1st timer..gonna fry a steak.
 

OK, I always grill my steaks, I know, I know....43 years old and its time to pan fry my first steak as its going to "warm up" to about -38C by supper time (-36.4F). So I thought I'd post before heading off to work and have everybody's suggestions for a perfectly done medium rare steak!!!! Share your tips and suggestions guys and gals, I would really appreciate it!!!!

Fry Pan Rookie.

Cast iron skillet with a lid. Marinate the steak with at least a small amount of olive oil. Get skillet good and hot (hope you are cooking with gas) and time your cooking. Depending on thickness of steak, say 1 inch, I do 3 minutes on each side. The lid is very important as it holds in the heat and moisture allowing the steak to cook, not just burn on the outside.

The marinate and other deglazing ingredients are the secret stuff that seperate the men from the boys.

Gretch: Yep!

Cook it with cracked peppercorns, thrown on the cognac at the end, flame. Deglaze the pan with cream and pour over the steak...

mmmmmmmmmmmm.

Heat up the oven to 500 degrees.
Put cast iron pan in oven while it preheats.

Carefully remove smoking hot pan from oven and put on stove.

Add oil to pan and wait for smoke detector to go off.

Pan is now ready.

2-3 minutes per side and place in oven to finish.

When done, apply a generous amount of butter to top of steak and tent under foil for 5 minutes.

There was a youtube video where the guy flipped it every 10 seconds....

Been doin my steaks like this for many years. Your gonna love it. I'm reading this over morning coffee and now I'm hungry. Going to the butcher shop today on my round of errands for a couple of T bones. Oh yea!

Very similar to how I've been doing it for years. I use a heavy carbon steel pan that has been well seasoned over the years, but cast iron would be my other "go to".

Some other tips:

• I usually have better luck with steaks at least 1" thick
• Let the steak come to nearly room temperature, so it doesn't cool your pan down when you add it...this helps with a good sear and maintains consistent cooking
• Make sure the steak is dry; I usually pat all sides with paper toweling before I season it with salt and pepper; only season right before you add it to the pan, as the salt will draw moisture out of the steak if you leave it to sit...moisture that will interfere with the nice crust you get from the maillard reaction...I think moisture and steam are the enemy of the browning process
• Swirl a little oil in the pan, less than a tablespoon (I like canola oil as it doesn't interfere with other flavors) and let the pan heat up on the stove, on a burner large enough to fit the pan bottom; I usually use slightly above medium-high heat. Additionally, I've had success with no oil...just a dry pan, again my pans are very well seasoned, so nothing usually sticks
• Make sure the oven is pre-heated; I use 375
• When you see whisps of smoke coming from the pan and the oil is shimmering, it's time to add the steak. When you add the steak, you should immediately hear a nice sizzle, if not, your pan isn't hot enough
• I do 2 minutes per side and depending on the cut will also quickly sear the edges
• Then into the oven (uncovered) for about 6 to 8 minutes. I usually flip the steak once while it's in the oven, after about 3-4 minutes.
• YMMV, but all total for me in my kitchen with my stove/oven, it takes a total of about 10 to 12 minutes (give or take) to get a medium to medium rare doneness, this includes the 2 minutes for each side. So I usually set my kitchen timer for 12 minutes and count down the steps that way...when there are 8 minutes on the clock, I know it's time for the oven
• Lately I've been removing he steak from the oven about a minute sooner and finishing on the stove by adding 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and some crushed garlic cloves. I tilt the pan so the butter runs to one side and then quickly baste the steak by splashing spoon fulls of the melted garlic butter over the steak
• As for determining doneness, I guess over the years, I just learned to tell by pressing the steak with a finger
• Finally and most importantly, let the steak rest...don't poke at it...don't press it...don't squeeze it...don't cut into it...don't even look at it. I usually let it rest for about 7 minutes on a cooling rack.
• Then I slice it and serve with the garlic butter

Again, just a guide that has worked for me...there are lots of variables, so as has already been stated YMMV.

I thought you were going to try your first chicken fried steak ? Never Mind...

From Alton Brown (i tried it, worked good):

I follow much of the pointers above but I'm a believer of using a better quality olive oil. Probably more of my imagination and might not really matter. I do like adding garlic salt, fresh ground pepper and sometimes a thick sliced yellow grilled onion and mushrooms.

Other faves are topping with crab meat, small peeled shrimp, hollandaise sauce and asparagus.

This! Except I am too poor for cognac and would deglaze with wine... or as soon as I pull the steak I toss in some onions and mushrooms, saute for a few minutes then deglaze.

Only flip once to get that nice browning...

+1 for Alton Brown.

