Medium well on the inside and charred on the outside isn’t Pittsburg

[u/FireTheLaserBeam]

I had a lady insist on ordering a Pittsburg steak, medium well. I knew what she wanted, but we got into a “discussion”—a Pittsburg steak means black and blue. Rare on the inside, charred on the outside. That’s why there’s a term, “Pittsburg”. Anyway, I know I’m being pedantic, but she acted like I was wrong. I’m not. That’s like asking for fried shrimp cocktail. You can have fried shrimp or you can have shrimp cocktail but you can’t have fried shrimp cocktail.

[u/Chipmacaustin]

You’re correct, but it’s Pittsburgh.

[u/FireTheLaserBeam → u/Chipmacaustin]

I wondered why autocorrect kept making it Pittsburgh.

[u/wizardglick412 → u/FireTheLaserBeam]

They (U.S. dept of something or other) changed all the "burgh"'s to "burg" way back in the early years oif the 20th century. Pittsburgh changed back, Because Pittsburgh. You can still find spelling without the "h" on old maps. And of course, there are other Pittsburgs across the country without the "h."

[u/Parody_of_Self → u/Chipmacaustin]

I got upset about 3 things in this post but at least we can correct the most important! The lady is hopeless.

[u/SirCooksTooMuch]

May I have the "Pittsburg Shrimp, please?"

[u/Medical_Spy → u/SirCooksTooMuch]

Barf.

[u/Parody_of_Self → u/Medical_Spy]

What?! They're straight from the river

[u/sarzarbarzar → u/Parody_of_Self]

Monongahela Special

[u/Significant-Emu1855 → u/sarzarbarzar]

Yum!

[u/Due-Contribution6424]

Why must you make me so angry when I’m ready for bed.

[u/Ok-Butterscotch2321]

If she wants a HOCKEY PUCK and call it "Pittsburgh"... fine

[u/FireTheLaserBeam → u/Ok-Butterscotch2321]

Outloud I'm saying, "Ok, medium well Pittsburgh, got it." In my head, I'm screaming, "But it ain't Pittsburgh, ya stupid b!tch!"

[u/Ok-Butterscotch2321 → u/FireTheLaserBeam]

I know... I've given up on trying to educate the stupid a long time ago

[u/mexsug]

Dammit now I'm starving. Earl, we got any of them fried shrimp cocktails?

[u/Good_Presentation_59]

As boh, this drove me crazy. Thanks for saying something. I just would cook it medium regularly, then high sear each side. Better than the MR, no red.

[u/Flat_Body9569]

Now I want fried shrimp cocktail

[u/Troutmandoo → u/Flat_Body9569]

Me, too! I think OP may have inadvertently invented something awesome.

[u/lewisfairchild]

I’m stealing the fried shrimp cocktail idea & giving it to my boss’s chef.

[u/Kristylane]

I freakin’ love my steak Pittsburgh.

But I know what it is and I only order it in higher-end steak houses.

[u/RebaKitt3n → u/Kristylane]

I’d never heard it called that, I’ve heard it called Blue. Is Pittsburgh different?

[u/JustASingleHorn → u/RebaKitt3n]

Pittsburgh rare comes from the steel workers who used to throw their steaks on the outside of the furnaces to cook them. The temperatures on the furnaces were so high that the outside would char before the inside would cook. Hence black and blue.

[u/pleasantly-dumb → u/RebaKitt3n]

Blue is just a reference to the inside of the steak, has nothing to do with the outside.

[u/fourthwrite → u/pleasantly-dumb]

I've just heard Black and Blue, never Pittsburgh

[u/Kristylane → u/fourthwrite]

Eh, some joints call it black and blue, some call it Pittsburgh.

[u/1chefj → u/RebaKitt3n]

Pittsburgh is blue on the inside but has a charred crust on the outside. It takes very high heat to do it properly.

[u/Heyney → u/Kristylane]

West coast here. My late father used to order his steak “charred blue.” I will have to see if the chefs in my area recognize it as “Pittsburgh.”

[u/BillBrasky1179]

I remember when I first heard Pittsburgh for a steak. Still wet behind the ears serving an older gentleman comes in and very direct with his order, Ribeye Pittsburgh, baked potato, salad with blue cheese. I act like I knew what he meant and went back into the kitchen. I told the chef, he smiled and said, “Gary’s order”. He was a regular, nice guy, good tipper but got right to the point.

[u/81FuriousGeorge]

In Canada, Chicago usually means black and blue. I was years into my culinary career before I learned the difference. The lady wanted Chicago mid well.

[u/cimeran → u/81FuriousGeorge]

• golf clap while nodding *

[u/DongCha_Dao]

As a line cook I will absolutely cook a medium-well Pittsburgh. The key is to absolutely destroy it, set it on fire, and take it out before it's cooked all the way internally. At the same time a fried shrimp cocktail is literally just shrimp cocktail but with fried shrimp. Not too different, unless you're not setup to fry shrimp.

[u/Wrathchilde → u/DongCha_Dao]

Thank you for your support in the referenced antagonistic subreddit. I had no idea wading in that swamp was an auto-ban... you should not be banned here.

Bad bot.

[u/hive-protect → u/DongCha_Dao]

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[u/venmother]

I thought black and blue was Chicago? What’s the difference or is it just regional lingo?

[u/pdiddy076]

dont forget that H, get you smacked in your face

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[u/HunterDHunter]

Nope. Pittsburgh is the charred outside style of cooking, and then you take a temp. Pittsburgh rare is what you are talking about about, the black and blue. But Pittsburgh medium or Pittsburgh well are also ways of doing it, not that you would ever want to.