Chef Mike Alfarah, who shares cooking videos on social media, decided to put a controversial hack to the test – and was pleasantly surprised by the results
Steak is not a budget-friendly cut of meat. It’s typically more expensive and indulgent, so we all want to ensure we’re cooking it properly. Luckily, there are professional chefs who are happy to share their top tips and secrets. One such culinary expert is Mike Alfarah, known on Instagram as alfskitchen_.
After learning about a revolutionary ingredient that can elevate steak to new heights, he decided to try it out himself. However, his novel method has sparked some debate online. The contentious ingredient is mayonnaise, which you should spread on the steak before searing it.
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The chef stated: “Even though I’ve heard of this hack a few times, I’m not really a mayo fan but in the name of steak science, it’s only right we give it a try!” Mike then showed the steps involved in his steak preparation, which includes a liberal sprinkling of salt and placing the steak in a vacuum-sealed bag. As for the cooking, he immerses it into what he calls his ‘meat Jacuzzi’.
This refers to a sous vide or precision cooker, which circulates warm water around the vacuum-packed food and maintains a steady temperature. Using one can minimise the chance of overcooking the meat, reports the Express.
After two hours in its 120 degree bath, the steak gets pulled out and patted dry before facing what purists might call sacrilege – getting smothered on both sides with a generous layer of mayonnaise, then seared in a scorching hot pan to achieve a perfect crust.
The food enthusiast explained: “I’m pretty confident this is going to work really well because mayo is fat and that’s the key to a good sear and you better believe I’m going to use that fat from the mayo [in the pan] to baste the steak as well.
He continued: “From the looks of it, we have a pretty perfect sear and again I’m not surprised that this worked really well but I am really curious. Did it affect the taste?”.
Mike’s hunch proved spot on – the steak was absolutely delicious. He revealed to his followers: “Not only did that give a perfect sear but it tastes incredible.”
Watchers were gobsmacked by Mike’s bizarre method. One person wrote: “I would not use mayo.. no way on a good piece of meat”, whilst another threatened to report the chef to Gordon Ramsay.
Meanwhile, another doubter declared: “Steak cooked in water like that is disgusting in my opinion.” Mike tackled the backlash directly, however. He informed the doubter that sous vide preparation is standard practice in top restaurants.
Therefore, it’s probable many of us have enjoyed a sous vide steak without knowing it. His clip did spark enthusiasm amongst some viewers. One fan declared: “Yes trying it. Works on chicken and grilled sandwiches, too!”.