Can you cook steak in a microwave/convection oven?

[jpinmaryland]

My friend Dav wants to know if he can cook a steak in his microwave/convention oven. Despite the efforts of friends to convince him otherwise he wants to try this. Here is the gist of his question and he can join in later if he joins our site:

"It's a microwave/convection oven, and it came with inserts for browning, grilling, steaming, and (probably) bum fondling. I want to try using it to grill steak. So far, I haven't found any good directions for doing this with a convection oven. While I accept that this may be evidence that it's a bad idea, I intend to persevere with the experiment. Does anyone know of a good web site for posting cooking questions? And does anyone have a suggestion for a good cut of steak to try? I'm thinking in terms of a ribeye, since I've had good luck with those in the past, but I'd like something leaner. I'd also like something that isn't too expensive, in case this turns into a disaster."

Please help Dav. or try to talk him out of this madness.

[kitchenelf]

I think the only thing that can be done here is to let him try it. I also think he needs to use a ribeye since he knows what this is supposed to taste like when grilled or pan-fried. This way he knows first-hand. Who knows...it may be satisfactory for him.

[GB]

Can it be done? Yes. Will it be an enjoyable steak to eat? No.

If I am not mistaken, microwaves cook from the inside out so unless he wants his steaks well done it will not work well. Also, browning is not a feature microwaves are known for. It can be done, but not well. Steaks benefit from browning so the two really do not go hand in hand.

[Andy M.]

Well, it is a microwave/convection oven so the results will be better than a simple microwave. I agree with kitchenelf, cook the steak you are familiar with so you can compare results.

[Scotch]

It can be done, of course, but it will be sort of like boiled beef, not a grilled steak. That's because of the way a microwave works -- it essentially turns the water content of the food into steam, which heats the solid part of the food. There's no hot surface to sear the meat in a microwave.

There are some gadgets sold that supposedly will grill a steak in the microwave -- they get really hot, like a fry pan. However, the reviews on QVC indicate that they don't work very well -- the meat still tastes steamed.

[SRL]

Sounds like he intends to use convection, not microwave, so it should work fine. Trick will be getting enough heat to nicely brown the outside before it's too done on the inside. I would make sure there is good airflow all around the steak so the convection can do its thing most efficiently. But as the others have said, microwaving wouldn't give very good results.

[JohnL]

I've never "cooked" anything in a microwave before. I just use mine to defrost and reheat things for the most part. But what the heck, I've always enjoyed a good science project! If it were me, I don't think that I would use a good steak like a ribeye to experiment with though. Maybe something less expensive like a chuck steak, just to see how the product turns out. If he can make that work, he can then work up to ribeye. I've never used or even seen a micro/convection oven before. Does it have a heating element in it for convection mode?

[luvs]

he is just ruining a potentially yummy steak, in my opinion.

[Scotch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SRL Sounds like he intends to use convection, not microwave, so it should work fine. Trick will be getting enough heat to nicely brown the outside before it's too done on the inside. I would make sure there is good airflow all around the steak so the convection can do its thing most efficiently. But as the others have said, microwaving wouldn't give very good results.

Can you do convection without microwave? Anyway, wouldn't it be more baked than grilled? Not ideal either way, IMHO.

[SRL]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnL I've never "cooked" anything in a microwave before. I just use mine to defrost and reheat things for the most part. But what the heck, I've always enjoyed a good science project! If it were me, I don't think that I would use a good steak like a ribeye to experiment with though. Maybe something less expensive like a chuck steak, just to see how the product turns out. If he can make that work, he can then work up to ribeye. I've never used or even seen a micro/convection oven before. Does it have a heating element in it for convection mode?

Well, mine has a big steel rack you put inside for convection mode, so I assume there are no microwaves involved. You preheat it in convection mode and it blows hot air and seems to work just like the ones I remember from my restaurant days. It definitely will be roasting, not broiling, since there is no direct radiant heat.

Dang it, I think he's got me hooked now. I might just need to go to the store and buy a steak to give it a try!