Speaking of steak, you gotta try this...

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Crucial

Originally posted by: edprush
spidey07, what method/thermometer do you recommend to check the meat tempurature?

Also, do you have a cast iron skillet brand you recommend? I was going to buy a Martha Stewart cast iron skillet I saw at Kmart but the pan had concentric circles on the pan face...looked like a nightmare to clean.

Btw, I don't understand why we would need to heat the pan to 500/550 degrees then put it on a hot burner...seems kinda redundant.

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=11720307&RN=210

http://www.lodgemfg.com/

The lodge pans can be found at any Wal-Mart.

Putting the pan in the oven gets it rocket hot which is needed to get the nice crust on the outside of the steak. Putting it on the burner on high keeps the pan hot after putting the steak on it. Then when it goes back in the oven the pan doesn't have to heat up again and the steak cooks faster. I suppose you could just heat it up on the burner but you are heating the oven up anyway why waste more gas/heat energy.

exactly.

Its that whole specific heat thing. By putting in the oven for a good amout of time the ENTIRE PAN should be at 500+ degrees, hence it won't lose much heat when the steak is put on it. And really the whole point of my post - that the cast iron holds the heat so well and works great for this vs a regular skillet.

Keeping the heat on the burner does nothing but help. Throwing the meat on the skillet will drop the pans temp much more than air ever would, best to do all you can to lower that drop.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: yankeesfan
How important is room temperature for the steak? (In preparation)
Can I just use it right out of the fridge?
What can I use to warm it?

Its not super important, just helps any meat you are cooking to be at room temp for even cooking/roasting (with it becoming MORE important as the size of the roast increases...think sticking a turkey straight from the fridge and roasting it...not good. Being at room temp or close lets you get a very small grey edge on the meat (1/4 inch or less) while the rest is perfectly medium rare.

Same for roasts/steaks no matter how you cook them IMHO.

 

[kinev]

Not gonna read the whole thread, but give Alton Brown credit where credit is due.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: kinev
Not gonna read the whole thread, but give Alton Brown credit where credit is due.

I'm afraid this is WAY before alton was born.

 

[GeneValgene]

Originally posted by: spidey07
Not trying to brag, but I've grilled steaks for company and they literally melt, no knife needed. This is my humbling...

I've also broiled steaks and they were pretty dang good. Also done the "heat oven to 500/550, place pan in oven for 20 minutes, take out and sear steak for 30-45 seconds per side and slap it into the oven" method.

I know of the mystical taste and power for the castiron skillet, that's where my bacon and eggs go. But it wasn't until I cooked a fine cut of beef with it until I was convinced.

Best steak ever, easily rivaled the best 25+ dollar steaks (ala carte) I've had.

I've done it plenty of times before but never with my prized cast iron skillet as I feared I would ruin the seasoning.

I'm a pretty darn good cook and can cook a steak no matter what the mehod/cut is to no matter what your taste. But for fine cuts I may not use my covetted grill again.....it's that strong.

Put it this way - if you like meat...get a cast iron skillet, pre-heat oven to 550 and put skillet in for about 20 minutes. Season meat as usual (salt/pepper and at room temperature), touch meat with some butter/oil and over high heat put 1.75-2.25" filet on hot pan. 60 seconds, flip, 30 seconds throw it into the oven.

It'll be done in about 7 minutes depending on thickness. Best to check with a thermometer as the temp will rise VERY quickly. Take out at 125-130 degrees at center.

So freakin' good. I've been a "grill only" man for a long time, but something about the cast iron cooks the meat to perfection.

gonna try this tonight

 

[cessna152]

A good seasoned cast iron skillet + Wok is one of the things my family constantly hands down. I personally hate those non-stick pans. There is nothing like a good HEAVY cast iron pan to cook with. The skillet and pan my dad has is well over 20 years old.

 

[Rudee]

I quit cooking steaks like this because I was tired of the smoke all over the house when cooking steaks this method.

 

[swimscubasteve]

Originally posted by: yankeesfan
How important is room temperature for the steak? (In preparation)
Can I just use it right out of the fridge?
What can I use to warm it?

