Cooking tips requested: Steaks (no grill)
 

So I finally got tired of a constant diet of pasta and simple ground beef/turkey and chicken. Last time I went to the grocery store, I bought myself some decent looking steaks, one New York Strip and one Filet. I know how to pick a steak and these are pretty good.

Problem is, I don't have a grill (living in an apartment) but I do have plentiful cooking resources. I'm basically looking for good ways to cook these indoors and get the most out of them. I'm sure this has been talked about before but I couldn't dig through OOT or the Lounge deep enough to find what I was looking for.

So, TLDR, I'm asking for cooking help. I'm not a total culinary noob but I'm not loaded. What have you got?

Re: Cooking tips requested: Steaks (no grill)
 

I always broil my steaks in the oven... turn the oven to "broil."

Let them thaw to room temperature for best results.

If I'm doing them quick, I just use salt, pepper and butter. Poke a bunch of holes in the meat with a fork or meat tenderizer. Lots of salt, lots of pepper on both sides, melt butter in microwave and drizzle it on both sides.

Put in oven, cook approx 2-3 mins on one side, then flip. The thicker the steaks, the longer it takes (duh).

Check frequently by cutting into one... take out of oven at desired level of done-ness.

If you have a day to prepare, you can marinate them for 12 hours or so. I like to use 12 oz. beer and 12 oz. Coca-Cola... for real. Makes the steaks very juicy and tender.

Re: Cooking tips requested: Steaks (no grill)
 

pepper, salt, garlic.
heat a cast iron pan on the stovetop put in some butter and heat until it's frothy. cook steak to desired doneness (minimize the flipping). remove steak from pan, add a little more butter. add sliced onions and sautee until soft-ish. add sliced shrooms. reseason with a bit of salt or whatever (I use maggi or lea and perrins). when shrooms are cooked, deglaze with a bit of marsala. chow down.

Re: Cooking tips requested: Steaks (no grill)
 

Lightly salt steaks on both sides and leave out to come to room temperature. Heat a cast iron skillet smoking hot. Must be cast iron. Throw some kosher salt in pan. Add steaks and cook about three minutes each side for rare. Salt in pan replaces need for oil and you will have a crusty outside second best only grilling. This is all stove top.

Re: Cooking tips requested: Steaks (no grill)
 

Alton Brown's recipe:
-----
Place 10 to 12-inch cast iron skillet in oven and heat oven to 500 degrees. Bring steak(s) to room temperature.

When oven reaches temperature, remove pan and place on range over high heat. Coat steak lightly with oil and season both sides with a generous pinch of salt. Grind on black pepper to taste.

Immediately place steak in the middle of hot, dry pan. Cook 30 seconds without moving. Turn with tongs and cook another 30 seconds, then put the pan straight into the oven for 2 minutes. Flip steak and cook for another 2 minutes. (This time is for medium rare steaks. If you prefer medium, add a minute to both of the oven turns.)

Remove steak from pan, cover loosely with foil, and rest for 2 minutes. Serve whole or slice thin and fan onto plate.
-----

Re: Cooking tips requested: Steaks (no grill)
 

[ QUOTE ]
heat a cast iron pan on the stovetop put in some butter and heat until it's frothy.

[/ QUOTE ]
I really don't recommend butter; the smoke-point is so much lower than veggie-oil. If you use canola, as in AB's recipe above, you can get the pan super duper hot, so you'll get a crust on the outside of the meat; it essentially carmelizes the outside. (Not burns. I like my meat rare, but the crust is still important. Mmm, Maillard.)

Re: Cooking tips requested: Steaks (no grill)
 

The general theme here is called "pan broiling". This method works best with rib eyes rather than a New York strip or a filet.

In the future, buy a rib eye. Cast iron works best, but you may use other frying pans if you don't own cast iron.

Put the (well seasoned) cast iron over a high heat flame. Let the pan get hot. Sprinkle a bit of salt in the pan. Place the room temperature rib eyes in the pan. The salt will help draw the fat from the rib eye. Do not add oil. Flip the rib eye after about 2 1/2 minutes and let the second side go for about 90 seconds to 2 minutes. Let the steaks rest, covered for about ten minutes before serving.

Ideally, you'll then deglaze the pan and make a nice pan sauce with mushrooms, shallots, red wine and the juice which runs off the steak. Be sure to serve this on the SIDE of the steak as you've gone to all that effort to form that beautiful crust on the outside.

I've not tried the Alton Brown recommendation of heating the pan in the oven before hand, but common sense says that may be a better option.

With the New York strip and filet you have you can begin by pan broiling, but you'll likely have to finish the steaks in the oven. I'd go about 90 seconds on the first side, 30 on the second and then finish the steaks for about five minutes in a 450 degree oven. You might brush the first side of each steak (especially the filet) with olive oil to aid with the browning.

Re: Cooking tips requested: Steaks (no grill)
 

[ QUOTE ]
The general theme here is called "pan broiling". This method works best with rib eyes rather than a New York strip or a filet.

In the future, buy a rib eye. Cast iron works best, but you may use other frying pans if you don't own cast iron.



[/ QUOTE ]

I agree. I learned through trial and error what steak works best and am totally sold on rib eye and cast iron skillets.