This is the method I use, too. I like med-rare ( more rare than med ) but i like my steak hot. I can get the doneness and heat just right this way.

Keep in mind, you may screw up the first few times, but don't give up. Once you get it down, I'm guessing you'll like it.

Good luck!

Some good advice, some not so good.

You want to sear the steak and that takes 300 degrees, or more, at the surface. So the pan has to be hot, but not super hot. That temperature renders the use of special olive oil irrelevant, as the extra virign oil can't take that much heat. So, use whatever oil you want. Do not use butter. It will burn. So will garlic, so leave that off.

Definitely bring the steak to room temperature and dry it thoroughly. This rules out marinades for me. Do not cover the pan, you want any moisture released to escape. Make sure the pan is a little larger than the steak; don't crowd it.

Season it aggressively with salt. Heat the pan, then add the oil (not a bunch of it) and heat it, too. Add the steak and cook for 15-30 seconds. Flip it and cook another 15-30 seconds. Repeat until nicely browned, but not crusty. Remove it from the pan and rest it. Feel free to brush butter or other fat (beef fat, if you have it) on both sides and add whatever freshly ground pepper you want.

After the steak has cooled, place the steak in a warm, lightly buttered skillet and stick in in a 250 degree oven until done. Done means well short of medium rare, as it will continue to cook a little. 135 degrees used to be "medium rare" but I think that's over-cooked. 125 is happier. So, pull it between 115 and 120. This means you need a decent instant read thermometer that you have checked for accuracy. Rest the steak under foil for 10 minutes, then eat it.

JR

Good VS Cognac isn't that expensive. I use Martell and just picked up a bottle today for ~$20

Not as dumb as it sounds. Harold McGee, who literally wrote the book on the science of cooking, once had some computer simulations performed by some Silicon Valley nutcases and the optimum flipping interval was 15 seconds. Lengthening it to 30 seconds was more convenient and only slightly less successful.

Oregon bird biologists will be pleased to know that this also reduces carcinogens.

Flip it once, especially if you cook it in a hugely hot pan (doublly so, if it is cast iron) will guarantee an unevenly cooked steak.

Your choice,
JR

+1. A bottle costs no more than the steak, and sometimes less. It will last forever, as you only need a tablespoon or two each time. Add it off the heat. It will make the sauce taste quite different from one made with wine.

Basic pan sauce;

Starting with a hot pan, remove any excess fat or oil. Add butter if the pan is dry. Saute some shallot until softened. Deglaze with the Cognac. Reduce until alomost dry, then add a good beef or veal stock. Add demi-glace, if you have it (not the crap from a jar or can). Reduce. Add cream and reduce again, if desired.

If you want to add sliced muchrooms, add them with the shallots. You'll need a lot more fat for them.

You can also make a quick pan sauce with chopped garlic, anchovies, a little water and butter. Chives or green onions, at the end.

JR

A covered Iron skillet serves the same purpose as putting the skillet in the oven. The key to it working it controlling the temperature.

So if I am doing a thicker than 1 inch steak, say a 2 inch filet I will still sear each side with High heat. (Above 300 degrees) but turn the heat down after searing and just cook a minute longer on each side.

Don't diss using a cover on the skillet until you have tried it and become skilled at it.... because once you develop the skill to do it correctly, you will be a convert forever.

There is a LOT of chemistry explanation I have left out of this, and NO I am not going to explain it.

And I dinnah really care if some of you object. My post was for the OP, he can choose to learn from it or not.

Me, I am gonna go make me a steak for dinner.......... And french fries too god dammit!

:)

I'm happy to cover a braised dish, in the oven. When cooking a steak, though, I don't want to trap the moisture. I want the steak to come up to temperature in a dry heat. Put a cover on the skillet and it takes longer to get up to temperature on top, while the overly-hot skillet is putting too much heat into the bottom of the steak. That's why you'll notice my recommendation to rest it before it goes into the oven and put it into another pan.

I want evenly cooked steaks. And I'm no novice...

JR

I agree about the cover. I will have try your variation about switching pans. Funny, for something so easy, I found it difficult to explain to the OP. After lots of trial and error, I have just developed a certain feel and can easily adjust accordingly. As for the butter, I only add it at the very end and I'm careful not to scortch or burn it, as my pan never quite reaches solar flair temps.

I found Alton's way, sorta, maybe, kinda worked, but it lacked a certain amount of control and the steak, following his times/temps was just under cooked...I felt I had to go back and re-fire the thing. I probably should give his way another chance.

Problem with Cognac will never make it to the pan... I have a tendency to spill it...

in my mouth...

over and over...

But that is just me...