Do you know how to perfectly sear a steak?

In our continued efforts to keep your culinary exploration as simplistic and as easy to understand as possible let's address the all important sear. Searing a steak provides that beautiful look, but it goes way beyond the aesthetics. Not too mention many proteins, whether pan-fried or grilled, require the all important sear. Simple explanation of searing is this. Searing brings added depth and complexity of flavors out of the steak or scallops otherwise, would be missed. As far as if searing locks in the moisture, well I'll stay out of that contentious point.

We have all heard to get the perfect sear, get your pan or grill as hot as you can. If cooking in a pan then add some oil and in some cases butter and wait until it just begins to smoke. Or cooking on your grill then some will have you heat the grates until they look like a lava flow. Let the sizzling begin...right? Well yes, but there is a more fool proof method.

Using a high-quality extra virgin olive oil like from Texas Angel Oil will give you an advantage. Not all extra virgin olive oils are the same in not only the taste and texture but in cooking performance. Texas Angel Oil was born in the BBQ capital of the world in the great state of Texas. BBQ is a broad term that in some circles of Texas are given the same reverence as any religion. Our special blend of different olive varietals used in Texas Angel Oil is not just for the velvety taste, but also our extra virgin olive oil has a superior ability to perform under heat.

Long story short and your simple tip is this; coat your steak in Texas Angel Oil extra virgin olive oil before either grilling or pan frying. Not only will the alkaline properties of the olive oil work with the acids of your protein to bring out more flavor, but high quality extra virgin olive oil heats up very quickly. This action allows the surface of your steak to heat up much quicker giving you the best chance for the perfect sear.

As a bonus for my bloviating on this topic here is a recipe shared by Texas Angel Oil own Texas BBQ competition team: Guadalupe Co. BBQ Competition Team with Ty Machado as featured on the Food Network.

Guadalupe Co. BBQ Competition Team Simple Grilled Ribeye Recipe

Ingredients:

Texas Angel Oil extra virgin olive oil

Texas Black Gold -Garlic Sea Salt

Uncle Bob's Country Seasonings- Garlic Onion Pepper Blend.

Pick your favorite ribeye steaks the more marbling the better , 1 1/2" cut steaks or thicker are ideal.

Preparation:

Cover the steaks lightly with Texas Angel Oil extra virgin olive oil on both sides this is a binder for your seasonings and neutralizes the acidity of the meat to allow your seasonings to permeate the meat.

( a thick piece of beef can stand up to the sea salt )

Season generously on both sides with Texas Black Gold Garlic Sea Salt and Uncle Bob's Country Seasonings Garlic Pepper Blend.

Ideally let rest 10 mins or longer to help infuse flavor (Can even refrigerate overnight).

Cooking:

Heat grill to 500-550 degrees and lay steaks on the grill, 30 seconds per side for the sear. Reduce heat to 400 degrees

About 2.5 -3 mins per side should get us to 135 med rare.

Optional: Hit it lightly with another dose of Texas Angel Oil extra virgin olive oil on one side for enhanced flavor.

Simple explanation of Olive Oil types

That delicious recipe your favorite chef shared that you're ready to prepare to impress your friends and family calls for, “Olive Oil”.  Simple right?  That is until you get to your local market and get kicked in the face with the endless choices of olive oil. Can't all the olive oil people just agree on 1 type of olive oil? Does somebody think that it's funny to make this many choices? Forget it, I'll just drink wine and tell my friends to bring dinner!  Don't let this be you and by all means enjoy some wine, but let me see if I can simplify this issue for you.

Olive oil both simplified and explained:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Extra-virgin olive oil is an unrefined oil and the highest-quality olive oil you can buy. A great way to think of this oil is if you were to pick an olive off the tree yourself and squeeze the olive in your hand. The pure oil that would come out of the olive is the extra virgin olive oil. In this pure form extra virgin olive oil retains truer olive taste, and has a lower level of oleic acid than other olive oil types. It also contains more of the natural vitamins and minerals found in olives. 

Side note: (I only cook with extra virgin olive oil)

Virgin Olive Oil: (This definition is debated among olive orchards, so I will provide the International Olive Council definition) Next in quality is virgin olive oil. It's made using a similar process as extra-virgin olive oil and is also an unrefined oil, meaning chemicals or heat are not used to extract oil from the fruit. Virgin olive oil also maintains the purity and taste of the olive, though production standards are not as rigid. Virgin olive oil can have a slightly higher level of oleic acid. It also has a slightly less intense flavor than extra-virgin olive oil.

