Cooking steaks on 400-degrees electric grill?

[duckdown]

Hi all, my mom shelled out a bit of money (nothing serious, but like 60 bucks) for some Wolfgang Puck grill she was watching on the shopping channel (I know, I know) and she told me that they made great looking steaks on it..

However, then I learn they only go up to 400 max and a good steak needs at least 550 degrees usually from my experience to get a char.. So what can I do to maximize the chances of getting a decent sear on these steaks? I want to be able to get some use out of the thing

Thanks in advance!

[PanchoHambre]

I am not familiar with the wolfgang version but in general I think these electric grills are pretty useless and basically make rubber steak.

IMHO you would be better served with a cast iron grill pan. I have two; an old lodge and a small square LeCreuset both fairly inespensive items and both do a realtively nice job of grilling a steak indoors (still not like a charcoal grill) but they are smokey!

If you are going to use it I would think you would be best off with an allready tender cut.

[DramaQueen]

Originally Posted by PanchoHambre

I am not familiar with the wolfgang version but in general I think these electric grills are pretty useless and basically make rubber steak.

IMHO you would be better served with a cast iron grill pan. I have two; an old lodge and a small square LeCreuset both fairly inespensive items and both do a realtively nice job of grilling a steak indoors (still not like a charcoal grill) but they are smokey!

If you are going to use it I would think you would be best off with an allready tender cut.

I couldn't agree more with everything Pancho wrote here. Electric grills just don't give off enough heat to sear a steak properly. If you can't use an outdoor grill, then do what Pancho suggests. I have two LeCreuset grill pans, one small and oblong for fish or two pieces of meat or poultry and one rectangular one for two burners. They do fantastically well searing steaks or chops. So do my Lodge black cast iron grills.
Forget the electric grill, you will wind up with tough, gray looking steaks. Invest in a Lodge black cast iron grill (very inexpensive and one of the best quality grills you can buy). You really don't need to pop for the price of a LeCreuset. A good steak is just too good to ruin with improper grilling.

[Fisher's Mom]

Maybe you could use your electric grill for a quick hamburger patty or a chicken breast or a grilled sandwich. I have a George Foreman and it really doesn't work well for steak, no matter what the manual says. But since your mom gave it to you, try a few other things and that way you can tell her you are using it! Good luck and welcome to DC!