06.09.06
Quick & easy steak
Another classic: I’m indebted to my son for this technique: Take the steak out of the fridge at least an hour before cooking—you want it to be at room temperature. When ready, put a cast-iron skillet in the oven and turn the oven on to 450º and leave it for 20 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven (and it’s a good idea to use an oven mitt or hotpad for that) and drop in the room-temperature steak. Return to the oven and let it cook for 4 minutes. Bring it out, turn the steak over, and put it back for another 3-4-5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the steak. Salt (with either hickory-smoked salt or Maldon sea salt) and pepper.
That particular hickory-smoked salt is the best I’ve found, though the Maldon is also very good on a steak.
My favorite steak is the rib-eye, but a chuck cross-rib steak can be excellent at less than half the cost. I had a particularly good chuck cross-rib steak from Trader Joe’s, one by Aaron’s Kosher Beef.
To clean the skillet: once it’s cooled, run hot water in it while brushing with a natural bristle brush. Then dry it and put it into an oven and turn the oven to 300º . Leave it for 10 minutes, then turn the oven off and let the skillet cool in the oven. If you want, you can brush the skillet with some lard or beef suet or the like and then let it cool. In time, the skillet will be fully seasoned and pretty much non-stick.
UPDATE: See also this method.
UPDATE 2: Mark Bittman’s approach.
GURU said,
10 June 2006 at 9:31 am
LeisureGuy:
Sounds delicious.
leisureguy said,
10 June 2006 at 6:08 pm
I had one tonight, and it was very tasty. This is about the only way to get enough heat to really sear a steak on a home range. The Eldest gave me a small tin of this, so I tried sprinkling a pinch on the steak. Delicious! Give it a go.
Later On » Argentina on two steaks a day said,
11 June 2006 at 10:29 am
[...] And, speaking of steak, let me draw your attention to this wonderful article, which begins: [...]
Korena said,
12 June 2006 at 7:17 pm
I’m about to use this method for the second time. My first try was so good, I’m almost afraid to try it again and mess it up…
leisureguy said,
24 June 2006 at 8:03 am
For a really great smoked salt, check out Danish Viking-Smoked Salt. This is the best I’ve had so far.
virginia said,
6 May 2007 at 8:43 pm
We were pleasantly surprised by this recipe. Thanks, and I’m also enjoying the website.
Phenomenal meat preparation tip « ΚΑFΕΝΕΙΟ said,
3 February 2008 at 5:43 pm
[...] meat preparation tip I read this on Leisureguy’s blog today and tried it with a nice rib steak for dinner. Very moist and tasty result…worth [...]