Steaks in the Skillet

Sometimes you just can't go outside to make your steak on the grill. Personally I don't mind standing over a hot fire in the middle of winter, but that's just me. But we have an alternative. We can make our steak inside. We're just not going to use that whimpy broiler that comes with the range.

To make steaks inside, we need a cast iron skillet. Cast iron cookware scares some people. It is cared for differently than other cookware. In another course I'll talk about how to care for your cast iron skillet. For now, let's assume your cast iron has been "seasoned". Seasoned cast iron will be black, and reasonable slick. There won't be any rust. Unseasoned cast iron looks bare -- even a little pourous.

Don't try substituting other kinds of skillets. The heat that we need will damage non-stick surfaces, and can cause thinner stainless steel to warp. It has to be cast iron. Don't even try to make a steak inside if you don't have a cast iron skillet.

First we want to get the skillet so hot that a drop of water dripped on the surface will dance wildly. But we don't want it so hot that the drop splatters, and disappears immediately. (Warning: This is somewhat dangerous. Like cooking bacon, you shouldn't do this in the nude. Stand back far enough to avoid any splatter.) If the drop does splatter, reduce the heat. If the drop sits there and cooks, increase the heat. We're looking for a little dance.

Your steak should be at room temperature before placing in the skillet. Twenty minutes out of the refrigerator is good, but for safety don't leave it out much longer than that. Next, place the steak in the center of the skillet. Don't move it for two minutes. As much as you may be tempted to do something, don't. Let it sit there. The heat being applied to the skillet should be enough to maintain the temperature. Generally this will be half to three-quarters of the way to full heat. Your mileage may vary.

At the two minute mark, flip the steaks over using a turner or tongs. Don't use a fork. If this side of the meat looks burned, your skillet was too hot. Turn the heat off now. If it looks gray, the skillet was too cold. Increase the heat now. Wait two minutes, and take an internal temperature with a probe thermometer, and leave the probe in the meat. Your target again is 5 to 10 degrees less than the desired doneness at the center.

If you remember, out on the grill we used an "instant read" thermometer, and removed it. This wasn't ideal, but cooking thermometers can't take the intense, direct heat over the coals. Here, the heat disapates quickly as you move away from the surface of the skillet. We can leave the probe in the meat, and not loose any juice like we would if we removed it.

You can do very thick steaks in the skillet easier than you can on the grill. After searing the top and bottom, take the steaks out of the skillet, and place them in a 350-degree oven on a baking sheet. Your probe thermometer should have a cable that allows you to leave the probe in the meat, and keep the read-out outside the oven. Remember to undershoot your target temperature.

Just like when we grilled the steak, you'll need to let the meat sit for three to five minutes after removing from the heat. Leave the probe thermometer in the meat during this period. The main reason is so we don't loose those juices, but this also allows you to observe how the temperature in the center of the meat continues to rise even after being removed from the heat. Fail to grasp this concept, and the punishment will be overcooked foods.

Now that we've made a steak inside and outside, it's time to move on to the next best use of intense heat: Stir Fry.

NEXT: Stirfry >>
PREVIOUS: Steak on the Grill <<

 

Recommended Products

Lodge Original Finish 12-Inch Cast Iron Skillet There are certain dishes that absolutely require cast-iron cookware, and others that just simply taste better when made with it. Just try throwing an aluminum pot onto the campfire and watching the blisters form or sampling a hearty spoonful of jambalaya that wasn't made in a cast-iron kettle. Fancy alloys and coatings on other types of cookware are simply trying to emulate the innate qualities of properly seasoned cast iron: heat retention, even heat distribution, and a scratchproof nonstick surface that will never warp. Since 1896, Lodge has been steadily producing the world's most extensive selection of professional cast-iron cookware, lovingly poured one piece at a time. Cared for properly, these products will last for generations.

The Original Polder Cooking Timer and Thermometer Take the guesswork out of preparing perfectly cooked meats and poultry using this programmable thermometer with timer. The large digital readout displays food's internal temperature while cooking. Pre-set the temperature you want (from 32 to 392 degrees Fahrenheit); a loud, 5-minute alarm sounds to let you know when the inner temperature is ready. Features a memory for frequently used settings. The magnetic backing lets you attach the timer onto the outside of your oven door during the cooking process. Please note this item is not designed for use with barbeque grills. Heat-resistant probe wire measures 43-in. long. Also measures Celsius. Runs on a single AAA battery.