Cooking Steak with Simple Implements

[Ludeykrus]

VKK, I just don't understand why one would sear then put in the oven if one eats anything less than a medium-cooked steak.

I've cooked some damn fine steaks on my cast iron just on the range, no oven. Then again, I couldn't see six inches in front of me until three days later when the smoke finally cleared.

 

[Leonard Leroy]

I love making steak. I make a 4 dollar steak taste like 30 bucks.

I heat up a frying pan to searing temps, and pre heat to oven to like 350-400.

I open the meat, letting it sit for a bit, so its not wet, so it sears instead of steams. Salt, pepper, and I like basil on both sides. I sear by eye. I sear it until both sides are pretty much a crust. Then I throw the frying pan with the steak into the oven, throw some butter over on both sides. I let the first side melt, turn it over, throw butter on that side, let it melt, take it out, then I let it sit.

Then I eat it, with a little worcestershire sauce on the side. Dip a bit every 3 pieces I eat or so

This gives me my preferred medium rare. I haven't really handled really nice pieces of meat however. The few times I have, there's definitely more searing, and less oven time. I keep it rare. I just want to make use the fat is still crusted, but soft on the inside, so much so that it melts on your tongue. mmmm...

Steak needs fat though.

 

[VKK3450]

Originally Posted by gdl203

You don't have to keep the meat on the skillet/pan. On the contrary, take it off the pan and let it rest for 5+ min under foil, then put on a tray in the oven and use the pan to deglaze and make a simple sauce. It looks cool to transfer the pan directly from top to oven but IMO far from optimal. For a big steak, I'd do a couple of minutes on each side in the pan, 5 min rest, then 6 minutes in oven (for medium rare) +/- 2 min for very rare or well done

Damn, I liked the idea of throwing the whole skillet in the oven.

That raises another question. If a well seasoned cast iron is pretty much non stick, does it produce enough fond deglaze and make a sauce?

Originally Posted by Ludeykrus

VKK, I just don't understand why one would sear then put in the oven if one eats anything less than a medium-cooked steak.

I've cooked some damn fine steaks on my cast iron just on the range, no oven. Then again, I couldn't see six inches in front of me until three days later when the smoke finally cleared.

I generally do medium rare, and am used to cooking them only on the stove.

Recently though I have been trying thicker cuts from my butcher (~2-2.5"), and there is no way I can let a steak like that sear for long enough to cook to a med rare. First is the excessive smoke. Second, the outer crust starts to turn to a char by that point.

K

 

[Tarmac]

Originally Posted by Ludeykrus

VKK, I just don't understand why one would sear then put in the oven if one eats anything less than a medium-cooked steak. I've cooked some damn fine steaks on my cast iron just on the range, no oven. Then again, I couldn't see six inches in front of me until three days later when the smoke finally cleared.
Yeah I find I don't need the oven to finish either. Everything in the pan. Sometimes I even use a portable gas range on my patio, with a pan, just to avoid smoking up the apartment. Then again I'm not cooking 2 inch steaks. my max is about 1.5". Regarding deglazing, I am a firm believer that nonstick produces *nearly* the same amount of fond as a metal pan. Many people, maybe even most, will disagree. IMHO there is also a benefit of nonstick, the fond tends to stick to the meat, adding more crust.

 

[gdl203]

It's just better when you roast it in the oven as well. No idea why but that's a strong preference for me

 

[thekunk07]

leonard has spoken many times of making a pretty woman out of a cheap whore of a steak. i believe him.

Originally Posted by Leonard Leroy

I love making steak. I make a 4 dollar steak taste like 30 bucks.

I heat up a frying pan to searing temps, and pre heat to oven to like 350-400.

I open the meat, letting it sit for a bit, so its not wet, so it sears instead of steams. Salt, pepper, and I like basil on both sides. I sear by eye. I sear it until both sides are pretty much a crust. Then I throw the frying pan with the steak into the oven, throw some butter over on both sides. I let the first side melt, turn it over, throw butter on that side, let it melt, take it out, then I let it sit.

Then I eat it, with a little worcestershire sauce on the side. Dip a bit every 3 pieces I eat or so

This gives me my preferred medium rare. I haven't really handled really nice pieces of meat however. The few times I have, there's definitely more searing, and less oven time. I keep it rare. I just want to make use the fat is still crusted, but soft on the inside, so much so that it melts on your tongue. mmmm...

Steak needs fat though.

 

[dirk diggler]

Originally Posted by thekunk07

leonard has spoken many times of making a pretty woman out of a cheap whore of a steak. i believe him.

In the wise words of Too Short, "You can't turn a ho into a housewife."

 

[Leonard Leroy]

You can make her look like one though. Up until you finally have her. Old pic, but 3 dollar chuck steak

 

[thekunk07]

let's have a $7 burger at Johnny's next week.

 

[Leonard Leroy]

Yo, I could do that.

 

[Tarmac]

Chuck? isnt it too tough or jerky? I vaguely recall buying a chuck steak in college because it was bright red, and I couldn't eat it.

 

[Bhowie]

I've now cooked steaks 2 nights in a row, anyone else?

 

[Manton]

I made a prime rib steak tonight, slow cooked in a pan.

 

[kwilkinson]

Originally Posted by Manton

I made a prime rib steak tonight, slow cooked in a pan.

Same here. With chanterelle/red wine/ glace de viande sauce.

 

[Tarmac]

"PRIME RIB IS NOT STEAK!"