Planet Green
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In search of the tastiest steak, Heston's first port of call is New York. Here, he meets celebrated BBQ chef Adam Perry Lang. Together they look at how the age of the meat affects its flavor by conducting a taste test with cuts of beef ranging from three days old to 12 weeks old.
Having established the optimum age for a piece of meat, Heston's focus turns to breed, comparing similar cuts from different cattle to find a meat that's flavor stands out from the rest. His favorite choice comes from a Herefordshire farm whose owner, Richard Vaughn, feeds his cattle grain to encourage marbling of fat which adds flavor to the meat.
With flavor often being compromised for a more tender texture, Heston attempts to find a balance between the two. He experiments with longer cooking times at lower temperatures. This should ensure the meat retains its juices, but viewers will discover why he finds a blowtorch comes in handy too!
The finishing touch is the sauce. Here, Heston considers Umami, the fifth element of taste, to find the perfect flavor enhancer. Having tried all the usual favorites, from tomato sauce to Worcester sauce and packet mixes, he then remembers a recipe for mushroom ketchup from an old cookbook which he adapts with a modern twist to make the ultimate accompaniment.
