Need steak advice

[samjjones]

I am curious as to CSC's professional opinion, but I love frying steaks in a well seasoned cast iron pan. The outside gets a really great crust on it, while searing in all of the juices inside. And then you can make a pan sauce.

[CardSharpCook]

I love using a cast iron skillet and the high temp of the oven coupled with the stove-top searing makes the use of the oven ok here. In a restaurant, this is exactly how we cook steak. We mark it on the grill or sear it on the range and then toss it in the oven. However, it is, in my opinion, unnecessary to use the oven. You can do the whole operation on the stove top and only flipping once. Why we cook it like this in a restaurant is that it is very easy to set your brain to time items in the oven and using the oven clears up room on the stove-top/grill.

[CardSharpCook]

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I am curious as to CSC's professional opinion, but I love frying steaks in a well seasoned cast iron pan. The outside gets a really great crust on it, while searing in all of the juices inside. And then you can make a pan sauce.

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God bless you if you are making pan sauces! And yes, this is exactly how I cook steak at home. In a restaurant, we use the oven because it is right there and already at 450-500 anyway - just a waste of electricity/gas to use both an oven and a range to cook 1 or 2 steaks.

Prime is always best. The best restaurants get first choice on the supply, though. Grocers usually only offer “Choice” and “Select” in the prepackaged cases. Look in the case with the butchers working behind it. That’s usually Prime, if they have it, and what they frequently call “Aged.” CardSharpCook’s little primer on meat is excellent.

If you want to try Prime at home and can’t get it locally, Omaha Steaks can be a pricey source. My experience with them has always been outstanding.

Does your oven have a “Broil” setting? I’ve done some excellent steaks that way. Just keep the oven door cracked open to prevent flames. Before I put it in there, I usually sear it on the stove in a cast iron skillet. Then put the skillet in the oven. Don’t remember why, but a chef once told me not to cook it on the stove. Since CSC has luck with it, try it.

I like Garlic Salt on my steak. I put it on after I take them out. Salt will draw the moisture out of the meat, so don’t put it on before searing.

Now, on to the wine?

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[HDPM]

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God bless you if you are making pan sauces!

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Hey, I made a garlic-hoisin pan sauce for pork chops last week that didn't make me vomit. I try pan sauces but usually botch them. I may have let them get too hot. Any suggestions without seeing how I actually ruin them in person? [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

[djoyce003]

Steaks - if you are buying yourself go to the whole foods and you can buy USDA prime or USDA choice...honestly since you don't have a grill the standard whole foods choice is pretty damn good and it's about 13/lb instead of 20....there isn't much difference in flavor here. Salt and pepper only to flavor...once you are done cooking put a little pat of butter on the top.

Mashed - another good one is roasted garlic mashed potatoes.....cut the top of a few heads of garlic off...drizzle with olive oil, salt and fresh cracked pepper, wrap in foil and roast in an oven at 350. They'll be all toasty and yummy when they are done...i'm thinking half/hour to an hour but you could do a web search on roasting garlic for the exact time. Boil your potatoes and squeen the yummy roasted garlic into the taters while you are mashing...as always a little cream and butter is good thrown in there.

[samjjones]

That is a great marinade for pork. If it is leftover marinade, just bring it to a quick boil (to kill any leftover bacteria from the raw pork) and thicken it slightly. I've made a similar marinade/pan sauce for pork tenderloin out of maple syrup, garlic, soy sauce, and dijon mustard (sweet/savory).

There have been a couple of useful pan sauce threads lately, if anybody is interested in recipes.

[Boris]

Good stuff. thanks.

[slamdunkpro]

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I'm looking for a really good steak.

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Aren’t we all!

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Option A: Do it yourself
Step 1: The Meat
From what I hear, USDA prime, dry-aged NY strip is the way to go. Correct? How much should I be willing to pay for such a piece of meat? The Whole Foods near my house is charging 20/lb. Reasonable? If not, should I go for an inferior cut?

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If you are willing to spend the $$, then go out and enjoy the service as well. What you get at Whole Foods, or even Wegman’s or Balducci’s (formerly Sutton Place) is well below the grade of meat you’ll get at a good steak house. Around DC I like Sam & Harry’s (18th street) or the Ruth’s Chris in Crystal City, of the Mortons, the one in Tysons is the best.

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Step 2: The cooking
I live in an apartment, so I don't have access to a real grill. The best I can do is a gas oven. Is this a deal-breaker? If not, how do I go about the cooking? Please incorporate horseradish if at all possible. I prefer my meat as rare as possible, but I'd be willing to go all the way to medium if required.

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If you have a cast iron skillet, gas stove, and oven you’re good to go. If it’s a Strip Loin you want (NY strip) look for one about 1 to 11/2 inches thick. Coat with canola oil, and a little salt (kosher preferred) (no pepper – it will burn) let the steak stand under a loose plastic wrap for 20 minutes.

Heat the oven to 400 and put a little canola oil in the skillet. Turn the fire on under the skillet until it just starts to smoke. Put the steak in for 1 –2 minutes (depending on thickness), flip, repeat. Take the cast iron skillet with the steak in it and put the whole thing in the oven for 6 minutes (RARE) 8 minuets (rare – thick steak), 10 minuets (medium rare – thick steak). Want it more done? Order the chicken.

Remove the steak to a wooden cutting board (no glass or ceramic – gets cool too fast) and let it rest for 5 minutes. While it is resting…..

Put the skillet back on the stove and deglaze with about a cup of red wine. Let this cook down (reduce) until it thickens. Stir in some garlic and a chopped shallot. Cook for a couple of minutes. Wisk in a quarter stick of soft butter, a little heavy cream, and a couple of tablespoons of horseradish. Heat until thickened.

Plate the steak, add fresh ground pepper, sauce and serve.

[slamdunkpro]

I just broke down and bought a salamander!! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]