Indoor Cooking Suggestions

[Plenipotentiary]

Looking for an indoor gill solution, the development doesn't allow grills on premises and the last grill i tried kept setting off smoke detectors.

Was considering one of these:

. Lodge L10SK3ASHH41B Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet with Red Silicone Hot Handle Holder, 12-Inch

. Lodge L8SGP3 Pre-Seasoned Square Grill Pan, 10.5-inchor

. MaxiMatic EGL-3450 Elite Cuisine 13-Inch Countertop Non-Stick Grill, Black

. Smokeless Indoor Stove Top BBQ Grill

Never used cast iron, from what i read, you have constantly season it after each use or it will rust/won't stick anymore and you have to use special tools to clean them properly.

Looking for something that can put grill marks on steaks and chicken without smoking up the whole place and not splattering everywhere.

Tried George Foreman grills, everyone i had the coating peeled off.

Any suggestions ?

 

[NetWareHead]

Never used the products in your third and fourth links. Basically electric grills and its up to you to determine your level of satisfaction with the food cooked on those. Personally, I am not but I like to grill outdoors frequently on a real grill.

The first and second items are cast iron. You can cook a steak on them if you keep the heat low enough but its not grilled anymore. Its stewed or boiled steak and not a substitute for grilling. The second pan is the worst IMO. I had one and in my experience, the fat from the meat melts away and falls into the valleys of that pan. There is burns and smokes like crazy. Since the meat only touches the pan on the raised ribs, there was no way I could realistically cook a full sized steak without smoking the hell out of my place.

You can't grill outside at all?

 

[smackababy]

I have never re-seasoned cast iron and I have never had one rust up on me. But, I did hand dry it after washing. I also used soap, which is apparently bad.

They aren't as high maintenance as you think. You don't need special tools to care for them either.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

in my experience cast iron = tons of smoke

maybe im doing it wrong?

 

[jaedaliu]

It's a temperature thing. If you want grill marks, it's going to be hot. and smokey.

Crank it high, get your sear in, then lower the heat for the rest of the way (I stick in oven.)

As for dealing with the smoke, you need a better hood with a better fan, or open your windows all the way.

 

[smackababy]

It's a temperature thing. If you want grill marks, it's going to be hot. and smokey.

Crank it high, get your sear in, then lower the heat for the rest of the way (I stick in oven.)

As for dealing with the smoke, you need a better hood with a better fan, or open your windows all the way.

The oven thing is pretty much your best way. Sear on the stove then broil for the remainder. Or, move somewhere you can have a grill. It is worth it, I promise. It is likely I am a bit bias, as I grill at least once a week (weather permitting).

 

[Iron Woode]

Looking for an indoor gill solution, the development doesn't allow grills on premises and the last grill i tried kept setting off smoke detectors.

Was considering one of these:

. Lodge L10SK3ASHH41B Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet with Red Silicone Hot Handle Holder, 12-Inch

. Lodge L8SGP3 Pre-Seasoned Square Grill Pan, 10.5-inchor

. MaxiMatic EGL-3450 Elite Cuisine 13-Inch Countertop Non-Stick Grill, Black

. Smokeless Indoor Stove Top BBQ Grill

Never used cast iron, from what i read, you have constantly season it after each use or it will rust/won't stick anymore and you have to use special tools to clean them properly.

Looking for something that can put grill marks on steaks and chicken without smoking up the whole place and not splattering everywhere.

Tried George Foreman grills, everyone i had the coating peeled off.

Any suggestions ?

there is one more option not listed:

broiler

your oven's broiler does a great job of grilling if you know what you are doing.

I also have a Tfal electric grill I use from time to time. It comes with a griddle for pancakes and eggs.

 

[Plenipotentiary]

You can't grill outside at all?

Nope. No place to do that in an apartment complex.

in my experience cast iron = tons of smoke

maybe im doing it wrong?

That's what I'm hearing as well sir.

 

[NetWareHead]

That's what I'm hearing as well sir.

IMO, the benefit of cast iron is the ability to heat and hold a high heat to produce a good sear on food. You can substitute a hot cast iron pan for a grill with some differences when cooking steak. Of course, this will produce lots of smoke (just like a grill) and not always suited to indoor cooking.

IMO if you cant live with the smoke indoors and have no effective means to exhaust it, then dont bother with cast iron. If you cant cook hot, then dont bother at all. Someone else mentioned a broiler which makes a decent steak.

I lived in an apartment complex that forbade outdoor grills on the patios. I bought a portable propane grill and grilled in the parking lot next to my car.

 

[smackababy]

I bought a portable propane grill and grilled in the parking lot next to my car.

The struggle is real!

 

[Howard]

Sous vide plus Searzall

 

[Kaido]

How good is your ventilation system?

A George Foreman (or similar design) is pretty good for an apartment, especially if you can stick it on top of the stove where it can steam upwards into your vent.

