Steak Secrets

[peckinpahhombre]

I love steak and I love barbecuing - but I don't love steaks cooked on the BBQ.
Oh, they are ok I suppose, but my favourite way to cook a steak is in a cast iron frying pan on a gas stove, preferably a rib-eye. My wife laughs at me. Even in the summer months when we are lying by the pool, and we decide we are having steak, I will always choose to cook mine on my trusty lodge cast iron frying pan, which I have had over 10 years.
Nothing too sophisticated in terms of seasoning - I seem to be a "just salt & pepper" type of guy.
So what's your secret to a great steak? What seasoning do you use and how do you cook it? Tips and tricks are welcome.

 

[pitchfork]

For good steak: Cast iron pan. Butter.
Cooking steaks on the grill is just an excuse to drink cold beer while you bullshit with your friends.

 

[petes03]

I love steaks cooked that way as well Peck! In fact, I like steak about any way you can think of!

I have to admit though, that my favorite way is grilled.

I'm not big on Sirloins though. My favorites are Ribeyes, Fillet Mignon, New York Strips and Porterhouses, always thick cut, and always medium rare.

Generally, I'll marinate them for an hour or so in Allegro Original Marinade.
If I do them on the grill, I'll get one side of the grill very hot, sear each side for a few seconds, then move them to the "low" side for cooking.

If I do them on the stove, I'll have two skillets, one very hot for searing, the other on a medium heat for cooking.
Occasionally I'll do just butter, salt and pepper, and sometimes I'll do a dry rub or something of that sort, but generally I use the Allegro.
My Grandfather was a butcher for 40+ years, and he taught me a lot about steaks! He always brought home the best cuts of meat, and showed me a lot about preparing them.

One thing he always said that stuck with me was this, " If you prepare a steak right, treat it well, and don't over cook it, you'll never have need for A1 or any other sauce."

I took that to heart.

I do keep some A1 in the fridge, but it's only for company, you won't see me using it!

 

[cobguy]

I'm with you Peck ... cast iron and minimal seasonings.
Heat cast iron on gas stove to blazing hot - a little smoke off the pan even.

Rub olive oil on both sides of ribeye (or chuck-eye).

Salt, pepper and garlic to taste.

Braze each side for about 30 seconds, then give another 2 minutes per side for Med-Rare.

Remove from heat and wrap in foil for about 3-5 minutes (rest time).
If anyone asks for steak sauce or, God Forbid, ketchup ... escort them to the front door!

 

[ravkesef]

First of all, I want my steaks to be an inch and a half thick. I prepare my steaks sous-vide to 120°F. That way I can busy myself in the kitchen with other activities, leaving the steaks to fend for themselves --hours if necessary. When all is ready, I heat my cast iron pan to 500°F, season the steaks and place them into the pan for a quick sear--2 min per side. Then they go onto pre-heated plates and serve. Perfect medium rare without a trace of grey, and a stunning crusty exterior. Sometimes I will use my Big Green Egg, but never, never never a gas grill.

 

[beefeater33]

When I have time, my favorite way is over an open hardwood fire. I have a tripod setup I can put directly over the coals/flames. I always start with a room temperature steak, and the fire must be HOT. I like my steaks medium rare, thick cut as well. Usually 3 minutes per side is plenty. I've read that the good steak houses(Mortons, Ruth's Chris ETC.) cook em this way-- high heat/short times. Works for me!

The run o' the mill gas grills don't get hat enough for proper steak cooking IMO. I'm a salt and pepper guy as well, a good aged steak needs nothing else!

 

[cortezattic]

+1 Cast iron pan to red hot. Sprinkle salt. Plop the steak for a few minutes per side.

If it ain't smoking like crazy then the pan wasn't hot enough.

Even a hamburger tastes better this way.

 

[beefeater33]

There's also the dirty steak method-- Don't knock it till you've tried it. Get a good oak fire going, turn over one of those oak logs that's red hot with coals and apply your steak, right to the coals! Surprisingly the ashes DON'T stick, and the steak is not 'dirty"! Did this with venison once in a deer camp and it was to die for---- but also have done Porterhouses with equal results. I guess I just like that good hardwood/campfire infused flavor!

