Vent: I tried the 'cold start' method for steak vs. my usual reverse sear last week.

The cold start left me with a grey band you could see from space, while the reverse sear gave me a perfect edge-to-edge pink. Has anyone else had a steak disaster with that trend?

3 comments

3 Comments

grace_white1mo ago

Yeah, that grey band is exactly why I gave up on cold start... it just doesn't get the pan hot enough fast enough to get a good crust before the inside overcooks. Reverse sear works because you dry the surface out in the oven first, so when it hits the screaming hot pan you get that instant sear. I tried to make cold start work three times and it was just a mess every time.

nathana481mo ago

My uncle swears by cold start, but his steaks always taste like boiled leather.

the_thomas1mo ago

Wait, what's the science behind cold start anyway? I used to think it sounded smart but after trying it twice I got the same leathery result. Watching the steam come off the steak before any browning happened was my clue it was wrong.