Steak Thread!

[TangoJuliet]

Yes, another one! I got a cast iron skillet as an early xmas gift and went out to the butcher shop and get myself a steak to cook tonight. This is the first time that I am cooking a steak in a skillet and wanted to try it out.

The steak is a porthouse cut roughly 2" thick and weighs 2 lbs. How long should I cook it on each side for medium? I'm thinking 3 minutes each side should do. I don't own a meat thermometer so I'm just going to go by the meat's texture.

 

[techs]

This is a thread I can really sink my teeth into.

 

[JulesMaximus]

3 minutes for medium on a 2" thick cut of meat? More like rare.

 

[mcurphy]

Alton Brown, works every time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MxZWsMzTss

 

[sixone]

The best way to check for doneness is to poke a steak with your finger. A rare steak is soft and squishy; a medium rare steak is yielding; medium is gently yielding; medium-well is firm; and well-done is hard and springy.

http://lifehacker.com/5571192/seven-myths-about-grilling-a-steak

 

[Baked]

Alton Brown, works every time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MxZWsMzTss

AB FTMFW! 2" thick would take more than 3 min each side. I do 3 min each side for 1.5".

Ps. Don't put A1 sauce on that meat unless you wanna ruin it.

 

[waggy]

wtf. a 2 inch 2lb steak? lol

like baked said 3 min each side.

 

[DesiPower]

Medium Well, no pink here

 

[MixMasterTang]

I think it all depends on how hot you can get your oven. 3 minutes a side would be okay if you're 800+ degree's, but at 550-600 if you want medium you'll want more like 4 to 4:30 a side.

 

[TangoJuliet]

Ps. Don't put A1 sauce on that meat unless you wanna ruin it.

Nope, just a little salt and pepper on it before it goes to the fire.

 

[TangoJuliet]

I think it all depends on how hot you can get your oven. 3 minutes a side would be okay if you're 800+ degree's, but at 550-600 if you want medium you'll want more like 4 to 4:30 a side.

Yeah thats what I was trying to get at. I'm guessing the pan is probably going to get up to 600. I'll do 4 and see what the texture is like. I just don't want to be flipping the thing since this is my first time.

 

[NetWareHead]

How new is this skillet? I personally wouldn't cook something as "valuable" as a 2 pound steak on it just yet. It needs some cooking time to build up a reasonable seasoning so it won't stick. I don't care if the pan comes pre-seasoned. That's a coating applied from the factory for rust prevention. Its not a good enough coating that food won't stick. I had a few months of cooking on my pan before it started getting non stick enough where I felt comfortable.

If you are going to cook on the pan, make sure it is HOTTT as hell and use a little more oil than needed, both these factors will help the steak not stick. You will get alot of smoke though

 

[TangoJuliet]

How new is this skillet? I personally wouldn't cook something as "valuable" as a 2 pound steak on it just yet. It needs some cooking time to build up a reasonable seasoning so it won't stick. I don't care if the pan comes pre-seasoned. That's a coating applied from the factory for rust prevention. Its not a good enough coating that food won't stick. I had a few months of cooking on my pan before it started getting non stick enough where I felt comfortable.

If you are going to cook on the pan, make sure it is HOTTT as hell and use a little more oil than needed, both these factors will help the steak not stick. You will get alot of smoke though

The skillet is brand new. This is kind of a test run for later on when I cook for more people. And yes, the 2 lbs is all for me....go big or go home, right??

 

[ElFenix]

How new is this skillet? I personally wouldn't cook something as "valuable" as a 2 pound steak on it just yet. It needs some cooking time to build up a reasonable seasoning so it won't stick. I don't care if the pan comes pre-seasoned. That's a coating applied from the factory for rust prevention. Its not a good enough coating that food won't stick. I had a few months of cooking on my pan before it started getting non stick enough where I felt comfortable.

If you are going to cook on the pan, make sure it is HOTTT as hell and use a little more oil than needed, both these factors will help the steak not stick. You will get alot of smoke though

you should make bacon in the pan immediately. and then take the bacon out, leave the bacon fat in, and stick the pan in the oven at 300 or so to let the bacon fat really cure into the pan.

