Help me cook a steak

[Dik2]

I sear the steak all over using a propane torch, then broil in toaster oven. Works great!

[Racer X]

couldn't you just marinate in Sterno, then light it on fire a cookie sheet, and eat it when the flames burn out?

[Mac-A-Matic]

When I was young, my father used the broil feature exclusively.

I love steak. I can't get enough. The grill can be great but it's cold so why bother? Not when you can use great technique in the house.

If you have a seasoned cast iron skillet, that works best. But if not, then an aluminum or stainless (or calphalon) pan will do. Just don't use a coated non-stick. And make sure the pan is "oven proof" meaning no handles that will catch fire or melt in the oven.

Before you begin, pre-heat your over to 450-500 degrees F. This is important.

Next, how thick is the steak? Inch? Half inch? Inch and a half? Two inches? This matters because it determines the cooking time.

Personally speaking, I prefer one of two steaks: a nice marbled ribeye (1.0 - 1.5 inches thick) or the onglet (hanger steak) that I order from my butcher (cut out the center seam, butterfly the two portions, pound with a mallet to even out the thickness, cut them in half to make four steaks). The thickness of the butterflied and pounded onglet is under an inch.

I'll give you the variations on the two for posterity.

For the RibEye:
Take the steak and season as you wish. Sometimes I use Montreal Seasoning (very nice) or I'll just do a very simple coarse salt and freshly ground pepper treatment (sometimes I'll put garlic, sometimes I'll add lemon juice). Rub all that into the meat and let it sit for a couple minutes while you heat the pan.

Heat up your cast iron skillet until it's hot. Not to the point where it turns gray, but hot enough that the butter melts very rapidly. But not so rapidly that it's hopping in the pan. If it hops, pull it off the burner and let it cool as the butter melts. I don't recommend the heating til the pan is gray thing because its' too easy for you to lose control of the temperature once the butter is added and, suddenly, the melted butter ignites and all hell breaks loose.

Once the butter is melted (about a tablespoon or two - depending on how big the cut), lay the steak in the pan. It should sizzle and sound a bit angry, like it's frying. Do not touch the steak for about five minutes or until the meat has carmelized and crusted.

Once the first side has crusted over (not burned, it should be rich brown and not black), turn it over on the fresh side and start again for another five minutes or until that side reaches the same coloration.

Once you've achieved a brilliant crust, grab the whole pan and shove it into the 450F oven. For an inch to inch and a half steak, leave in the oven for ten minutes. Once ten minutes have passed, pull the pan out of the oven and plate the steak. Allow the steak to sit for five minutes before serving to allow it gather its' muster.

For a thinner steak, like the onglet, the method is the same. However, instead of turning the steak over and crusting the second side before putting into the oven, turn the steak over and go immediately into the oven for ten minutes.

This should result in a steak that's cooked "medium" with a nice pick interior. Want it medium well? Leave it for twelve minutes. Want it "well done" - well, that's at your risk.

If you want to create a sauce, take the pan and "deglaze" with red wine. "Deglazing" means to use a liquid (the wine) to soften up the hardened bits and remove them from the sides (and bottom) of the pan. Pour a bit of red wine into the pan, stir until the bits and carmelized stuff comes loose and turn up the heat til it boils. Let it boil until the liquid is reduced by half (called "reduction" in kitchen parlance) then pour over the steak or set in a cup to serve.

If you want onions or mushrooms, you can also add those while reducing the sauce to "marry" the flavors.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

[papercup]

Very nice, Mac-A-Matic. Thanks for that synopsis.