OH OH OH

If you haven't seen it yet...and would like to know an amazing way to cook steak...let me give you a link to a really good Alton Brown Video, from the first episode of his show on the food network, Good Eats...

Steak Part 1

Steak Part II

I've been making them this way ever since I saw the show and I love it. I never knew that I could make such good steak! Thanks Alton Brown!

Wow, great information. I cooked steaks last night and I wish I had done it this way. My steaks always turn out too dry. Thanks for posting.

I have a tutorial in my blog about it, complete with pictures.

i never miss his shows, but must have missed this one, he is the best. thank you for sharing. can not wait to get a rib eye, have the cast iron pan/

I just realized that I should give the instructions...as I remember them...may be edited if I forget something....

Alton Brown's Steak Preperation Method.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Turn burner up to high on the stove and set your cast iron skillet (or whatever you're working with, I don't have a cast iron skillet yet, but I'm working on it...)

Make sure your steak is at room temp and rub it with an oil that has a high smoke point...I use safflower oil, other high heat oils are peanut and Canola Oil...

Salt and pepper the steak (Alton Brown says use kosher salt, and I do) and then use tongs (so you don't put holes in the meat for moisture to leak out of) to throw it in the heated pan for: 30 seconds per side...that's it. And DON'T TOUCH IT.

Then take the whole pan and throw it in the oven for 2 minutes and then flip it, then leave it in for another 2 minutes. Since I don't have a cast iron skillet yet, I just use the tongs to take it from the pan and place it on the foil lined baking sheet that's been in the oven and is nice and hot..

Then after it gets done. You can check doneness with a thermometer by pushing it into the side:

Rare: 120-130 F
Med Rare: 130-145 F
Medium: 145-155 F
Toast: 155 F and up (Alton's joke, not mine)


Put it on a saucer upturned on a plate, so that it doesn't sit in its own juices and get all mushy. Let it sit for 5 MINUTES.

Then dig in. I guarantee it'll be DELICIOUS!!

As a practical note with this method (and others actually)

If you are cooking multiple steaks at different temps its easier to get steaks of different thicknesses than play "this is done thats not".
Once you have the thickness to done ratio down the process gets lots easier.
I like my steaks to go moooooo when I stick a fork in it, my better half likes toast so I get her 2 breakfast thin cut and me a thick cut.

Yes I agree; AB is the Master of Meat!

If you haven't already, it would be a great boost to your understanding of cooking meats if you looked into getting a copy of I'm Just Here for the Food by Alton Brown.

something you can try in the processs....I started splashing my steaks with a little apple cider vinegar while they first start cooking in the pan. It makes the steak really juicy and tender, but you don't taste the vinegar at all. I think I learned this step from that BBQ University guy great show!

We just got a beef. My husband has been having steak every night. I've been preparing them this way. Before I always overcooked them and they were dry. Since using this method, they have been coming out butter tender. Also, my husband usually puts a ton of spices on them and then uses steak sauce. With this method, he just eats them plain. He kept asking me what I put on them because he couldn't believe how good they were with just salt & pepper.

I agree. I also think somehow that cast iron skillet makes it all taste better too.

I made this recipe JUST after having gone to one of those way-over-priced Steakhouses (Morton's). This recipe rivals theirs in every way.
The only problem is...I can't do it again until I get the vent over my stove fixed. I set off all the smoke alarms! :-(

Excellent recipe!

I was just going to suggest that you have someone standing by at the smoke alarms to shut them off ... I'd have the whole neighbourhood here wondering if someone should call 911 for the firemen! I've NEVER had a stove vent that works well enough for top-of-the-stove steak-searing!!

I cooked an eye of chuck steak this way, using peanut oil. Had a side of buttered green beans. Perfect!

But my smoke detector went off three times. Worth it tho'

Tried this method last night..steak was great a little overcooked for our taste..But that was completely my fault..I was working with a thicker cut of steak than what we normally buy.. and I couldn't find our thermometer..So it was a little dry..but even so the taste was good..so I can only imagine how great it would have been if I hadn't overcooked it!!

Buying another thermometer this week!

I just tried this last night and it was great!
I've never liked red meat much.. but I tried this and I was so impressed.. I don't know if I can eat a steak anywhere else now lol
This is a must try!
I give this 4 thumbs up!