I love the suggestions you give. It's pretty simple and the results are so delicious. Anyone who has not tried jfk's steak and shallots should give it a go. I really love preparing my steaks this way. Just be really careful not to overcook them!

Re: Cooking tips requested: Steaks (no grill)
 

I was planning to grill rib eyes for my gf on Valentine's Day...until it snowed that day. CardSharpCook recommended that I pan sear the steaks and serve with sauteed mushrooms and blue cheese, or a beurre bleu spread. My gf doesn't like mushrooms or blue cheese, but this sounded really really good. So I did without the mushrooms and blue cheese, rubbed the steaks in olive oil, salt and pepper, and cooked them over med-high heat for about four minutes a side. Very delicious. There are quite a few recipes on epicurious.com that look good for pan searing steaks.

ScottieK

Re: Cooking tips requested: Steaks (no grill)
 

[ QUOTE ]
I'd go about 90 seconds on the first side, 30 on the second

[/ QUOTE ]
I'm surprised you cook 1/3 as long on the second side. The pan's lost a lot of heat after searing the first side (even if it's cast-iron), so I'd think you'd want it about the same length on the other side.

Re: Cooking tips requested: Steaks (no grill)
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I'd go about 90 seconds on the first side, 30 on the second

[/ QUOTE ]
I'm surprised you cook 1/3 as long on the second side. The pan's lost a lot of heat after searing the first side (even if it's cast-iron), so I'd think you'd want it about the same length on the other side.

[/ QUOTE ]

...this (these) steak(s) are being finished in the oven under this time scenario. In the oven, the second side will still be in contact with the still hot bottom side of the cast iron pan. I've found that an unbalanced stove top formula works best though I could be off with my estimates. I'm not a recipe person and I rarely do things the same way twice. Feel welcome to insert your best judgment. (Side note: I pan broil chicken similarly.)

For the shallot and mushroom set, I really like to mince the bejesus out of the shallots and something like a brown crimini mushroom. After the steaks come out, I throw in a big pat of butter, let the shallot and shrooms go and then reduce it all with port. A secret ingredient here is to add a splash of cassis (black currant) liquer. If you've serving a Cab. or bourdeaux with the steak, that tiny hint of the black currant really plays well with the wine.

Cooking tips requested: Steaks (no grill) - UPDATE
 

So I tried the strip today. Used a little bit of good olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic.

Tried it with the smoking hot pan, but decided to just finish it on the stovetop (instead of doing anything in the oven). Damn near filled the entire apartment with smoke, but the end result is one freaking delicious steak (especially considering I don't have a grill).

I think next time I'm going to do it over less than "ridiculously high" heat and finish them in the oven. The olive oil and garlic taste incredible. I'll go for the shallot/deglazing process next time too. You guys know what you're talking about, thanks!

Re: Cooking tips requested: Steaks (no grill) - UPDATE
 

The heavier the pan the better.

Cast iron pan is best.

Even better is a cast iron pan with raised grill lines.

Note that these are relatively expensive, probably $20-30 range. However, it is literally impossible to make a decent steak (or other proteins for that matter) without a heavy pan.

The main reason is you need a pan that will get hot, heat evenly, and stay hot when you put cold food on it to get the sear and caramelization which makes meat taste good.

Once you have a good cast iron pan, you can make an incredibly tasty steak very simply:

Start with a good cut. In my opinion, sirloin is the best value for what you get, but if you want something better (and more expensive) you can go for ny strip or tenderloin or what have you.

Dry the steaks with a paper towel, and then season it heavily on both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat the iron pan for a good amount of time - perhaps 5 minutes depending on the strength of your stove.

Lay the steak on the pan, and don't touch it. Don't shake the pan or move the steak around. Once it is done (about 5-8 minutes depending on thickness) turn the steak over and repeat, for another 5-8 minutes.

Once it is done, take it off the grill, and put it on a plate. Let it rest for a few minutes (this is important) and then serve.

I like my steaks rare, and find that for a 1.5" steak it takes about 6 minutes on a side.

Re: Cooking tips requested: Steaks (no grill) - UPDATE
 

[ QUOTE ]
Used a little bit of good olive oil
...
Damn near filled the entire apartment with smoke

[/ QUOTE ]
I know you liked the taste of the olive oil, but if you use a stronger oil, like canola, you won't get nearly the smoke.

Re: Cooking tips requested: Steaks (no grill) - UPDATE
 

[ QUOTE ]
like canola, you won't get nearly the smoke.

[/ QUOTE ]

I like grapeseed oil for this purpose.

Also, I'd respectfully disagree with some of geormiet's opinions. The traditional flat cast iron pan is preferable to anything rideged. While cast iron is best, I can pan broil in an old, run of the mill restaurant aluminum pan with good results.

Lastly, I've begun to salt my meat more often after cooking. While (dry, meaning oiless) pan broiling it is a good idea to sprinkle a little salt in the pan first, in general, I now prefer to add salt and pepper once the steak is out. I once spent a fair amount of time looking at various bisteca alla Fiorentina techniques and it appears that the favored method for this is to salt and oil the cuts after they've come off the grill.