 

[tslex]

This is hard to believe if you haven't tried it.
Heat cast iron pan in oven at 270 degrees.
Put well seasoned steak into pan. Cook in oven 9 minutes at 270. Turn, and cook for 9 minutes more. Move pan to stove top turned to highest possible heat, until nicely charred.
I couldn't believe it when I first heard it. But by putting the steak in the oven first, all kinds of stuff happens with the meat. The heat on the flattop at the end gives the char you want.
The most TENDER, juicy delicious steak ever. Best steak for this: thick bone-in ribeye.

 

[rockford]

I can see the sous vide working perfectly. I would suggest the next time you are BBQ shopping look at the commercial models, I have a Crown Verity that easily reaches 950 degrees, built to łast a lifetime and easy to clean. Nice 1.5" steak, canola oil and kosher salt/ freshly cracked pepper. Medium rare in 6 minutes, rest for 5. Ruth's Chris uses cast iron and a 1200 degree oven, finished with butter for the sizzle on the way to your table. Never use frozen meat!

 

[novicemaker]

I too like it simple. If i was going to do it outside id use the cast iron and get is roaring. If im in the mood for just a normal steak then id season it with a little salt pepper toss in a few fresh peppers and onions in the pan and then the steak, flip after about a min and then let the other side char up and then off to a plate.
Now if youd really like to try something thats got a little bbq taste(i happen to love bbq chips so thats where this thought came from) I marinate the steak in an airtight baggy with some Worcestershire sauce, melt vinegar, some liquid smoke of choice, a little brown sugar or molasses and then let it set up a day or over night works too. Then a little light seasoning of pepper and into a hot pan thats had some butter. After the steak is cook id toss in some hot peppers, onion and a little garlic and a little more butter and top off some fries.
That marinate really comes off nice and has a smoke sweetness to it without having it throw off the steak natural taste and helps break it down a little so it melts in your mouth.

 

[drennan]

Mince the fillet and serve raw with finely chopped shallot, cornichon and capers. A little worcestershire sauce helps too.
I rarely cook steak because the french don't hang meat, because tartare is a national dish, so it tends to be tough. When I can get a quality hung piece of beef I tend to griddle. Get the pan red hot, oil the meat with rape seed oil and flash cook for a minute or so a side. I season the meat well with salt and pepper but only when the meat is sealed so the salt doesn't pull the juice out the steak. Let it rest for a few minutes and enjoy.

 

[halfy]

salt and pepper, probably some hint from your name Peck and Va/Per ...

 

[latbomber]

Similar to others, I like a thick cut steak with salt and pepper, super hot cast iron pan with a bit of oil and butter, get a nice caramelized crust on the outside and rare inside. Roast potato wedges on the side and a good stout red wine.

 

[marine33]

It's official I am inviting myself to all of your houses!!!! I like my steak medium well. I like it cooked anyway but I heard you have to sear the meat to seal in the flavor.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

marine, if you are eating your steak medium well then there is no flavour, so just buy tofu

 

[ravkesef]

Marine, I'm with Peck on this one. I don't cook medium well, because it's a total waste at the price I shell out for beef. Cooked medium well the meat will be tough and will have lost all its flavor. At that point in time it will begin to develop a taste akin to liver.

 

[sailorjeremy]

Adobo and some ground pepper. I like my steak medium-medium rare. Now if we're talkig marinades here... that's a whole different story.

 

[apatim]

Cut beef tenderloin into 1-1.5" steaks. Marinade in a little soy sauce for 30 minutes. Put steaks on HOT grill... Cook one side 2 minutes, flip and cook other side 2 minutes. Remove and allow to rest for 2 minutes. Absolutely perfect, super tender medium-rare steaks at cost of about $10 per pound if purchased at SAMs, BJs, etc. last week I bought a 9 pound tender loin for less than $7 per pound.
Oh.... And pepper to taste prior to grilling.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Cook the onions and garlic in oil in the pan, remove the onions and garlic from the oil, and get really hot, powder the cow steak in salt, pepper, and a big dash of cinnamon. Sear the steak in the pan lightly just enough for all of the flavors to come together. Use the onions on your baked potato with a scoop of sour cream.
I don't really eat cow very often, because we don't have room to ranch them here, but the freezer is ALWAYS full of venison, and we harvest a few lambs in the Spring and Fall. Cow steak just needs the extra kick from the cinnamon for me, because it is just so tasteless in comparison to our regular protein.