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Cooking steak very rare at home

leftover_salmon

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I've always been rather hesitant to buy a nice cut of beef and cook it at home, because I like my steak blue but don't feel as if I have the necessary equipment (i.e. an 800-degree broiler) to do it right. Is it even possible to properly do a black and blue steak at home with just a gas stove and electric oven? Please share tips.
 

StephenHero

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I warm it in the oven at a low temp and then sear it in a buttered cast iron. Works for me.
 

DNW

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Originally Posted by StephenHero
I warm it in the oven at a low temp and then sear it in a buttered cast iron. Works for me.
+1. Or just leave the steak out until it reaches room temperature, get a cast iron skillet as hot as possible, then just sear the steak for a minute on each side. The key point is to get the skillet smoking, so you'd want oil with a really high smoke point, eg., grapeseed or safflower oil. To add flavor, put a bit of butter in the skillet when the oil starts to smoke. You won't get the same sear as you would at a steakhouse, but it'll be close enough.
 

leftover_salmon

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Originally Posted by DNW
+1. Or just leave the steak out until it reaches room temperature, get a cast iron skillet as hot as possible, then just sear the steak for a minute on each side. The key point is to get the skillet smoking, so you'd want oil with a really high smoke point, eg., grapeseed or safflower oil. To add flavor, put a bit of butter in the skillet when the oil starts to smoke. You won't get the same sear as you would at a steakhouse, but it'll be close enough.
Thanks guys...and it'd be safe to put those oils in the pan and turn the gas heat all the way up to high? Or should I be cooking on 7-8? (Don't want to start The Towering Inferno because of a steak)
 

blackjack

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DNW

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Originally Posted by leftover_salmon
Thanks guys...and it'd be safe to put those oils in the pan and turn the gas heat all the way up to high? Or should I be cooking on 7-8? (Don't want to start The Towering Inferno because of a steak)

I crank the heat up as high as possible, but be sure not to leave the kitchen. You want to pay attention to the skillet. Oh, and open every window in the vicinity.

Some people oil the skillet, others (like Alton Brown) oil the steak. I oil the skillet because I don't want to disturb the seasoning that's already on the steak. In any case, follow the Alton Brown method and you'll get solid results (skipp the oven part if you want a bloody steak).
 

Cavalier

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Why would you let the steak come to room temperature? I would think you would not want to do this

I'll admit I've been having problems with getting my steak a nice rare+ or m/r except on the charcoal where I put it over direct heat and it turns out well

*edit* just watched the Gordon Ramsey video, going to follow his advice next time I cook a steak
 

StopPolloition

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I use sesame oil or canola after dabbing the steak dry. I use cast iron preheated to 500 then place it on the stove for a little bit until the surface gets up to 550 or so. A laser thermometer helps. Sear each side for about a minute and transfer the steak in the cast iron back to the 500 degree oven. About 2:15 on each side in the oven gets me medium rare. If you did 1:30 or 1:45 in the oven on each side you could get it rare. These days I find I really just like it completely raw prepared as tartare or kitfo though occasionally I will eat a cooked steak.
 

Cavalier

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Originally Posted by StopPolloition
These days I find I really just like it completely raw prepared as tartare or kitfo though occasionally I will eat a cooked steak.

What cut of meat do you and what sort of quality?
 

Cary Grant

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Originally Posted by Cavalier
What cut of meat do you and what sort of quality?

If you want it with a bit of fat, like most recipes/tradition call for, top sirloin is the common cut.
I happen to prefer tenderloin... and I'll pay for the best quality I can get... prime...

EDIT: Oh - had wagyu tartare last year. Didn't care for the texture (again too ***** for me) but the price was also silly.
 

StopPolloition

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Prime New York or top sirloin for tartare. Some people like filet but since it's cut fine and raw it's not really necessary to spend money on tenderloin cuts to get less flavor IMO . I've eaten both and I think tenderloin is excessive.
 

blackjack

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Originally Posted by Cavalier
Why would you let the steak come to room temperature? I would think you would not want to do this

I'll admit I've been having problems with getting my steak a nice rare+ or m/r except on the charcoal where I put it over direct heat and it turns out well

*edit* just watched the Gordon Ramsey video, going to follow his advice next time I cook a steak


You want your meat to be at room temperature before you cook it so that it cooks evenly and quickly. And, the same principal applies not just to steaks but all other kinds of meat including chicken or when roasting turkeys.
 

Working Stiff

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Originally Posted by blackjack
You want your meat to be at room temperature before you cook it so that it cooks evenly and quickly. And, the same principal applies not just to steaks but all other kinds of meat including chicken or when roasting turkeys.

But in this case, we want the meat to cook unevenly - the goal is to sear the outside while leaving the middle raw.

To the OP, be sure to buy your steaks thick - I like ~ 2 inches. It should then be no problem to cook it black and blue in a smoking hot cast iron pan.
 

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