This Beef Cooking Technique Has TikTok Divided
If you are not a vegan or vegetarian, there are few things in life more divine than tucking into a juicy, seasoned hunk of steak. It's no coincidence that many meat-lovers prefer beef over other rival proteins, which is primarily due to its unmatched flavor. According to Beef Magazine, the lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins incorporated in beef are what primarily impact its flavor, and the grain-finished texture is what draws taste buds to this protein more than others. "Beef flavor is very complex. It's not one attribute, but many, many flavor notes," Bridget Wasser, the executive director of meat science at the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA), explained. "There are a lot of things that can go right and there are a lot of things that can potentially go wrong."
When it comes down to it, everyone has a personal preference when it comes to how they like their steak. While some people's beef of choice is a New York strip, others tend towards a filet mignon. Some people like their steaks well-done, while others prefer their beef cooked medium-rare. Depending on an individual's preference, a slight difference in beef cut and cook time can transform a diner's steak-eating experience from delicious to disastrous. That being said, many meat-eaters have strong, differing opinions on beef, which is why it's unsurprising that the comments section of this beef-centric TikTok were extremely divided.
How Americans prefer their steaks
A food-based TikTok account, @foodie3824, took to the short-form video platform to share a montage of them cooking up a plate of beef alongside onions, garlic, and tomatoes. The video received a lot of critical feedback, including "Gordon Ramsay would have a stroke watching this," "Dude boiled the tenderloin in oil...," as well as "This is not food Sir. It is raw food." However, other users defended the TikToker in the comments section, with one person writing, "Nothing wrong with this. Different cultures, different techniques. Y'all haters need to broaden your horizons."
Upon watching the video, it is clear that the TikToker cooked their steak on the rarer side of the spectrum. One reason that the video could be receiving backlash is that Americans tend to prefer their steaks cooked well-done. According to a survey conducted by Longhorn Steakhouses, less than 3% of diners like their steaks rare while the majority of customers, 37.5% to be exact, prefer their steaks medium (via Mens Health). That said, Jens Dahlmann, the executive chef at Longhorn, said medium rare is the ideal way to cook a steak.
Although @food3824 also received criticism over his use of oil, master chef Gordon Ramsey said that soaking his pan in a generous amount of olive oil is key to cooking the perfect steak (via Esquire). What do you all think? Is @food3824 killing the steak game? Yay or nay?