 

[effowe]

Alton Brown method, oven cranked to 500 with the cast iron in there as it heats up. You'll only know if its done by the touch.

 

[Ns1]

you should make bacon in the pan immediately. and then take the bacon out, leave the bacon fat in, and stick the pan in the oven at 300 or so to let the bacon fat really cure into the pan.

interesting...is there an ATOT cast iron thread? There should be one if not...

 

[Rudee]

The steak in the cast iron skillet method, although tasty, it absolutely nasty when it comes to having plumes of smoke throughout your house. We stopped using this method as we couldn't handle all the smoke in the house.

 

[ElFenix]

interesting...is there an ATOT cast iron thread? There should be one if not...

this lady suggests 200 instead of 300:

http://www.southernplate.com/2009/02/how-to-season-a-cast-iron-skillet.html

and she uses lard but with lard you don't end up with delicious bacon.

 

[Baked]

you should make bacon in the pan immediately. and then take the bacon out, leave the bacon fat in, and stick the pan in the oven at 300 or so to let the bacon fat really cure into the pan.

I'm gonna go home and do this today. That's a great idea! Everything's gonna taste like bacon now. Sweet.

The steak in the cast iron skillet method, although tasty, it absolutely nasty when it comes to having plumes of smoke throughout your house. We stopped using this method as we couldn't handle all the smoke in the house.

That's why you only use the range for searing the two sides and pop it in the oven for the cooking! Use high temperature oil as well. I use Safflower oil.

 

[ponyo]

The steak in the cast iron skillet method, although tasty, it absolutely nasty when it comes to having plumes of smoke throughout your house. We stopped using this method as we couldn't handle all the smoke in the house.

This. I'll do it it's cold and raining outside and I'm craving steak but otherwise, I'm going to fire up my gas grill and cook it outside.

And 3-4 minutes per side is too short on steak that thick. Enjoy your rare steak.

 

[blackdogdeek]

Are we allowed to discuss steak in general in this thread or just answer the OP's question?

I hope it's the former because I want to talk about this 1 lb., 1.25 in. boneless ribeye I made last week. 5 minutes on each side on the grill on highest heat with the cover open (mostly).

It was SPECTACULAR!

 

[dawheat]

While I'm a fan of the classic AB/hot heat method of cooking a steak on a cast iron pan, for apartment dwellers or non-smoke loving folk, I've had a lot of success with the butter method outlined:

http://forums.egullet.org/topic/119838-the-best-way-to-cook-a-thick-steak/

The crust really is spectacular and with the med-low heat, smoking is to a minimum.

 

[DrPizza]

The steak in the cast iron skillet method, although tasty, it absolutely nasty when it comes to having plumes of smoke throughout your house. We stopped using this method as we couldn't handle all the smoke in the house.

You're using the wrong type of oil and/or too much oil. Use an oil with a higher smoke point. If you're using something like olive oil, you're going to get much more smoke.

 

[artvscommerce]

Here's my method. Everyone i've made it for said it was the best steak they've ever had, regardless of what quality meat I use.

-Use a thick cut, I prefer ribeye. Cover steak in coarse sea salt. Let sit for 30-40 minutes.
-Rinse of all of the salt under running water. Make sure no salt is left on the meat.
-Dry the meat as much as possible with paper towel
-Heat up a mixture of butter and oil on a skillet at the hottest setting (probably different if you're using gas)
-Sear the steak for 2 minutes on each side to create a nice crust to help lock the juices in.
-bake @ 300-350 until desired.

In my experience, this method creates the most tender meat imaginable while keeping a perfect consistency all the way through. I like my steak medium rare and with this method I don't get the over cooked outter layer I'm used to when I order out.

 

[Number1]

Steak.

You want to talk steak?

Let's talk STEAK!!

You don't know STEAK until you had one of THOSE:

Click for the full glorious picture.


/thread.