were unreliable. Please dont make that mistake. An unreliable thermometer is worse than no thermometer, since I ruined chicken twice, even though I freaking knew it was done. A couple weeks ago I forked over for the real deal. It is awesome. Grilled perfect half chickens on Sunday, the lo bro on Monday, used it to prove to my lady friend that she was ruining the pork last week (lol) and also a couple other dinners. A lot of chef's use them since it tells you positively that your poultry is where it needs to be (and you don't have to "leave it on a couple more minutes" just to be sure). It gives you temp in 3 seconds.

Bite the bullet and buy here. They also send some great materials with it about cooking meat the right way.

But 145 is still way, way overdone before it even post-cooks up 1 degree. I'm thinking like take it off at 95 degrees. Yum. There's no reason to cook the inside of the cut at all. All the e coli is on the outside. It's a steak, not a burger.

I cook my steaks and burgers (to start with) at about 700 degrees, while searing them. Then lower the temp a bit after both sides are seared. But the sear process only takes like 90 seconds per side. After that, it's just a matter of how rare I want it. I admit that if I'm cooking for a group outside my family, I'll make it closer to medium since not everybody's the same degree of carnivore I am.

I put 145 because that is medium, and a great starting point for a guy asking the message board how to cook a london broil. I figure he can adjust from there. I actually take stuff off more red than that. I like medium rare at a steak house. Based on what you said here, you like your steak "black and blue." I don't mind a steak black and blue, but like you said, it ain't for everyone.

I also agree with your technique. I make steaks that way. The london broil is just a little tough to sear and then bring up to temperature. You either wind up with it rare and burned on the outside, or you wind up with shoe leather. So again, for a guy asking SN how to make london broil, the better starting point is probably to back off the heat a bit and bring it up to temp slowly, while still building some crusty goodness on the outside. High heat first on a thick cut is not the way to go for the inexperienced.

 

[mildone]

I put 145 because that is medium, and a great starting point for a guy asking the message board how to cook a london broil. I figure he can adjust from there. I actually take stuff off more red than that. I like medium rare at a steak house. Based on what you said here, you like your steak "black and blue." I don't mind a steak black and blue, but like you said, it ain't for everyone.

I also agree with your technique. I make steaks that way. The london broil is just a little tough to sear and then bring up to temperature. You either wind up with it rare and burned on the outside, or you wind up with shoe leather. So again, for a guy asking SN how to make london broil, the better starting point is probably to back off the heat a bit and bring it up to temp slowly, while still building some crusty goodness on the outside. High heat first on a thick cut is not the way to go for the inexperienced.

I'm mostly teasing about temps and done-ness and all. I pretty much agree with you on all this. And while I eat a lot of filet mignon (my favorite) and prime sirloin, I also like london broil as well, provided it's marinated, cooked, and sliced correctly.

Basically, I like dead mammals. And some raw plants. Cooked plants and things that live in water, no so much.

 

[Upstream]

They have no distribution as far as I can tell. I originally balked at the price and bought 2 separate cheap knockoffs, which were unreliable. Please dont make that mistake. An unreliable thermometer is worse than no thermometer, since I ruined chicken twice, even though I freaking knew it was done. A couple weeks ago I forked over for the real deal. It is awesome. Grilled perfect half chickens on Sunday, the lo bro on Monday, used it to prove to my lady friend that she was ruining the pork last week (lol) and also a couple other dinners. A lot of chef's use them since it tells you positively that your poultry is where it needs to be (and you don't have to "leave it on a couple more minutes" just to be sure). It gives you temp in 3 seconds.

Bite the bullet and buy here. They also send some great materials with it about cooking meat the right way.

You don't have to spend $75 to get an accurate thermometer. You can get an accurate thermometer for a fraction of that price.

What you are buying for $75 is speed. If I were a professional chef, I'd want a fast thermometer. I want a reading in 3-4 seconds, so I can move on to my next task in a busy kitchen. But for my home, I don't really care. I'm OK waiting 10-12 seconds for a cheaper digital thermometer to stabilize. My home kitchen isn't so busy, and I'm not measuring temperatures often enough, that I need to pay a premium to get the fastest thermometer on the market.

