Hint for cooking steak

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Constance

Master Chef
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I have always liked my steak with a good sear on the outside and rare on the inside...difficult to do at home.
We started out with some gorgeous choice ribeyes, and since it was too cold to cook outside, Kim got out the grill pan, which he got nice and hot. He seasoned the steaks as usual with a little garlic, salt & pepper, but the thing he did that was different was to sprinkle a very small amount of sugar on both sides.
The result was just what we've been trying for...a crusty caramelization on the outside, and juicy, rare meat on the inside.
Give it a try next time you grill a steak...I think you'll be pleased with the results!
 
Sometimes, when I don't want to bother with the grill, I'll use my CI skillet. Light coating of evoo, get it good and hot, and you're good to go.

Your suggestion about sprinkling a little sugar on it sounds interesting. Gonna have to try that.

Thanks.
 
This is how my sister has been doing steaks for years, she uses brown sugar.
 
Great info!

Wanted to point out, leaving the steak out for an hour or two allows it's temperature to rise...Use course salt on both sides while it's sitting out...Also for any noobs, it's important to let the steak rest afterwords so the fluids and redistribute...
 
I have always liked my steak with a good sear on the outside and rare on the inside...difficult to do at home.
It can actually be pretty easy to do at home. Once way is the trick you are posting about here, but another is the following.

Conventional wisdom says you should take your steaks out of the fridge an hour or two before you are ready to cook them so they come up to room temp. In your case though this is the opposite of what you should do. You should leave your steaks in the fridge until they are ready to go into the pan. The pan (preferably cast iron) should be rocket hot, as hot as you can get it. This will build in a little leeway so you have time to get that great sear you are looking for without overcooking the center.
 
It can actually be pretty easy to do at home. Once way is the trick you are posting about here, but another is the following.

Conventional wisdom says you should take your steaks out of the fridge an hour or two before you are ready to cook them so they come up to room temp. In your case though this is the opposite of what you should do. You should leave your steaks in the fridge until they are ready to go into the pan. The pan (preferably cast iron) should be rocket hot, as hot as you can get it. This will build in a little leeway so you have time to get that great sear you are looking for without overcooking the center.

You bring up a really good point! Thickness of the steak and BTUs of your range...If you have an electric range and a 2" thick steak, you'd most likely want to leave it on the counter :)
 
Besides what GB said, I buy steaks at least 1" thick. Anything thinner is a waste of time and cannot really be cooked...elegantly. lol Same goed for pork chops, you may as well chop the thin ones up for tacos or something.

I use the poke test cooking my steaks. Different cuts cook differently. Ribeys can be a pain because you have the deckle and loin, two totally different types of meat. I leave a cooler area on my grill so I can position the deckle over the fire without overcooking the loin meat. Meat tends to stiffen/tense up when it's being cooked, I take them off once they feel firm. After they rest I usually have a medium to medium rare steak.

The thicker the steak, the better the crust you can achieve without ruining it. Don;t think you have to buy a 2" thick steak for everyone. The DW and I can split an extra thick steak by slicing it after it rests.
 
We have a glass-top electric range and a Calphalon (new kind) grill pan. These pans are no-stick, but made to withstand high heat. Kim turned the burner up full blast and got the pan really hot, and the results were amazing.

My steak was about 1" thick, and Kim's was closer to 1 1/2" thick. He let his cook a few minutes, and then put mine on.

I find the idea of the brown sugar very interesting...it would lend a little taste of molasses.
 
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