Steaks turn out MUCH better when they come to room temp before cooking. The main reason is that the steaks brown much better when they are at room temp. An easy way to take off the chill is to put the steaks on aluminium (baking sheet, griddle, etc...).

 

[screw3d]

okay here i go..

WHERE ARE THE EFFING PICS!?@?! :|:|:|





I only use cast iron for my ribeyes too!

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Rudee
I quit cooking steaks like this because I was tired of the smoke all over the house when cooking steaks this method.

I have maybe made 200 steakes with my cast iron. NOT once have i had smoke all over the house.

 

[Titan]

I had a Longhorn at Longhorn last night. Damn good, 21 bucks. My friends say it was the best they ever had. I had two that were better. One was gourmet chef rich people sirloin steak. Those chefs make food incredible, without having to increase portion sizes the typical american way.

Best I ever had was living in the woods with my dad for a bit. He cooked it right on the campfire. And I'm not talking over a grill. I mean on the coals. Let the fire die down, have a good seasoned log like hemlock or apple, and build up a good base of red hot coals. That was incredibly juicy and tender. Brush off a little ash, and you have the delight of our caveman ancestors.

 

[Phlargo]

For me, when there's no barbeque around, the grill pan is the ultimate method for preparing steaks - get it damn hot (as hot as your stovetop will manage). Slap it on and sear it for 30 seconds/side. then, depending on thickness, cook each side for 2 minutes and flip. I did it with a wonderful medium-thick Choice New York Strip steak last night and it was phenomenal. took 2 flips per side, so about 9 minutes total for a perfect medium rare.

Note: Don't season a side until it has been seared - it helps keep it juicy inside as salt will help draw out the juices.

 

[Apex]

Just tried it. Works very well.

I wouldn't suggest this method for filet (which, IMHO, because of its more subtle flavor, is a bbq only meat), but it's great for something bold like ribeye.

A good side to go with it: Portobello muchrooms, grilled with olive oil, butter, and roasted garlic.

 

[moshquerade]

too bad, she said she doesn't want you here when she gets back because you've been ruining everybody's lives and eating all our steak.

 

[GeneValgene]

Originally posted by: moshquerade
too bad, she said she doesn't want you here when she gets back because you've been ruining everybody's lives and eating all our steak.

LOL

 

[GeneValgene]

wow...i used your method last night for my girlfriend, and she was mighty impressed. it was darn tasty. i wish i had taken a pic of it cut open, but i forgot. here's a pic my girlfriend took:

ribeye using cast iron skillet

thanks spidey07!!

 

[Linux23]

only barbarians eat steak.

 

[Apex]

Originally posted by: Linux23
only barbarians eat steak.

w00t! I'm a barbarian!

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: Linux23
only barbarians eat steak.

w00t! I'm a barbarian!

Conan

 

[jadinolf]

That is the way I like it but it makes such a mess splattering all over the stove.

 

[Vic]

This deserves another bump. After being a grill snob forever, I've been cooking steaks on the stovetop this way all winter (will go back to the grill and charcoal when warmer weather rolls around). Damn good! Only drawback I've noticed is that it makes the house a bit smokey

thanks spidey07!!

Link to Alton Brown/Good Eats recipe -- this is perfect IMO.

 

[GoingUp]

Originally posted by: drinkmorejava
"Take out at 125-130 degrees at center." is that in F, cause how on earth could that be safe.

Yea, thats like warm water

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: GeneValgene
wow...i used your method last night for my girlfriend, and she was mighty impressed. it was darn tasty. i wish i had taken a pic of it cut open, but i forgot. here's a pic my girlfriend took:

ribeye using cast iron skillet

thanks spidey07!!

good deal. looks yummy. I'm still a filet or ribeye guy myself. although it works on any decent cut.

for those that have spattering - lay off the oil. you just want a very light coat. Or put a grease screen over it. Heck I guess you could probably do it without but I don't know if it would brown/crust up as well.

 

[ultravox]

This whole post was mouth-watering but GeneValgene you're picture took the cake. I didn't see any french bread though ...tsk tsk.

 

[Alchemist99]

marked for later