 

[DJ Spanky]

Basically, I like dead mammals. And some raw plants. Cooked plants and things that live in water, no so much.

And sheep. Definitely don't forget the sheep.

You don't have to spend $75 to get an accurate thermometer. You can get an accurate thermometer for a fraction of that price.

But sometimes it's fun to have the nice toys. Let's face it - I don't need to drink scotch out of this:

But there's definitely enjoyment in doing so.

 

[mildone]

And sheep. Definitely don't forget the sheep.

I like live sheep. Although sure, when I'm all done loving 'em up, I can always slit their furry little throats, grill 'em and eat 'em. Sheep are very versatile that way.

 

[FanuSanu52]

You don't have to spend $75 to get an accurate thermometer. You can get an accurate thermometer for a fraction of that price.

What you are buying for $75 is speed. If I were a professional chef, I'd want a fast thermometer. I want a reading in 3-4 seconds, so I can move on to my next task in a busy kitchen. But for my home, I don't really care. I'm OK waiting 10-12 seconds for a cheaper digital thermometer to stabilize. My home kitchen isn't so busy, and I'm not measuring temperatures often enough, that I need to pay a premium to get the fastest thermometer on the market.

That thermometer gets rave reviews all over. Cheap thermometers often have accuracy issues.

 

[Upstream]

That thermometer gets rave reviews all over. Cheap thermometers often have accuracy issues.

It's easy enough to calibrate a thermometer to see if it is accurate.

 

[MrsScrew]

True, but to have a sous vid machine in your home kitchen is not practical, even for someone who cooks regularly. They're very $$, time consuming, and difficult to squeeze into a daily menu.

actually they can be had for about $200 and take up very little room. a little time consuming if you are cooking a larger piece of meat but a small individual steak is about 45 minutes to cook perfectly. I have the Sansaire and love it.

http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/12/sous-vide-circulator-review-sansaire-nomiku-anova.html

@mildone yes, the Screws are seriously cute.

 

[FanuSanu52]

It's easy enough to calibrate a thermometer to see if it is accurate.

Yeah, like when it overcooks the hell out of my dinner, it's clearly 10 degrees or so off :sunglasses:

 

[herdof3]

we'll have to agree to disagree but I can guarantee you that there are plenty of 5 star restaurants using Sous Vide on a daily basis for all types of food, including meat.

Gotta side with Mrs Screw on this one. She knows her vittles

 

[vkj91]

While we are buying toys I suggest this
https://thesteakager.com

 

[bac2therac]

Lo Bro twin pack is on sale at Shop Rite next week for $1.77 so those who enjoy will be grilling up a storm next week.

 

[Mike from MD]

Anyone have experience cooking tri-tip? Could never find this cut back east, but it's rather common in California. Its a small muscle from the bottom sirloin and looks kind of rectangular with tapered ends. A 2 to 3 lb piece runs from $7 to $9/lb. Cook on indirect heat for about 20 minutes. The ends are done medium to well while much of center is medium to rare. Slice it across the grain like a flank steak. Most people apply a dry rub of salt, mild and hot peppers, onion powder and garlic. Leftovers go well with fajitas. This cut never disappoints.

 

[Upstream]

Yeah, like when it overcooks the hell out of my dinner, it's clearly 10 degrees or so off :sunglasses:

Hey, it's your money, and your dinner. I calibrate my food thermometers when I buy them and occasionally after that. I've never ruined a meal due to an inaccurate thermometer.

 

[RUJohnny99]

Break out the Sous Vide machine...... set it for 153F.....put your LB in a Ziploc bag with your favorite marinade. Let it cook via the sous vide for about 4 hours. Remove it from the bag, dry it off and sear it on each side for no more than 2 minutes.

Sous Vide is the way to go!

I highly doubt anyone shopping for $2.99/lb meat has a sous vide cooker.

I highly doubt anyone shopping for $2.99/lb meat can pronounce sous vide cooker.

 

[RU4Real]

I highly doubt anyone shopping for $2.99/lb meat has a sous vide cooker.

I highly doubt anyone shopping for $2.99/lb meat can pronounce sous vide cooker.

I've changed my mind only inasmuch as I find the concept of "London Boil" amusing.