Side note: (Make extra virgin olive oil at your orchard or go sell books door to door)

All other oils from here on out are refined by some process of the manufacturer.

Pure/Regular Olive Oil or just Olive Oil: This oil is typically a blend of extra virgin or virgin olive oil and refined olive oil (heat and/or chemicals are used in the process of extracting oil and removing flaws from the fruit). This olive oil is a lower-quality oil than extra-virgin olive oil, with a lighter color, and a more neutral flavor.

Side note: (I find the extra virgin olive oil used in this blend is often from old batches of extra virgin olive oil that has lost most of its flavor)

Light or Lite Olive Oil: "Light" or “Lite” doesn't refer to this olive oil being lower in calories. Rather, it is a marketing term used to describe the oil's lighter flavor. Often times this oil is the most heavily refined and/or blended with other oil types like sunflower or canola oil.

Side note: (Instead of buying this oil just punch yourself in the face)

Extra virgin olive oil can come in many colors and I would urge you to not get too hung up on the color alone.  My Texas Angel Oil extra virgin olive oil is a nice vibrant green when it's fresh pressed and over a period of months, it turns to a lighter green with golden hues coming through.  I've experienced and produced some fresh extra virgin olive oils that are golden in color, but I lean towards the fresh greenish color that dominates real extra virgin olive oil.  Check with your local or regional family owned olive orchard for the best option for you in selecting your olive oil.

Hope that helps to keep you in the saddle as we say here in Texas!

The mistake you made in not using extra virgin olive oil

I use 500ml – 16.9 FL oz. of fresh premium Texas Angel Oil extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) every two weeks on average.  After enough surprised reactions from home chefs as to how much extra virgin olive oil I use I thought it only prudent to discuss this further.

Aside from the well-known fact that real extra virgin olive oil is extremely healthy for you with countless supporting studies confirming this from the likes of the Mayo Clinic and others.  This flavorful alkaline food is a must for almost any cooking you are doing.  No, it's not just for salads to be used as some drizzle over the top and please stop asking what salad is my favorite.  I've hated salad my entire life and if you love salad, then more power to you.  Luckily I medically have a reason to avoid salad due to an enzyme in green leafy vegetables not being good for your intestines.  At least it's an issue for me after an injury from my Navy time leaving me with a very “interesting” diet and part of how Texas Angel Oil came to be.  Although my Texas Angel Oil extra virgin olive oil is the ultimate topper for salads understand that is only scratching the surface of the thousands, if not millions of uses.

Areas you are missing out on to up your cooking game, including grilling:

-EGGS; No matter how you cook them, eggs and olive oil were a marriage made in heaven. Skip the milk for scrambled eggs and use olive oil as an example.  Sunny side up is much sunnier when cooked in extra virgin olive oil.

-Pan fry fresh fish; Use 50% EVOO and 50% Sweet cream butter with some fresh minced garlic, sea salt, pepper, and fresh lime or lemon juice when plating.  Simple, awesome, and your taste in fish will jump to a new level.  Coming soon is my newest flavor; Texas Angel Oil Caribbean Lime extra virgin olive oil - perfect for fish.

-Marinating; Did you know EVOO is an alkaline food and helps to counteract the natural acidity of beef to bring out the natural flavors of the meat and enhance the flavors of your selected seasonings used.  Did I mention that EVOO makes a great binding agent, even with rubs, to help infuse the seasonings into the beef?. Now you know.

-Perfect Sear for a steak ( the same principle applies to the perfect low & slow brisket); EVOO has a relatively low burn point and some can find this challenging to cook with.  However, the advantage some miss is that EVOO heats up extremely quickly.  The outside of your meat coated in EVOO will heat even quicker for that all important Sear so sought after by top chefs and backyard grilling warriors.

-Finisher on any protein; Make fish tacos and when you've plated them try some fresh lime or lemon juice and EVOO as the final touch.  You can thank me later.

-Make leftovers great again;  That perfect steak or leftover brisket is now 4 days old in the refrigerator and you know you have to heat it up which is only going to cook it past the perfection point.  Heat it up and hit it with EVOO and don't kiss me for this great tip.

