I spent a lotta years in all aspects of the restaurant industry, so I know how it works behind the curtain. I trained as a chef in a French kitchen, managed fast food chains, manager, Executive Chef, and Chef de Cuisine in high end steak and other restaurants, and know what it's like obtaining ingredients for the day's menu from various suppliers and direct from farmers.
Many people don't mind eating a steak (or other meat) that's been frozen. Some can't taste the difference (unless they do a side-by-side taste test, then they can), and that's fine. But to me there's a world of difference. When you freeze something, the water molecules crystallize and expand, sending little ice shards through the cell walls of every cell, ripping everything to shreds at the cellular level. When you thaw that and cook it, it tastes different. Many people can't taste the difference or it's not enough of a difference to matter to them. But I think for the most part, when people turn their nose up to "truckstop steaks" it's not because it's inferior meat, but because it's frozen, even if they don't know why it's not as good as other places. But I digress.
$25 for a frozen Porterhouse and a boatload of shrimp (I can disappear some shrimps, lemme tell ya), I'd do that. That's a good deal.
Incidentally, my grandfather always told me, "You'll never be disappointed with the best." So, kind of in the same ballpark on that one. And he's mostly been right on that.
As for Ruth's Chris and places like it, an $80 steak is worth every penny if you can appreciate dry aged beef. If you can't, like if you can't tell the difference between a fresh and a frozen steak, then there's no way you should spend that much on a steak. Same with Wagu or Kobe beef.
I've always been a fan of Certified Angus from Meijer. My wife has told me that some of my steaks rival high-end restaurants (not to brag), because of how I prepare it. I now use reverse searing; and that puts out some of the juiciest steak you will ever eat. One thing I will say about my family tho... I can screw up the steak to medium or undercook it to purple, and it's still enjoyed.
It's been awhile, so I'll share some tips for reverse searing...
Bring steaks to room temp. I like to put my spices on beforehand, so they have a chance to marinade. Worcestershire sauce (doused), freshly cracked salt and pepper. I used to put garlic powder on, but I save garlic for the end. It's better!
Oven to 275. Place on a rack over a cookie sheet. Can't let those juices go to waste. Cook time depends on the thickness of the steaks. Mine go in for 21 min for a 1/2"-3/4" steak. Check for temp according to your taste (look it up, bub). I like anywhere from 115-120 - medium rare towards rare. Medium rare is around 125. Anything more is blasphemy in my house! Ok, so I do screw it up sometimes.
When to your liking, remove from oven and let rest for 15 min. Don't skimp on this. Resting is important.
Here's what I do to prepare for the sear. Slice garlic into thin slices. Butter, ready and waiting, SIR! Iron frying pan ftw! Tablespoon (not plastic, please).
Heat around as high as your burner can go (Don't forget the handle sleeve or oven mitt). Let it get hot, and put a thin to fair amount of olive oil in the pan. Let it heat until it just starts smoking. Ready timer for 1 minute. Enter steaks (Gordon Ramsay always says lay the steaks away from you) and garlic for ONE MINUTE. Ding! Flip! ONE MINUTE! Add a few scoops of butter, and give it a couple of seconds to melt. Tilt pan and spoon butter and garlic onto steak for ONE MINUTE. DONE! Get em out of there! Don't forget to turn off heat, or your coughing will remind you. We have to open windows regardless. Butter and steak juice on top of steak.
Now what this method does is goes against traditional searing, where the chef sears the steak, then puts it in the oven. That creates the bullseye affect in the meat, where the middle is red/pink, and the outer edges fade to well done. Reverse searing makes a very uniform temperature. You're cooking the steak once, in the oven. The hot iron pan sears it quickly, making it crispy as all heck (the good crispy), and seals in the juices.
As a side note, I find the garlic compliments the butter, which in turn compliments the steak juices. I love crispy garlic pieces with a bite of the steak (more for me, since no one else in my family does), along with sauteed onions and mushrooms. Heavuuuuuuun!!!