 

[FanuSanu52]

I highly doubt anyone shopping for $2.99/lb meat has a sous vide cooker.

I highly doubt anyone shopping for $2.99/lb meat can pronounce sous vide cooker.

You can be funny, but when you fail, you fail HARD.

 

[FanuSanu52]

Hey, it's your money, and your dinner. I calibrate my food thermometers when I buy them and occasionally after that. I've never ruined a meal due to an inaccurate thermometer.

I guess you could skip the Mercedes S Class and just have the Russian mechanic down the street tune your engine and reupholster your Accord.

 

[RU4Real]

 

[FanuSanu52]

Now that one's funny

 

[bac2therac]

****ING AWESOME...THAT IS HOW YOU REP THE R

 

[Upstream]

I guess you could skip the Mercedes S Class and just have the Russian mechanic down the street tune your engine and reupholster your Accord.

Hardly comparable.

The practical difference between a $75 thermometer and a $20 thermometer (other than $55) is that the $75 thermometer uses thermocouple technology which can read the temperature in about 4 seconds while the $20 thermometer uses thermistor technology which takes about 12 seconds to read the temperature.

There are some other technical differences, but in the temperature range of cooking food, all the other differences favor the less expensive thermistor, making it more accurate and reliable.

So unless there is a reason you need a temperature reading in 4 seconds instead of 12 seconds (for example if you are a professional chef taking lots of temperature readings in a busy kitchen), there is no reason to spend 3 times the money for a thermocouple thermometer.

But it is your money, if that's how you want to waste it, go ahead. But if you do decide to waste your money on a $75 thermocouple thermometer, you damn well better calibrate it.

 

[FanuSanu52]

Accuracy and reliability are also the difference. You said that you calibrate yours immediately and regularly, which is shorthand for "this crap might fail in the middle of cooking."

Thermapen's instructions say specifically not to calibrate it regularly ... because it's more accurate and better designed, which is why it's the gold standard. There are few products out there that get as universally good reviews. Speed is kind of handy, too, unless you're trying to manscape with heat while standing around the hot oven, grill or smoker.

I don't own one, but if I relied on a thermometer for touchy foods, I'd definitely want the one that is the most accurate with the least fiddling around. Hard to argue with pros, schmoes, cooking magazines, tech magazines, etc. etc.

 

[mildone]

mildone yes, the Screws are seriously cute.

I know it. I've seen the photos that prove it. :)

 

[Ole Cabbagehead]

Hardly comparable.

The practical difference between a $75 thermometer and a $20 thermometer (other than $55) is that the $75 thermometer uses thermocouple technology which can read the temperature in about 4 seconds while the $20 thermometer uses thermistor technology which takes about 12 seconds to read the temperature.

There are some other technical differences, but in the temperature range of cooking food, all the other differences favor the less expensive thermistor, making it more accurate and reliable.

So unless there is a reason you need a temperature reading in 4 seconds instead of 12 seconds (for example if you are a professional chef taking lots of temperature readings in a busy kitchen), there is no reason to spend 3 times the money for a thermocouple thermometer.

But it is your money, if that's how you want to waste it, go ahead. But if you do decide to waste your money on a $75 thermocouple thermometer, you damn well better calibrate it.

You keep talking about calibrating it. I must've bought the wrong cheapo ones. I have two different $20 ones from BBB or wherever. Neither could be calibrated...they were what they were, which was inaccurate. It was not a function of the time to get the temp. I agree -- for a home chef, 3 seconds or 10 seconds makes no difference. It was a function of they just didn't work. So I got annoyed and bought the good one that all the chefs use.

Its like any tool. Some people see value in a snap-on wrench. Other people will just keep buying and replacing the chinese crap their whole lives.

 

[imbazza2]

You keep talking about calibrating it. I must've bought the wrong cheapo ones. I have two different $20 ones from BBB or wherever. Neither could be calibrated...they were what they were, which was inaccurate. It was not a function of the time to get the temp. I agree -- for a home chef, 3 seconds or 10 seconds makes no difference. It was a function of they just didn't work. So I got annoyed and bought the good one that all the chefs use. Its like any tool. Some people see value in a snap-on wrench. Other people will just keep buying and replacing the chinese crap their whole lives.

