Searching for the Holy Grail, or… how to make the best steak
Frying a steak may seem like a simple task, but turns out it isn’t. Finding a steak that is properly prepared is a real challenge. Stretched, medium-quality meat, or maybe too rare? The list of flaws can be long. In this case, there is only one rule: the simpler, the better. How is it done? We asked Marcin Socha, chef de cuisine at Mavericks Cracow, a California-style restaurant in the centre of Cracow famous for, among other things, this meat delicacy.
How is it done in Mavericks Cracow?
“Product, product and once again product. Steak is above all a high-quality meat. Our menu includes two options to choose from: roast beef – the meat comes from our home farms – and rib eye – the highest-class seasoned beef straight from Argentina. They have been on the menu since the beginning and it will probably stay this way forever,” concludes Marcin Socha. What is the difference between these two kinds of meat?
EAT | Mavericks Cracow
First of all, they come from different parts of the animal. Rib eye comes from the front part of the back, roast beef from the rear. The former owes its name to the characteristic muscle fibres that resemble an “eyelet”. The word “roast beef” clearly suggests that this part is best for roasting. This meat is said to have a most delicate taste, among other things because of the fibrous, uniform and, above all, juicy muscle tissue. The opposite is the rib eye, which has a fleshy tissue. After proper preparation, the steak will have an intense taste and is exceptionally juicy, thanks to, among other things, the appropriate fat structure.
The chef’s secret…
So how to make the best steak? Marcin Socha reveals the secrets of perfect steak preparation. There really is only one rule: don’t try to do too much. High-class meat requires only grilling. “Don’t marinate the meat in any way. We don’t want its natural taste to be overshadowed. We want to stress what is best in the steak,” says the chef. The meat is put on a special grill, where the temperature reaches about 700 degrees Celsius! The result is a juicy steak, because exposure to high temperature in a short time makes the meat congeal and all the juices remain inside. After just a few minutes of grilling, the steak goes to a special device called a “Holdomat”, where it rests for a while at the right temperature.
What to serve with steaks
The menu at Mavericks Cracow is changed quite often, but it always includes the roast beef and rib eye. The only difference is the side dishes provided by the chef depending on the season of the year. Currently, rib eye is served with grilled sweet potatoes, eryngii mushrooms and classic chimichurri sauce. The accompaniments for roast beef include grilled tomatoes, green asparagus, pineapple and coriander chutney as well as baked potatoes stuffed with avocado and cheddar. This combination will be served at Mavericks Cracow for some time before it is replaced by the next taste variations. If you want to sample these combinations, just plan a visit to the heart of Cracow!
STAY | Vienna House Andel’s Cracow | Vienna House Easy Cracow
Mavericks Cracow
Pawia 3, 31-154, Kraków
tel. 12 600 05 00
www.mavericksrestaurant.pl