Happy Valentines Day to You!
I suppose this is kind of a cheat post, but it was just too good to pass up!
You see the quickest way to a Sandin's heart is steak and today I have a present for you: Dr K's Steak Tutorial:
The simplest, most foolproof cut to work with is a 'ribeye' (this is what we usually do at home for steaks, indoor or out). A ribeye is by definition boneless, which keeps cooking times across the dimension of each steak consistent, and it's a fairly small, compact cut, roughly rectangular. Makes it easy to arrange a few across the small dimensions of an indoor stove broiler pan. (Sometimes a ribeye is also called a 'Delmonico' steak; whatever, just make sure it's boneless.) Bone-in cuts like T-bone and Porterhouse are good too; just larger, more unwieldy in an oven, and slightly less consistent in cooking times because of the bone and broad dimensions in relation to line of broiler flame.
Make sure each ribeye steak is between 1"-1 1/2" thick. Avoid anything thicker than about an 1 3/4", makes it difficult to cook indoors. Make sure each is bright red-fresh (absolutely not frozen) and nicely marbled with fat; cut off excess fat around the perimeter of each steak. Rinse each steak with cold water out of the pack, pat dry, let sit to arrive at room temperature. Generously salt and pepper each side; do not apply any extra butter, oil, or other shortening. A well-marbled cut of steak has all the tasty fats it needs.
Lightly grease your broiling pan (I apply a layer of aluminum foil with slots cut on top, greased, makes things easier to clean but is not necessary). Place steaks on top with at least a little space in between each steak. Put oven on broil. Let oven warm up a minute or two. Place steaks in oven on an upper rack; make sure there's enough room between broiler flame and upper surfaces of steaks for heat to circulate and little fat spittings to not flame up directly into the broiler flame (3-4"). Let steaks broil 3-4 minutes, open oven and rotate broiler pan 90 degrees CW or CCW to let steaks cook evenly. After a few more minutes, once you've got some browning going on top of the steaks, open oven and turn over. Repeat process. Once you get a bit of browning you simply need to take a really sharp small knife, open oven door and move rack and pan out all the way, and make a little cut on one of the steaks to actually *see* how done it is. Continue to broil, checking every minute or two, turning steaks over again if needed, to achieve degree of doneness throughout each steak. A few cuts in the side of the steaks is a small price to pay for that perfect degree of doneness. Don't be scared of browning and bark on the exterior. That's needed and the key is interior doneness. Once you hit medium-rare (a little pink in between gray-brown and some exterior browning) it doesn't take much more time for the steaks to cook to medium and then medium-well. Constant vigilance. There is no strict *time* frame for this. The flame is what it is, the meat is what it is, and it's done when it's done. I recommend side dishes and salads to be types that don't need any prep right before the meal, gotta focus on the steak. Doing a salad and then a potato or other dish *in the oven* right before broiling is good. You take that out, shift the oven to broil and the oven is all warmed up and good to go! Potato dish sits covered while doing steaks and voila--all is hot or cold as it should be upon serving.
Serve immediately, and enjoy!
Make sure each ribeye steak is between 1"-1 1/2" thick. Avoid anything thicker than about an 1 3/4", makes it difficult to cook indoors. Make sure each is bright red-fresh (absolutely not frozen) and nicely marbled with fat; cut off excess fat around the perimeter of each steak. Rinse each steak with cold water out of the pack, pat dry, let sit to arrive at room temperature. Generously salt and pepper each side; do not apply any extra butter, oil, or other shortening. A well-marbled cut of steak has all the tasty fats it needs.
Lightly grease your broiling pan (I apply a layer of aluminum foil with slots cut on top, greased, makes things easier to clean but is not necessary). Place steaks on top with at least a little space in between each steak. Put oven on broil. Let oven warm up a minute or two. Place steaks in oven on an upper rack; make sure there's enough room between broiler flame and upper surfaces of steaks for heat to circulate and little fat spittings to not flame up directly into the broiler flame (3-4"). Let steaks broil 3-4 minutes, open oven and rotate broiler pan 90 degrees CW or CCW to let steaks cook evenly. After a few more minutes, once you've got some browning going on top of the steaks, open oven and turn over. Repeat process. Once you get a bit of browning you simply need to take a really sharp small knife, open oven door and move rack and pan out all the way, and make a little cut on one of the steaks to actually *see* how done it is. Continue to broil, checking every minute or two, turning steaks over again if needed, to achieve degree of doneness throughout each steak. A few cuts in the side of the steaks is a small price to pay for that perfect degree of doneness. Don't be scared of browning and bark on the exterior. That's needed and the key is interior doneness. Once you hit medium-rare (a little pink in between gray-brown and some exterior browning) it doesn't take much more time for the steaks to cook to medium and then medium-well. Constant vigilance. There is no strict *time* frame for this. The flame is what it is, the meat is what it is, and it's done when it's done. I recommend side dishes and salads to be types that don't need any prep right before the meal, gotta focus on the steak. Doing a salad and then a potato or other dish *in the oven* right before broiling is good. You take that out, shift the oven to broil and the oven is all warmed up and good to go! Potato dish sits covered while doing steaks and voila--all is hot or cold as it should be upon serving.
Serve immediately, and enjoy!
I love my Dad. And my Mom too because she makes sides like this to accompany the steak (these are so good I actually finished them before my steak last time!!). And I love my roommate Moshka who made me steak for my dinner tonight. And Miss Cait who shared her pre-Valentines chocolates with me over episodes of Gossip Girl. And I most likely love you too! A happy Valentines day to you!! Go feed somebody ;-)
1 comment:
Paul and I had steaks last night for his birthday. We splurged on filets and he cooked them on the stovetop in my cast iron skillet after marinating them in olive oil and salt and pepper for an hour or so while they came to room temp. Expensive, but so worth it. :)
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