Finding the Perfect T-Shirt for Nixon Family Barbecue

[Shawnna]

Okay...I have 2 questions that I know you guys can all help me with.

1. What is the temp reading of steaks based on how they are cooked? Rare, MRare, Medium, MWell, Well Done. I should dig out all my cookbooks and see if I can find it. I know it has to be there, but thought you guys might know the answer right off.

2. I am wanting to get new T-shirts for our restaurant. The ones I have simply say Nixon Family Barbecue on the front. I want something people will remember. I have been thinking about it for awhile. I always look at other business' shirts. Western Sizzlin has some cool ones with great pictures and catchy phrases. But every time I come up with it my husband can think of some nasty meaning to it. He is very self-conscious about stuff like that. He doesn't want to offend anyone...and people around here are very crude. I have a Paula Deen shirt that a friend bought me. The front of it says "put some South in your Mouth" and the first time I wore it I had several men make crude remarks to me. So, now I don't wear it out of the house. Our business "staple" food is smoked brisket with my special recipe "secret sauce" barbecue sauce. But, we have a full menu at the restaurant...steak, grilled shrimp, chicken fried steak, salads, burgers, breakfast, etc.

Let me know if you have any ideas. And, thanks in advance.

 

[lockhartkitchen]

My first job was at a hot dog stand. I had to wear a shirt that said Bite the big one at Roakes. It stills haunts me.

 

[raebates]

According to Joy of Cooking, steaks should be cooked to:120-130 for rare
130-135 for medium-rare
140-150 for medium
155-165 for medium-wellThey don't recommend cooking beyond medium-well. I'm guessing that about 170 would be well done.As for your second question, these days just about anything you put on a t-shirt can and will be twisted into something crude. JMHO.

 

[Shawnna]

Thanks for the info Rae. I prefer my steaks medium, but I know lots of people that eat them rare, mrare and even well done (burned in my opinion...lol). All the cooks I have had at the restaurant feel the steaks with the spatula and can tell if they are cooked correctly...I guess that comes with years of experience...but we are so short handed now I am having to do a lot of the cooking and I just don't seem to "get it". So, I thought I might try the temperature method and see if it works better for me.

 

[Ginger428]

Thanks for the info Rae. I prefer my steaks medium, but I know lots of people that eat them rare, mrare and even well done (burned in my opinion...lol). All the cooks I have had at the restaurant feel the steaks with the spatula and can tell if they are cooked correctly...I guess that comes with years of experience...but we are so short handed now I am having to do a lot of the cooking and I just don't seem to "get it". So, I thought I might try the temperature method and see if it works better for me.

By feeling with the spatula or your finger for that matter, the softer the feel the rarer it is....geez talk about being able to twist words around... :blushing:

 

[KellyTheChef]

Shawnna...

on a Food network show a long time ago, I remember someone talking about comparing the "feel" of the steak to the "feel" of the fatty part of skin that runs between your first finger and your thumb. If you let your hand totally relax, and push on that part, that's what a rare steak will feel like. If you loosely close your hand and push on that part, that's what a med rare will feel like. If you firmly close your hand, that's what a medium or med well steak will feel like.

Hope that makes sense! Maybe one of the grill operators can explain how they "know" by the feel...if they can put it into words!! (That's probably like how our grandmothers baked with no recipes...just by how the batter "felt" to them...it's hard to put into words cuz it's just coming from experience, not by someone telling them how to do it....)

 

[KellyTheChef]

Here is a picture that gives you a similar "feel" but using different parts of your palm instead. Make sure you scroll down to the bottom of the article for the picture!

http://afrison.com/steak-grill-bbq-salt/653/