Calibrate them yourself >quite simple place in boiling clean water should read 212°F or 100°C if not which will be the case. Just write on the back +/_ the degrees they are off, note this error will be mostly linear on the range you will be using them.

 

[RU4Real]

Calibrate them yourself >quite simple place in boiling clean water should read 212°F or 100°C if not which will be the case. Just write on the back +/_ the degrees they are off, note this error will be mostly linear on the range you will be using them.

This.

I use the $6 restaurant thermometers from BB&B. A quick dip in boiling water will reveal that they're generally off by no more than 5 degrees one way or the other. Note it and move on.

 

[RUpop]

Calibrate them yourself >quite simple place in boiling clean water should read 212°F or 100°C if not which will be the case. Just write on the back +/_ the degrees they are off, note this error will be mostly linear on the range you will be using them.

Varies depending on altitude, not that it matters much in NJ, just saying

 

[Scarlet_Scourge]

London Broil is the BEST meat to eat after a long day driving around in a Honda Accord.

Also, try this: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/grilled-marinated-london-broil0.html

 

[RUHotTrumpetMonkeyLove]

 

[Upstream]

Accuracy and reliability are also the difference. You said that you calibrate yours immediately and regularly, which is shorthand for "this crap might fail in the middle of cooking."

No. That is shorthand for I check it when I buy it to make sure it works, and I check it when I change the batteries to ensure it still works with the new batteries.

You keep talking about calibrating it. I must've bought the wrong cheapo ones. I have two different $20 ones from BBB or wherever. Neither could be calibrated...they were what they were, which was inaccurate. It was not a function of the time to get the temp. I agree -- for a home chef, 3 seconds or 10 seconds makes no difference. It was a function of they just didn't work. So I got annoyed and bought the good one that all the chefs use.

Its like any tool. Some people see value in a snap-on wrench. Other people will just keep buying and replacing the chinese crap their whole lives.

Cabbage -- The high-end thermocouple thermometers allow you to enter a calibration setting. Most thermistor termometers don't allow you to enter a calibration setting because it really isn't needed. But you can check the accuracy of both (what I mean by calibrating it) by checking the temperature of ice-water and boiling water.

To understand why thermocouple thermometers usually have the ability to enter a calibration setting and thermistor thermometers don't, you need to understand the technical differences between they systems. Here is a good explanation I found on Google: http://www.minco.com/~/media/WWW/Sensors/FAQs/Minco_SensorsDesignGuide 10.ashx?la=en

Thermocouple sensors take up less space than thermistor sensors, which enables them to be placed in thinner probes and also have faster response times. But the disadvantage of thermocouple sensors is they require more expensive electronics, they are less accurate than thermistors, and their accuracy will wander over time. This means a thermocouple thermometer will be more expensive (or a cheap thermocouple thermometer will be crap), and you need to be able to enter a calibration setting to bring it back to the correct temperature. Thermistor thermometers, on the other hand, are more accurate and the accuracy doesn't change over time. The downside of thermistor thermometers is they have a comparatively narrow accuracy range of about 100 C. But that is perfectly fine for a food thermometer where you are measuring temperatures between 0 C (32 F) and 100 C (212 F). A thermistor thermometer that is accurate at 0 C and 100 C may be a couple degrees off at 200 C (392 F). But that doesn't really matter for a food thermometer.

Professional chefs want the thermocouple thermometer because it reads temperatures faster. That is important in a busy kitchen where they are taking lots of temperature readings. But for home use, that speed isn't really important for most people. A thermistor food thermometer is going to be a bit slower, but also cheaper, more stable, and more accurate. That is just a function of the technology.

 

[Ole Cabbagehead]

No. That is shorthand for I check it when I buy it to make sure it works, and I check it when I change the batteries to ensure it still works with the new batteries.



Cabbage -- The high-end thermocouple thermometers allow you to enter a calibration setting. Most thermistor termometers don't allow you to enter a calibration setting because it really isn't needed. But you can check the accuracy of both (what I mean by calibrating it) by checking the temperature of ice-water and boiling water.

