The Best Way To Cook The Denver Cut Of Steak

Different steaks call for different cooking methods. Some do well being cooked quickly over high heat, while others do well with a more gentle approach. This is the case with the Denver steak, arguably one of the best and more affordable cuts of meat you can buy. The Denver steak is derived from the chuck, which is located between the neck and ribs of the cattle. This location is one of the hardest working areas of the animal. 

As a result, chuck meat is riddled with the tough sinews and connective tissue that make it great for slower cooking methods such as roasting or braising. However, just because it's a steak does not mean that the Denver is necessarily meant for a hot pan or grill grate. While you can cook one over high heat, that's not the best way to go about it. This type of beef requires gentler methods, like sous vide or reverse sear, in order to give up its flavorful secrets. 

Both sous vide and reverse sear are examples of cooking methods that make use of indirect heat. The secret to a good reverse sear is a matter of setting up heat zones on the grill. The steak is placed in the cool zone, allowing that great radiant heat to gently cook the steak for between 20 to 30 minutes. Once the internal temperature has reached 115 degrees Fahrenheit (medium-rare) finish the steak off over high heat for a few minutes to get that fantastic crust. It requires a little more patience, but the resulting meat is one that is tender and juicy on the inside, and crispy on the outside. 

Sous vide requires a bit more on the equipment front than reverse sear, but yields similarly flavored results. This method requires the steak to be seasoned, vacuum sealed in a bag, then cooked in a warm water bath until it reaches its target temperature. The heat from the water gently cooks the steak much in the way the indirect heat in the grill does. A good sear is all that's required to finish off this fantastic cut of beef.