Steak, the right way

Discussion in 'The Cookbook' started by flipflopsnowman, Aug 1, 2009.

  1. flipflopsnowman

    flipflopsnowman New Member

    Description:
    Steak, the way God intended it to be - medium rare to rare, juicy, and seared on the outside. If you eat your steak medium, medium well, or well, do yourself a favor - stick with burgers.

    Time: 30 minutes or so
    Difficulty: Easy
    Serving Size: 1 or more

    Ingredients:
    Hardware:
    Well seasoned cast iron skillet
    Oven
    Burner
    Meat thermometer
    Foil

    Software:
    Steak - good steak (T-bone, Rib-eye, filet, whatever)
    Salt
    Pepper

    Preparation:
    1) Heat oven as hot as it will go
    1a) You may want to disable a smoke alarm or turn on the vent. Heating up a well seasoned cast iron creates smoke (and your oven may smoke as well)
    2) Put a cast iron skillet in it, large enough to handle the steaks you will be cooking. Keep in the oven for about 10-15 minutes.
    3) Add salt and pepper to the steak you're cooking

    Instructions:
    1) Do the prep work, you don't need to screw with your beef. You paid good money for primo steaks, don't add any sauce or marinade or other spices. That stuff is for cheap meat and spices have essential oils that will burn.
    2) Turn on a burner to high
    3) CAREFULLY take the cast iron out of the oven and put it on the burner
    4) Add the steaks
    5) Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 min per side (if you want rare, go closer to 1 1/2, medium rare closer to 2)
    6) Put a meat thermometer in your steak
    7) Turn off the burner, cover the skillet with foil
    8) Watch the thermometer for doneness (120-130F for rare, 130-135 medium rare)
    9) Eat
     
  2. ChemErik

    ChemErik Mr. Personality

    You really should add step 8.5:
    Let steak rest off of the heat for at least 2 minutes. This allows the juices to seal into the meat instead of pouring all over as soon as you cut into the steak.
     
  3. sol92258

    sol92258 I have no earthly idea

    Just the way I do my steaks, but I do go for the medium-well to well, so after 2.5 minutes per side, back in the oven for 5-8 minutes, then back on the stove to cool a few minutes

    excellent method, competes with the grill (though just barely) in my opinion
     
  4. Straight Arrow

    Straight Arrow Active Member

    I would add only one thing. Take the steaks out of the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before you cook them. The meat needs to be closer to room temperature.
     
  5. 1969Fatboy

    1969Fatboy New Member

    I honestly prefer mine cooked over charcoal. Medium rare of course. If well done is your fancy you might as well get a cheap cut of meat. I dated a girl that always order Filet well done. I dumped her. I do agree with bringing the steak to room temp and letting it set for a few minutes after in comes off grill. I will marinade certain steaks and/or add a simple rub to enhance but not mask the taste.
     
  6. Truckman

    Truckman New Member

    I disagree. I believe God intended steaks to be done on a grill, and grill only.
     
  7. superbleu

    superbleu Active Member

    Grill => Higher fire potential => More overtime for Matt => more money => more shave gear

    very sneaky my friend. :D
     
  8. Truckman

    Truckman New Member

    Curses! Foiled again! :happy097 :happy097 :happy102 :happy102
     
  9. sol92258

    sol92258 I have no earthly idea

    I used to be that way, it is still the #1 preference...but - for times grill is either inconvenient or not an option, I read this method before and tried it, and I will say it is very good

    oh, and nice work there Bong!
     
  10. Zach

    Zach New Member

    I love the cast iron and I like to make them au poivre as well sometimes.
    But, for me, to make the perfect steak, you need:

    a) a charcoal chimney, so you can start the coals without lighter fluid
    b) hardwood lump charcoal

    Lump charcoal looks like this:

    [​IMG]

    It gets much hotter than charcoal, and unlike square briquettes, contains no unnatural fillers, it's just wood.

    If you like your steak "black and blue" as my father taught me, you need to give these a try.
     
  11. sol92258

    sol92258 I have no earthly idea

    where might these be acquired?
     