To understand why thermocouple thermometers usually have the ability to enter a calibration setting and thermistor thermometers don't, you need to understand the technical differences between they systems. Here is a good explanation I found on Google: http://www.minco.com/~/media/WWW/Sensors/FAQs/Minco_SensorsDesignGuide 10.ashx?la=en

Thermocouple sensors take up less space than thermistor sensors, which enables them to be placed in thinner probes and also have faster response times. But the disadvantage of thermocouple sensors is they require more expensive electronics, they are less accurate than thermistors, and their accuracy will wander over time. This means a thermocouple thermometer will be more expensive (or a cheap thermocouple thermometer will be crap), and you need to be able to enter a calibration setting to bring it back to the correct temperature. Thermistor thermometers, on the other hand, are more accurate and the accuracy doesn't change over time. The downside of thermistor thermometers is they have a comparatively narrow accuracy range of about 100 C. But that is perfectly fine for a food thermometer where you are measuring temperatures between 0 C (32 F) and 100 C (212 F). A thermistor thermometer that is accurate at 0 C and 100 C may be a couple degrees off at 200 C (392 F). But that doesn't really matter for a food thermometer.

Professional chefs want the thermocouple thermometer because it reads temperatures faster. That is important in a busy kitchen where they are taking lots of temperature readings. But for home use, that speed isn't really important for most people. A thermistor food thermometer is going to be a bit slower, but also cheaper, more stable, and more accurate. That is just a function of the technology.

That's good info. Thanks. I'll be cooking and grilling tonight. I still have the cheapo ones...I'm gonna see what the deal is. My impression was just that the cheap ones were inaccurate, not consistently off by the same amount. I guess maybe my impression was wrong and I fell for the hype. That said, the Thermapen is pretty sweet, and while the instant read isn't crucial, I've been liking it.

 

[batts]

Yeah, but how much did you pay per lb and what the hell is jewish teriyaki sauce?

I don't think that the marinade has anything to do with Jewish cuisine. It's probably based on the ethnicity of one of the founders of the company that produces it.

 

[Upstream]

That's good info. Thanks. I'll be cooking and grilling tonight. I still have the cheapo ones...I'm gonna see what the deal is. My impression was just that the cheap ones were inaccurate, not consistently off by the same amount. I guess maybe my impression was wrong and I fell for the hype. That said, the Thermapen is pretty sweet, and while the instant read isn't crucial, I've been liking it.

One caveat ... if your cheap thermometer is a thermocouple thermometer (which means it probably cost you about $30, and probably has a thin probe), then it will suck. If your cheap thermometer is a thermistor thermometer (which would have a probe about 1/8 inch thick and will take about 12 seconds to read a temperature), then it should be fine. If you want to test it, put it in a glass filled with lots of ice and just enough water to cover the ice, stir gently a couple times over several minutes, and then take the temperature of the water. It should be 32 F. You can also boil water in a pot. The boiling water should be 212 F. (See here and here for why there may be some minor variation in the temperature.) You can also take the temperature of the ambient air, and compare it to your room thermometer.

 

[FanuSanu52]

London Broil is the BEST meat to eat after a long day driving around in a Honda Accord.

Also, try this: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/grilled-marinated-london-broil0.html

Only if it's slow-roasted inside the engine bay during that long drive.

 

[brista21]

As the pro-London Broil crowd contends you can make great London Broil. I try to marinate overnight and poke with a fork into the meat pre-marinating. I use all different marinade recipes, but there's always three constants: olive oil/canola oil (I use a bit of each to keep the smoke point up some while getting the EVOO flavor), some kind of vinegar (rice or apple cider vinegars are common for me) and a bit of honey. Soy sauce is a frequent component too. Yesterday, made a marinade from the 4 aforementioned, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, onion, oregano, rosemary, parsley, thyme, sage, black pepper and a pinch of ground mustard seed. Meat came out flavorful and relatively tender.

 

[Tango Two]

Just did a 2 LB Top Round on Monday and it came out delicious. I use a combination of red wine vinegar, honey, soy sauce, garlic, and onion for my marinade and let it sit for 48 hours, turning over once while marinading.

On high heat, grill on the first side for 9-10 minutes with the grill cover closed.

Flip it over, grill on other side for 9-10 minutes with grill open.

Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing on the bias.

Many do not let it rest and want to slide it too soon.