Meat and Men

Below is a recent column I wrote in the Logan Herald Journal. It was printed Friday, January 29 in the weekend section.
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My education at USU failed me. Sure, it prepared me for a career, and opened my eyes to the world, but it taught me nothing about steak. I spent most of my time in the College of Natural Resources, where half my colleagues avoided meat for environmental, moral, or health reasons. The other half (of which I belonged) couldn't afford it. So much for that big meaty bull, Aggies.

This all changed when I married a man with a job. My husband is a steak connoisseur. When we dine out, he invariably peruses the menu for a good cut of meat. He knows the all good steak places in Logan, and appreciates what goes into preparing a good juicy T-bone.

What is it about men and meat? Is it a sociological connection to sharing the kill around the fire? Is it a psychological symbol of power over nature? A caloric necessity to fill the stomach? Does it taste really really really good?

I grew up somewhat cloistered from meat culture. The only kind of beef on our table was the ground kind. Then one evening after helping a neighbor cater a dinner I was presented my compensation … a lovely thick slab of Porterhouse dressed with tangy A1 sauce. Every solid juicy mouthful was heaven.

It was an inspiration, but not a conversion for me. I don't automatically flip to the red meat section of every menu I hold. It seems like a missed opportunity when there is new food to try. I've often wondered if this is a function of gender, or just individual preference. Do men need meat more than woman?

They eat more of it. Men are more likely to eat meat than women, according The FoodNet Population Survey completed in 2007 by B. Shiferaw. In the national survey, men ate more chicken, duck, veal and ham than women. Women were more likely to eat fruits and vegetables such as carrots, tomatoes, strawberries and raspberries.

This may in fact be part of the reason that women live longer than men. That cow may kill you, and not in the cool running-of-the-bulls-of-Pamplona way. Men and women who ate about 4.5 ounces of red meat a day – the equivalent of a small steak – had a modest to moderate increase in overall mortality, as well as in cancer and cardiovascular disease according to the National Cancer Institute in 2009. But we're not going to dwell on that.

Your significant other eats significantly different than you do. But why?

Differences in eating styles between men and women are not based on nutrition, according to the Harvard School of Medicine. Caloric intake is based on body size and activity. More active people need more calories. Bigger people need more calories – irrelevant of gender. Both sexes need the same percentage of protein, fat, and vitamins in their diet, with the exception of iron. While red meat is an excellent source of iron, it is the woman who needs it more.

The difference may be more practical. A Norwegian study on men and food called "I eat because I'm hungry, because it's good and to become full" reports … actually, the title pretty much says it all. (Roos, Gun & Margareta Wandel, 2005). “Women have a, well, a thing about food. They want to make fancy food. … I just want [to eat] a lot and to eat it fast, and then I can go out and do something else,” reported an male eater in another study by the same authors.

Whatever your reason for eating steak, you don't need to rely on a steakhouse for the essential (or occasional) red meat. You can turn out a beautiful steak at home. I had the opportunity to observe local steak experts Joyner Lofthouse and Bill Fillmore at work in the kitchen. These men have a combined 60 years experience cooking steak, and the sizzle hasn't left the grill for either. They've served enough hot platters to know that the perfect steak is in the eye of the beholder, but Fillmore's preferences fall with the New York steak, or any cut that has plenty of fatty marbling for flavor.

A good cut of meat has a bit of moisture, a bright color, an even cut, and no odor. Look for a cow who spent more time on the couch than in the gym. Developed muscle makes tougher meat (sorry Aggie Bull). Good steak is aged for 10-28 days to allow the enzymes in the meat to tenderize it. It can be wet-aged or dry-aged. Most meat at the grocery store is wet-aged in the package. Dry-aged beef can be found at some steakhouses. It allows some of the moisture to evaporate and creates a more intense meaty flavor. All beef should be stored below 40 degrees to keep those microbes at bay, but bringing the meat to room temperature just before putting it on the grill makes a more tender steak.

Waves of heat shimmied the air off the griddle in front of the steak experts. It has to be hot, said Lofthouse, close to 400 degrees. A few drops of an oil that can take the heat (canola, peanut, or safflower) will help prevent sticking. High heat sears the exterior of the steak and gives it a nice crust. This seals in the juices before it overcooks the center. The men lay their steaks down, and season the up side with seasoning salt and granulated garlic. Once the steak starts to sweat, they turn it over and season the back.

Lofthouse uses the finger jab method to determine doneness. That comes with experience, he said. A good meat thermometer will do for the rest of us. He prefers his steak medium rare, with a nice pink middle (between 130-145 degrees). Fillmore is a medium man (between 145-155 degrees), and tops his with a little melted butter and 57 Sauce. Let the steak rest for three minutes before cutting to let the juices reabsorb (lightly covered to retain heat). If you don't, you'll get a piece of beef jerky sitting in a pool. Be patient, and the steak juice will be where it belongs, in your mouth.

The steak Lofthouse and Fillmore cooked for me was in a word, perfect. Tender, medium pink in the center, and dripping with flavor. Their seasoning complemented the natural taste of the meat, rather than overwhelming it. With a perfectly baked sweet potato by its side, I needed no sauce.

Whatever the reason for a man to love a steak, I'm glad I get a meaty bite once in a while. That steak may kill me, but would life be worth living without it?