Texas Angel Oil extra virgin olive oil is specially blended from various olive types to provide that ultimate cooking experience and taste.  It is our honor to provide you this superior product from our family to yours.  As always every drop of oil in each bottle is of Texas Angel Oil is 100% pure extra virgin olive oil.  

Order today and then have that meal with those you love.

www.texasangeloil.com

A Texas legend.........I don't think so!

Created especially for the Lone Survivor Foundation silent auction

TexasAngel Oil came to be by several factors. God with a capital “G” first and foremost, but also with the support of family and friends. I actually dreamed of being a chef for many years and thus I shouldn't be surprised for now through Texas Angel Oil I provide to the world one of the greatest extra virgin olive oils available on the planet. I have been successful and I have successfully failed, but even in the success, there is something different with Texas Angel Oil. My poor grammatical skills and limited understanding of the English language could never convey what exactly is different with Texas Angel Oil. So I'll just give credit where I know it is due without explanation. Thank you, God. This Texas man is just doing his best every day with my two incredible kids and a great team working behind the scenes to make this all possible.

This past weekend a very special blend of Texas Angel Oil extra virgin olive oil was created and donated to the Lone Survivor Foundation Houston gala 2016 silent auction. The case auctioned off to the highest bidder for an impressive $1,380.00. The Lone Survivor Foundation will undoubtedly put the money to good use helping our veterans. After my Navy time, it's hard to express how important it is to me to support my fellow veterans who have given so much to our country. Even more important to me is to support the SEALs after an injury in Coronado California during my Navy time changed my career path to what is now Texas Angel Oil.

This wasn't any case of olive oil, but 12 bottles all of which were professionally glass etched with the Lone Survivor Foundation logo on one side and a very special Texas Angel Oil logo on the other. The bottles needed housing and thus a custom wooden box made of Alder wood and hand forged metal handles with insignia were expertly crafted. All members who participated in the project donated their time, expertise, materials, and dedication free of charge. More so everyone on the team had little or no direction other than to make something special and something special is what they made. I didn't really search the team members out they were simply put in my path on this journey through life. The right men at the right time and it was an honor to work with them. In full disclosure, one is my brother from the Navy sweating and bleeding the same ground in Coronado that I did and ironically he endured almost the same career ending injury. Of course a very big thank you to both my children who worked countless hours behind the scenes.  I love you both.

Team members for the Lone Survivor Foundation project:

www.vaughtstudio.com

www.expressivemetal.com

Signs of Cypress, Cypress Texas

www.texasangeloil.com

Some pictures behind the scenes.

I used to be willing to put my culinary skills up against anyone's and luckily after a few years under my belt, I realize how little I actually know. I do know great ingredients when I find them without question and combined with I know how to build a team and you can get a glimpse the origins of Texas Angel Oil. There is an industry leading olive expert behind the scenes managing the Texas Angel Oil extra virgin olive oil quality and superior taste. I get the price point on Texas Angel Oil is not for everyone and candidly I wouldn't be able to supply enough if I could dramatically cut my pricing. Texas Angel Oil is the go to extra virgin olive oil for that special meal with those you love. We all do or should sit down in that intimate setting with friends and family and just have that meal. A meal to remember is a line I'm liking more and more these days. Is Texas Angel Oil extra virgin olive oil yet another Texas product to make it's distinguished mark on the world and achieve “legend” status with the likes of Tito's Vodka, Blue Bell Ice Cream, and others? That's not for me to say, but I'll just keep doing my best to bring you the finest possible olive oil for you to show those you love them.

My (Partial) list of real Texas legends and in no particular order:
Iron Cactus Austin TX
Chris Kyle (The Legend)

Tito's Handmade Vodka

Shiner Beer

Dr. Pepper

Blue Bell Ice Cream

Whataburger

Earl Campbell

Buc-ee's

Whole Foods

Frito's

Rudy's BBQ

Salt Lick

The Broken Spoke

The Alamo

Gruene Dance Hall

King Ranch

Hennessey Performance

Nolan Ryan

Marcus Luttrell

AJ Foyt

Chuck Norris

Willie Nelson

Joel Osteen

George Strait

Davy Crockett

Jim Bowie

Erasmo Seguin

Juan Seguin

Sam Houston

Lorenzo de Zavala

Lucchese Boots

Mary Kay Cosmetics

Dell Computing

Handheld Calculators

3-D Printing

Integrated Circuit

Liquid Paper

Frozen Margarita's

Breast Implants

Come and Take It

Tex-Mex