My Take On Steak

Steak is one of the easiest things to get right. Whether you’re searing on the grill or popping in the oven, any good cut of meat will sing if you stick to some easy guidelines. Remember, beef cooks quickly, so keep an eye on a thermometer and everything else should fall right into place. I don't have any religion attached to any one technique but these are my favorites.

 

Straight Up Grilling

Grilled steak is great and I’m more and more liking the notion of two minutes per side on your hot grill to get a sear, then 30 seconds to a minute per side (keep flipping) until it's done. This ensures an even cook. Remove from heat when you are five degrees from your target temperature. 

Cast Iron + Oven Finish

Searing a steak in a heavy pan or cast iron skillet and then finishing it in the oven is a great way to get a nice crust and make use of the delicious juices that accumulate in the pan. Here's how it goes: Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Get an oven-safe pan hot on the stovetop over high heat. Season your steak and then sear it for two minutes on each side. Flip it again and immediately put the pan into your oven with a tablespoon or two of butter. After five minutes, take the pan out of the oven; flip and baste with the butter. Take the temperature to make sure you are on track to your target. Our Everyday Herb Crusted Steak recipe details this method using filet mignon.

Temperature And Tools

I like a nice rare steak, so I'll take it off at 125 degrees and let it warm to 130 degrees while resting. I like a good instant read thermometer for spot checking internal temperatures and sometimes I just monitor the cook the whole time. I’ll talk more about these in a gear post — stay tuned!

So there you have it. There are other gadgets and methods for cooking steak but these are my go to moves. Got any of your own methods or gear I need to try?  Reach out to me at @outside_table on Instagram or shoot me an email at ken@outsidetable.com!