This is how chefs cook a steak.
It takes the stovetop burner on high and the oven set to moderate heat, and a sturdy pan.
Have the steaks at room temperature.
Salt and pepper them if you like. Set the steaks into the pan without any oil and sear on one side, rocket hot for about one and half minutes. It will smoke up the place dramatically. You can see the cooked portion creep up the side as it sears violently. Flip it when the cooked portion reaches 1/4 the way through.
Cook the second side even less. Way less. Merely start to sear it. Because the pan is still very hot, and set it into the oven to finish.
For only a few minutes, say, two minutes. It's still sizzling inside the oven.
Bring out the pan and cover with a lid or with aluminum foil for a mere few minutes more to rest with no heat and, boom, you're eating your steak.
This is what chefs do in restaurants.
18 comments:
I was boggled because our prep knives and steak knives are the same but the steak knives wouldn't keep for a single meal while the prep knives last and last. Then the penny dropped. Aha! Our prep work is done on these plastic cutting boards while we eat off of FiestaWare. The resharpening is still a pain in the ass but it's a comfort to identify the problem, like when the doctor diagnoses you with a horrible, incurable, fatal disease. Gee, thanks doc! Not knowing was driving me batty! Have a great day!
Chip, The key to cooking a steak properly is early in your good post. It must be room temp before cooking. People get so fucking paranoid about bacteria. The meat can sit out for an hour w/ no problem.
And that photo is just how I like my steak..medium rare. There's a great scene in the flick, Hell or High Water, which I give 4 stars. Jeff Bridges is a Texas Ranger. He and his partner are in a small town restaurant. The crusty old waitress goes through the very limited menu[they have steak] and lets them know they will have it medium rare.
There are a few different theories on how to cook the perfect steak.
Here's another:
Best steak of your life. -- 3 minutes that will change your life.
Overall Steps:
1. Encrust steak with salt and pepper crust.
2. Preheat oven to 275 degrees
3. Place steak into oven.
4. Pull steak out of oven when internal temperature reaches 125 degrees (45 mins to 1 hour).
5. Let steak rest for about 15 minutes. Carry over cooking will just touch 135 degrees.
6. Put hard sear on steak in a hot cast iron pan on each side for a minute.
Hell or High Water droops a bit in the middle, but too many stakes will do that to you
When I cook steaks indoors, there are two methods I use.
The first is as Chip described above: Seared in a cast irin skillit, then into a 500 degree oven in the same pan. Then served on a metal platter that has alos been in the oven, and has a glob of butter added wen the steak is placed on the platter. The butter burns, adding flavor.
The second is broiled in the hottest temperature possible in a rack. Turn once. Serve on a hot platter as above, pour the drippings from the steak back over it before serving.
Otherwise, I cook steak outdoors over real charcoal (not the briquettes stuff), or sometimes over real burning wood that has a very hot flame.
That looks delicious!!!
Rare to medium rare...more on the rare side please. We salt (kosher salt) and cracked pepper our steaks, sometimes add some Lawry's Seasoned salt and garlic powder. Rub it in and let them sit until room temperature. Spinelli and Chip are right on. ROOM temperature not cold meat.
If we are grilling outside we make put some olive oil on the steaks and barely cook 2 to 3 minutes a side, depending on how thick. Then do the resting in foil trick to keep all those juices inside the meat. Dumbplumber is a master at sensing when the steaks are just right.
Inside we do basically what Chip said, using a very old cast iron skillet that I was given to me by my mother when I moved out to college (1969) that belonged to HER mother. Probably a 100 year old pan by now but seasoned to perfection. The pan is also perfect for making Potatoes Anna.
Here is a steak, actually more like a roast, that we love to have when we want prime rib but don't want to buy a big hunk of meat for just the two of us. Rib eye steak (roast) cut 3 inches thick. Roasted a head of garlic and grind in a mortar to a paste of garlic, olive oil, parmesan cheese (maybe 1/3 cup) and some sea salt. (sorry no amounts I just wing it according to how much garlic). Season roast with salt and pepper, room temp...yada yada. Pre heat oven to 325. Sear the roast in the cast iron pan, I use a small dutch oven because it is sometimes too thick for the regular skillet. Smear the paste all over one side of the roast. Cover tightly in foil. Cook at 325 for 20 min or maybe more if you like more well done. I'd rather UNDER cook than over cook. Use a meat thermometer if you are unsure.
Yum. Prime rib for two. AND left overs too.
I think I will sit this one out.
@ Evi
You could maybe contribute some vegetarian side dish recipes?
I generally use the Michael Haz method in my oven.
I can't sear correctly because the smoke alarm goes off and disrupts the neighborhood.
Chip's cruel! My mouth's watering something terrible.
As far as dishes I almost always serve aspargus in garlic and oil covered in pecorino romano cheese and a salad with red onion, black olives, feta cheese and some diced fennel. With lemon water.
My new favorite meal.
I went two weeks eating a rib eye grilled every night. Sorry Evi.
I can't blame you Troop. We are cursed with being delicious.
You can't go wrong with asparagus unless you screw it up when cooking it.
Wild mushrooms are also very well paired with this meal. Porcini or chanterelles sautéed in butter would be very good.
You can go with a little olive oil if butter does not work for you.
I love a little porcini sautéed in olive oil with a little fresh chopped parsley and melted blue cheese. Good stuff.
Chef's do this as a matter of speed, not as a matter of quality cooking.
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