Cooked to perfection

They say that ‘a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing’ but in certain circumstances, like say, taking a prime piece of steak and attempting to do it justice on the grill, it pays to be armed with as much knowledge as possible.

Of course it’s got to be the right knowledge, passed on by people with a wealth of practical experience and a genuine love for their craft. The latest Audi experience – a virtual nose to tail meat workshop – brought together two such experts right into the homes of Audi guests for what was an enthralling and mouth-watering encounter.

Anthony Puharich, a fifth-generation butcher and a more passionate purveyor of quality meats you will never find, and Pete Gunn, celebrated chef and Audi ambassador, produced sumptuous virtual event that not only explored the myriad different cuts of meat available and how best to use them in cooking, but culminated in a masterclass on how to cook the perfect steak. No small claim, but one that when followed to the letter, produced the goods.

The event was another in the tremendously successful Audi virtual experiences, a series of specially prepared online productions allowing Audi customers to continue to enjoy exclusive bespoke Audi events even while the numerous restrictions associated with the COVID-19 virus continue to impact the way we live.

These are live events streamed into the homes of participants as opposed to prerecorded ‘shows’. Indeed, those taking part really do take part, having a specially prepared box of essential ingredients delivered to their door prior to the event’s start, and being able to ask questions and interact with those onscreen as the action unfolds.

For this particular Audi experience, the hero was meat, and who better to share their knowledge and passion for the meat than master butcher and co-owner of Vic’s Premium Quality Meat, Anthony Puharich. Anthony has forgotten more about meat, how it’s grown and nurtured and of course how it’s best prepared, than most will ever know.

For those who haven’t visited his extraordinary boutique butcher’s shop, Victor Churchill in Woollahra, this is an absolute must as soon as restrictions allow you out and about again. This is an establishment unlike any other that has rightly garnered international fame for the quality of its produce and also for its unique design.

Puharich along with his father, Victor, also has the distinction of owning the only meat retailer at Sydney’s Fish Markets in Pyrmont – Vic’s Meat Market – and he appears regularly in the media for his expertise on all things meat related. Audi Magazine first caught up with Anthony in 2013 on the eve of his Lifestyle FOOD program, Ask the Butcher.

Acting as emcee for this experience was none other than Ides chef and Audi ambassador, Pete Gunn, whose culinary creations have earned him a devoted following and seen him become one of the most celebrated chefs in the country.

Like his fellow chefs at the very top of the profession, Gunn knows Anthony Puharich well and works closely with him to obtain the very finest meats for his own restaurant.

For the participants, the accompanying ingredients delivered ahead of the event contained two prime sirloin steaks from Vic’s Premium Meats – one grain fed and one grass fed for comparison –  as well as Olsson’s flavoured seasoning salts, a digital meat thermometer and Cargo Crew apron. Pretty much everything a budding chef would need to produce a perfect steak at home – just add expertise and heat.

But before getting on to the main course as it were, Anthony took guests through a masterclass in the less well known cuts of meat, an assortment of cuts arrayed on an antique cutting block challenging even the knowledge of Pete Gunn to name exactly what they were and what part of the animal they came from.

Before getting underway, Puharich offered with a wink, that anyone who could successfully name every one of the different cuts would be given a new Audi, something that may have caused a few people at Audi Australia to reach for the agreed script. But they needn’t have worried, as Puharich himself was the only one able to name and outline the best use for each of the cuts, sharing their historical origins and uses, as well as sharing tips on what to look for when buying meat for home.

“Quality meat is not cheap, so you want to be sure that you get the very best and that you also treat it with the utmost care and respect when it comes to cooking it,” says Puharich.

And then it was on to the main event, pre-heating the grill and detailing how to best prepare the steak to produce restaurant quality results every time.

If there was one thing missing from the event it was the ability to take in the aromas when the steaks hit the hot grill. Of course they’d been taken from the fridge at least 30 minutes before to reach room temperature and were lightly oiled and salted while the grill got good and hot. They were turned only once when moisture began to appear on the top of the steak, with Puharich judging by touch when they’d reached medium rare – the consistency of the base of your thumb when you touch thumb tip to the top of your middle finger. Of course there’s nothing wrong with using the meat thermometer – medium rare is cooked to 45 degrees C and rested to 52 degrees. And the resting is of course as important as the time the steak spends on grill or bar-b-que.

It sounds relatively simple but a few distracted moments, a grill not hot enough or worse, steak cooked straight from the fridge, and the game’s up.

So it was that after watching the live stream with wrapped attention, I took the two prime cuts from my pack out to the bar-b-que, and, armed with little more than a glass of red and my newly acquired knowledge, proceeded to grill like never before.

It would be inappropriate to critique my own work, but the results were spectacular. The beautiful cuts of meat didn’t hurt and with the likes of Anthony Puharich and Pete Gunn in your corner, you’re already on a winner.

There are some rare gems to come out of the corona restrictions, and frankly, the Audi virtual experiences are one of them.

For more information on the Audi virtual experiences go to myaudi.com.au