 

[Kaido]

Sous vide plus Searzall

Searzall should be shipping this month, yeah?

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I suggest you cheat.

A nice turkey fryer/stove.

I like this one as it has a high heat output and a large, sturdy base. Then you need a great big cast iron skillet and you are all set.

By coincidence I used this setup last night. I opened my garage doors and put my 15" cast iron skillet on the fryer and made 5-6# of sliced tri-tip into steak subs in one batch along with fried onions and peppers.

I think a 17" would work as well, but that would be really heavier and larger than I need, although it gives more surface area.

 

[Kaido]

I suggest you cheat.

A nice turkey fryer/stove.

I like this one as it has a high heat output and a large, sturdy base. Then you need a great big cast iron skillet and you are all set.

By coincidence I used this setup last night. I opened my garage doors and put my 15" cast iron skillet on the fryer and made 5-6# of sliced tri-tip into steak subs in one batch along with fried onions and peppers.

I think a 17" would work as well, but that would be really heavier and larger than I need, although it gives more surface area.

I have a round Bayou burner specifically for cooking smash burgers in my cast-iron skillet. Indispensable due to the high heat. I think I know what I want for dinner now :biggrin:

 

[smackababy]

I suggest you cheat.

A nice turkey fryer/stove.

I like this one as it has a high heat output and a large, sturdy base. Then you need a great big cast iron skillet and you are all set.

By coincidence I used this setup last night. I opened my garage doors and put my 15" cast iron skillet on the fryer and made 5-6# of sliced tri-tip into steak subs in one batch along with fried onions and peppers.

I think a 17" would work as well, but that would be really heavier and larger than I need, although it gives more surface area.

I've debated buying one of those quite a few times. Even if I just use it for the powerful burners.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I've debated buying one of those quite a few times. Even if I just use it for the powerful burners.

The one I actually own has a round top and my 14" wok sits on it well enough, although I need one a couple inches larger without wooden handles. They tend to char a bit as you might imagine, but for stir fry or deep fry it's hard to beat. Heating water to cook corn takes little time, and as you can imagine it saves quite a lot of clean up in the kitchen. I've used it a fair bit for just about everything except frying a turkey.

 

[DrPizza]

I suggest you cheat.

A nice turkey fryer/stove.

I like this one as it has a high heat output and a large, sturdy base. Then you need a great big cast iron skillet and you are all set.

By coincidence I used this setup last night. I opened my garage doors and put my 15" cast iron skillet on the fryer and made 5-6# of sliced tri-tip into steak subs in one batch along with fried onions and peppers.

I think a 17" would work as well, but that would be really heavier and larger than I need, although it gives more surface area.

Absolutely brilliant!

OP: search these forums for Alton Brown, steak, and cast iron - there are dozens of threads. Many steak enthusiasts have switched over to cooking steaks that way. (My grill hasn't seen a steak in years; and guests/wife frequently request that I cook steak.)

Basically:
Steaks should be out already, approaching room temperature. Fridge to cooking = fail. Season with fresh ground pepper & kosher salt. Table salt = fail.
Oven as high as it will go (500 or 550), and leave the cast iron pan in the oven while it preheats. Put the cast iron pan on the highest burner & leave it to get hotter for a few minutes. Slap your rib eye, NY Strip, or good chunk of meat on the cast iron. It *will* smoke at this point. Some people very lightly rub the steak with a high smoke temperature oil (peanut, safflower; never olive as it smokes at too low of a temperature) to help get good contact for the initial sear. I've stopped bothering with the oil to help reduce the smoke somewhat. After a minute to 90 seconds on one side (depending on thickness), flip the steak for another minute to 90 seconds. Since I don't use oil, at this point, I flip the steak again; less time on the first side, more time on the second side. Toss it in the oven for 4 minutes. When it comes out, transfer it to a plate & let it rest for a few minutes.

Search youtube - the Alton Brown video is there. I have yet to make a not-close to perfect steak, and now have multiple cast iron pans so I can do 4 steaks at once.


Nice addition: I microwave a couple of potatoes for just a couple of minutes to get them started, then transfer the potatoes to the oven while it's preheating. (No wrapping the potatoes in foil - that steams them, not bakes them) When you take the steaks out to rest, quickly slice the baked potatoes in half, dip them into the drippings from the steak, and put them back into the oven for just a couple more minutes. OMG! Yum. Or, sometimes, I'll thinly slice mushrooms, and while the steaks are resting, toss the mushrooms into the oils from the steak in the hot cast iron, and quickly stir fry the mushrooms. Then pour mushrooms over the steak when serving. Yum! And, maybe mix a little red wine glaze into the mushrooms while stir frying.

edit: and using Hayabusa's idea for an outdoor burner will eliminate 90% of the smoke from the kitchen during the stovetop phase of the cooking.

(that's not cheese on the baked potatoes - that's a result of dipping into the grease and rebaking for just a couple minutes)