There are two that I usually buy, depending on what I can find on sale. They're not tremendously expensive around my area (or weren't the last time I looked, before gas prices went through the roof). I usually buy Strip steaks or Sirloin steaks. The Strips are really good and are shaped more like a true steak. I like them cut about 1 1/4 inches thick so that I can cook the outside good and done and kinda sear them a little and leave the inside a little more than pink. The Sirloins are more like a sliced roast and have more little sections of muscle with a little fat in between the sections. I like those a little thinner, say 3/4 inch or so. They are better if they cook quickly and leave them pink inside.
I don't usually use a meat thermometer. I just go by touch. If you look at the palm of your hand with your fingers opened, touch the fleshy part of your hand where your thumb ends just before your wrist. Your finger will make a dent in the hand easily. To me that represents medium rare. If you ball your fist and touch this same area, it will not make a dent as easily. To me that is a little more done than medium and not quite well. If you touch the thickest part of the steak and gauge it by the way you touch your hand, you can generally tell how done it is. Don't like to use a meat thermometer or a fork in a steak. The more holes you poke into it, the more juices will escape. I use tongs to turn, and my fingers to check the doneness.
I use a Mediterranean blend of spices to sprinkle on my steak before I cook it.
I also like to knock the chill off the meat before I cook it so that it doesn't take so long to cook. I let them sit on the counter for about an hour before I cook them. That may not be the best thing to do, but I haven't suffered ill effects from it yet.
Oh, one thing that I forgot to add. I usually melt some butter and clarify then add a little lemon juice to drizzle over the top after I take them out of the pan. The lemon juice doesn't compete with the seasonings and if you use one that has rosemary (or just use rosemary by itself) it goes so well! Forget the steak sauce!
Oh, if you can find a cast iron skillet that has the grill lines in the bottom, it works well to sear it, give it grill marks and let the oil and fat drain off a little while it's cooking.
Enjoy!
TQ
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Schu'sALegend,
As for the cut of meat, you just have to shop around for prices. Sometimes good cuts are on sale or marked down. You really just need to focus on the type of meat. If you want tender juicy steak, then you will want one with some fat throughout the steak, kind of a marble look. If you buy one that hardly any fat or no fat then it will be somewhat dry and tough, unless you marinate it, but I think that is sometimes overkill and you lose the taste of the actual steak. A good cut that is usually cheaper than high quality steak but still just as good is what they call a Flat Iron Steak. Usually is is cryovaced in plastic and is tender and juicy. I find it around here at $4.99/lb where as T-bone steaks go for $10+ /lb.
Now for how to cook it. Leave the steak out before cooking to get it to room temp. After at room temp, prep it by brushing both sides with oil (Any cooking oil will do). Sprinkle both sides with kosher salt and pepper.
Get yourself a cast iron skillet (one with grill bottom or not, does not matter). If it is a brand new skillet you just bought make sure it is seasoned. Just google "seasoning cast iron skillet" if you have not seasoned it and want to know how. That is a lengthy discusssion on it own. But if it is already seasoned then you are ready to go.
Turn on oven to 500 degrees and put cast iron skillet in there when you turn it on. When the temp hits 500 degrees wait 5 more minutes then turn on stove burner to high. Remove skillet from oven and place on hot burner. Leave oven still on. Now place steak in skillet and sear one side for 30 seconds without moving and just flip and do the other side for 30 seconds. Use tongs and never a fork. It will make the juice run out if you poke it. Searing will help seal the juices in. It will make lots of smoke so make sure you have your stove ventilation system on.
After you have seared both sides, turn off burner and place the steak and skillet back into the oven. Let it cook for 2 minutes on one side in the oven then flip it and cook it another 2 minutes. This should get you to be at least medium rare. Keep an eye on it while it is in the oven, now you are just wanting to get the steak how you like (rare, medium rare, medium, etc). It usually takes just a few minutes (3-5). Like how Schu'sALegend said above on how to determine the consistancy of the steak is a good way to tell. Just do not poke the steak with a fork while cooking, use tongs. Once the steak it how you like it, just get it out of the skillet and put it on a plate. Cover with aluminum foil lightly and let it rest for 2 minutes before cutting or eating. This gives it time for the meat to stop cooking and re-distribute the juices. After 2 minutes, you are now ready to eat.
Cleanup of the skillet is easy if you just put it back on the burner on high and add some water to the skillet and let the water boil. Just stir the boiling water around with the tongs to get the bit and pieces of meat off the bottom and then just pour out the water and rinse way.
Hope this helps you cook that perfect steak.
Posts: 1 | Location: Jefferson City, Missouri | Registered: Feb 22, 2007