  12. flipflopsnowman

    flipflopsnowman New Member

    It is possible to do this on a grill but most people think gas grills are "grilling" and it's a lot harder to explain indirect, direct, chimeny starters, good charcoal, etc than to explain the cast iron method. As long as you keep your steak seared without a whole bunch of dry rubs, you're cool in my book, no matter what cooking method you use.

    This is the easiest way for me, without a grill (I live in an apartment, and to get it right, you need a grill that isn't very portable), to get solid steak.
     
  13. 1969Fatboy

    1969Fatboy New Member

    Wal mart and most grocery stores. Good stuff and does burn hot as hell.
     
  14. Michael

    Michael Duke of Kent

    I've never tried this cast iron method. I've certainly used the old Wagner-Ware skillet for steaks, but have never heated it to 600+ degrees in the oven, just high temp (no idea what that is) on the stove top. Will have to try the oven sometime. Works great for the pizza stone! :D

    I may give lump charcoal a try this evening. Don't think I've ever used it, though I know it's supposed to be far superior to the briquette (and considerably hotter as I understand it).

    As for steak seasonings, usually s&p only, but occasionally I'll sprinkle some chopped fresh tarragon as well. Doesn't hide the flavor of the steak, but does enhance. IMO, of course.

    Thanks for the oven tip!
     
  15. Zach

    Zach New Member

    Also, Ace hardware stores and many garden centers.
    And if you're in NY, in each and every Greek grocery store in Astoria ;)
     
  16. Jim Corbett

    Jim Corbett Member

    Big Green Egg. Preheat to 750 - 800 degrees. Grill thick steak 1 min 45 seconds turn steak over and repeat. Close top and bottom air regulators and finish for 2 min for a perfect med rare.
     
  17. highball

    highball Member

    This is a great way to cook a steak, I like to make herbed butter to melt on top. Now I am craving some steak
     
  18. Malacoda

    Malacoda Active Member

    Okay, just had to chime on this one (if you want to know why just take a look at my avatar and sig.).

    When it comes to steak, the recession has TOTALLY changed the game for home cooks and backyard grillers...

    Because of the drastic drop in their business, the major steakhouses are no longer buying up all the USDA prime grade steaks produced. So, prime cuts are now available at several big-name grocers and bulk-price clubs such as Costco.

    With just 7 minutes of grill time and a two-temperature method (e.g. sear-then-finish, more on this at my website if you're interested) you can repeatedly dish up steaks just as good as -- and even better than -- those served at Morton's Steakhouse for a fraction of the cost (at my local Costco, USDA prime strips go for about $12/lb, roughly $60 for a four pack of strip steaks - whereas one strip steak at Morton's is about $50, not including potato, veggies, etc.).

    So, if you want a steak so tender and juicy it practically melts in you mouth and you can find them in your area, I highly, HIGHLY recommend picking up some prime grade strips or rib eyes and dropping them on the grill.

    Oh, and BTW, whatever you do, never spend money on prime grade tenderloin or filets. They're such lean cuts of meat that there's very little marbling in them even in prime grade -- so you'll be spending a whole lot of extra cash for very little change in tenderness or texture.
     
  19. Henry

    Henry New Member

    I use the New York Steakhouse method:

    1. Wash and season a 1.5 inch steak.
    2. Sear on both sides for 2 minutes in a cast iron skillet. I use 1 tbs of peanut oil in the skillet.
    3. Place the steak in the skillet in a 450F oven for 14 minutes.
    4. Remove from oven and place foil over the skillet/steak for 5 minutes.
    5. Serve.
     
  20. saf

    saf Member

    I hope I don't sound like a jerk but the difference between the Costco prime and Morton Prime steaks is aging. Most Steak houses wet age their steaks its cheaper and easier. Some of the really nice places dry age the steaks, which I prefer, but they are harder to find. I agree with you though there is no reason to go out to a steak house. If you want to go spend 60 dollars on a steak buy an aged one and do it yourself spend the savings on booze.
     

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