Lots of ways historically on how to cook a steak. Here in the U.S. everything from on a stick over an open fire to pan cooking a steak to broiling or grilling steaks to baking a steak in the oven is practiced regularly. The heat is over or below or like roasting, indirect or all around.
Just so you pay attention to the basics of how to cook a steak.
Style and thickness of steak
Preparation of steak
Pre-heating what you're going to cook your steak on
Tenderizing or seasoning with a steak marinade recipe or steak rub
Searing the steak Keeping the juices in (don't fork it up-use tongs)
Get the right doneness
Let it rest 5 minutes to let the juices spread back throughout the steak
Dig in
It really doesn't matter whether it is an oven broiler, gas or charcoal grill, flat grill or fry pan (cast iron of course) that you use to cook a steak. Broiling steak - the heat comes from above, grilling steak or frying steak the heat comes from below, and baking a steak comes from above and below.
It is good to have a way to cover or lid your cooking vessel. You have a cover on your gas grill, a lid for your cast iron skillet, and you can close the oven door on your oven when you are broiling your steaks. It is all to keep the heat in and cooking your steak. So, end of lecture for the purists. Let us get down to it.
Our big Labor Day end-of-summer bash had arrived and were planning on a wine and steak theme. Chuck the local butcher had a deal on some ribeyes so I had him cut several nicely marbled 1 1/2 inch thick steaks.
Here in Florida, weather is a crap shoot. As the arrival hour approached we got an old fashioned deluge with accompanying lightning, wind, and thunder that was not going to stop. Since I am not an umbrella cook and the grill is open to the sky, it is inside we go for the feast.
I decided to use both because of different desires of doneness requested. I just have a GE electric oven glasstop but the broiler works just fine. I'll need extra preheating time for the cast iron fry pan I use because it takes close to FOREVER for it to get hot enough.
Remove the steaks from the refrig early enough so they are room temperature when you cook them. NY Strips are well marbled so flavor is not an issue
I have found a nice spices shop locally and they make a nice Tuscan rub that everyone seems to like so after rubbing some peanut oil on the steaks I used the spices and let sit.
So, we have seasoned steaks at room temperature, a cast iron fry pan smoking away and two glasses of cabernet under our belt so it is time to cook our steaks.
I place the steaks in the very hot skillet, cover with the lid and wait 2 minutes. I uncover the steaks, spin them all 45 degree and cover again. Cook for another 3 minutes, open up, turn over with your tongs, see the nice design and recover.I get a nice grill design on the steaks with the pan and that makes everyone happy. After another 3 minutes, check to see how done the meat is by using either a back of a fork or a spoon or your thumb to check. It should be soft spongy and that is rare. I place each steak then on a metal plate and if you want more doneness I place them in a 350 degree oven another 4 minutes for medium rare and 7 minutes for medium.
I put this steak on a warm plate and let sit with foil over it for 5 to 7 minutes before serving. Easy, huh? To pan cook a steak I like to use cast iron skillets because they heat better. If you use a Teflon pan you will burn the coating at high heat and I don't like the taste of Teflon. But, I have used aluminum, stainless steel, and even titanium pans with good results.
As I said before, get it real hot and drop your steaks after drizzling in a little oil to keep the steak from sticking. Cover with a lid and cook 2 minutes, spin the steak 45 degrees (don't turn over and please use tongs), close the lid, then cook another 2 minutes. Open the lid, turn the steak over, I use a grill ridged cast iron pan that makes grill marks so I can now see the pretty design on my steak. Cook another 3 minutes then check for doneness as above. It should be rare and then use the oven to slowly bring the doneness to whatever floats your boat.
Grab a nice red wine, maybe a little Lea and Perrins on the side, some grilled or roasted veggies and it is time to enjoy your knowlege in how to cook a steak.
