How to make steaks not tough or rubbery (and other questions)?

I am cooking some steaks (eye of round) and I am wondering how I can make it so it isn't rubbery or tough?What are some things to avoid and things to do?



I am cooking it in a stainless steel frying pan with a mixture of butter and oil and I am also wondering how I can make it so that a crust doesn't form on the pan and start burning?



Thanks.How to make steaks not tough or rubbery (and other questions)?
Eye steaks are my favorite because they don't have all that fat. Less fat makes for more tough steaks. Here's what you do. lightly oil with olive oil and lightly season with your favorite seasonings. I like seasoning salt but other people also like things like cracked pepper and garlic powder too. Take a fork and pierce the seasoning and olive oil into the steak. The more you poke it, the more tender and flavorful it will be. Season and poke it on both sides. Pan Fry till done.



I believe that the ';crusty'; stuff you speak about is actually the drippings from the steak itself. It burns because your heat is a bit too high. Turn down the heat a little.How to make steaks not tough or rubbery (and other questions)?
Tenderize it

i use a multi-blade tenderizer i got at a local kitchen supply store, and it softens it without pounding it flat



the other option is to marinade it. I have a home family marinade that everyone loves:

3/4 cup oil

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/3 cup soy sauce

tablespoon dried parsley

1/4 cup onion

2 cloves garlic

blend that all together and put the steaks in to marinade at least an hour, best overnight.
First off, eye of round is a very lean, and therefore very tough, cut of beef. You cannot cook and eat it like a ribeye steak. It requires moist heat and time to become tender.



Season w/ S%26amp;P, garlic powder, whatever you like, dredge in flour, knock off excess flour, and brown the slices in your skillet on med-high heat. Use more oil than butter. When both sides are browned, deglaze you pan w/ some beef broth, beef stock, red wine, water, or a combo of all. Scrape up cooked on bits, then puton lid and simmer on low heat for an hour or more, checking liquid levels and adding a bit of water as needed. This will make a very tender meat w/ a nice pan gravy that you can then put over rice, potatoes, or pasta.
Eye of round can be tough no matter what. It is very lean. It will be uneatable anything above medium rare Sear it on high heat with a bit of butter no more than a minute a side and let rest covered with foil 3-5 min. The crust is the good stuff but it shouldn't be all black. Your cooking them too long. Wipe the pan out each time. Any piercing or pounding will make the meat tougher as it releases the little jucie round has.
First of all, don't get your pan too hot. Season the meat lightly with S %26amp; P. And any other tenderizer you prefer. It's also better to allow it to marinate overnight in the fridge with seasoning on. Also keep turning the meat while cooking, doing so about every minute or two.
Eye of the round is tough no matter what you do to it. You need to marinate it for 6 to 8 hours (or overnight) before cooking.
Here are some basic steps for a good steak. Eye of rounds are not ot bad of a steak, Don't marinate it.



This is how to make a good steak.



Start with a decent piece of meat, A rib eye is pretty good.



Season the meat with salt and pepper. The very most you should put on it is a Montreal type steak seasoning. I like to stick mine back in the fridge for a bit.



Then remove from the fridge about 30 min before you cook it. YES, it is safe. This allows the meat to come to room temp so you don't shock the meat as much when you put it on the hot surface. Shocking the meat to much may make it tough.



From here you have a couple of options:



1. Heat a skillet up good and hot then add some fat. Oil, butter (is okay), or even bacon fat. Put the steak down and do not touch it. The meat is pretty cool. It will release from the pan when it has a nice golden brown color to it. Then flip. Brown it up on the second and side and reduce the heat if you want it cooked further.



2. Brown on both sides as stated above but then slide into the broiler if you skillet if oven safe use that, if not then put it in a broiler pan. And finish under the broiler.



3. Grill over a medium-ish hot indirect heat.



Remember a few more tips:



1. NEVER overcook a steak. Anything over medium is over cooking your steak and even medium is pushing the limits a bit. A weel done steak is a ruined steak and you may as well just toss your money in the trash.



2. Let the steak rest so that the stea will still be juicy from the first bite to the last bite.



3. Don't forget about carry over cooking, as the steak rests. Due to residual heat in the meatthe steak will cook a bit more as it rests.



I know that someone will say that you shouldn;t add salt before cooking bacuase it will dry it out. That is not true. I have always salted my steak and roasts before cooking and never had anything dry. Adding salt before cooking does Not dry it out but rather gives good flavor.
The boneless eye round beefsteak is a small cut obtained from the eye round roast. It is very lean and flavorful, but it is tough and for best results, it should be cooked with moist heat (braised) until fork tender. You can find lots of recipes for braising eye of round on the internet.



If grilling or cooking in a skillet, eye of round steak should first be marinated 6 to 24 hours in a tenderizing marinade. For best eating quality, cook steaks only to medium rare.



Here is an easy recipe for cooking an eye of round steak in a skillet. However, if I was going to try this, I would follow Alton Brown's suggestions in the video below and finish it off in an oven. If you decide to try that, be sure that your skillet is oven proof!



TANGY EYE ROUND STEAK



2 (8 oz.) beef eye round steaks, cut 1 inch thick

Juice of 1 lime

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. ground coriander

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper



Combine lime juice, garlic, coriander, cumin, and pepper. Trim all visible fat and place beef eye round steaks in plastic bag. Pour marinade over steaks; turning to coat. Tie the bag. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, turning once. Remove steaks from marinade. Heat medium size heavy frying pan over medium heat. Add steaks and pan broil, 4-5 minutes each side.





Here is a video with some great tips on the correct way to pan frying a steak:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yX1Q3x9C鈥?/a>
Don't salt it before you cook it. That will suck out the moisture.



Cook at a very high temperature, and go with the least doneness you can tolerate.