Quick Skills Are Key To Cooking A Tender Sierra Steak
When it's crunch-time and steak night is on the menu, we are happy to share the perfect companion for both time and taste: The Sierra steak. The Sierra is a flavor-packed cut of beef that requires some handy, quick cooking skills in order to deliver the most tender-loving beef centerpiece.
The Sierra steak, also called the chuck flank, is very similar to the flank steak. These two types of beef can be a bit tough due to their more muscular fibers that weave through the cut — a common trait of beef cut from the chuck region. The trade off of the tricky Sierra is the rewarding beefy flavor it provides. So how do we reach the Sierra steak's full potential? The balance of time and temperature is how. This is where working quickly and efficiently in the kitchen will come in to steal the show and not disappoint on the dinner table.
What are these skills you ask? Well, you will be pleased to know they are already at your fingertips. A quick marinade and high heat take this steak to its full flavor potential. The goal here is to not overcook this steak as it will only add to the toughness, creating an undesirable chewy texture.
Put the skills to work
We enter the rare yet magical moment in the kitchen where time is on your side, and the tools are minimal. Once you choose your searing partner in crime, armed with cooking tongs, the main course is just moments away.
While a marinade is not needed for all steaks, it does come in handy with the tougher cuts of beef as they are used to not only pack more flavor, but to tenderize the beef with acidic ingredients like Worcestershire and wine. This steak does not require a long marinade to pack a punch and can easily be accomplished while preparing the next step: heat.
High heat is the crucial step as we need to get the steak cooked to temperature while not remaining on heat for too long or the dreaded gloom of borderline jerky may appear. A cast iron skillet is a fan favorite as it can reach a high heat quickly yet cooks evenly. However, a charcoal grill is a sure fire way to hit the level of heat needed for the win. For the steak aficionado, an instant read thermometer is great to have on hand, as a true medium rare temperature is reached at 120 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once your perfectly seared Sierra steak reaches the desired temperature, your fast and efficient wizardry skills in the kitchen have brought you a culinary delight that delivers in both time and flavor.