St. Louis, MO 63144
Ph: 314-862-COOK (2665)
Mon-Sat 9:30 am to 5:30 pm
Sun 12 to 5 pm
Mark Bittman wrote in the New York Times a recipe for cooking steak in the oven-broiler. Kitchen Conservatory has had many customers ask us about his cooking technique. After cooking his method last night, here are my suggestions.
1. Do not use a non-stick pan.
2. Use a cast-iron skillet, but not a grill pan.
3. Position the rack as close to the broiler as the skillet will allow.
4. Preheat the oven to 550 degrees. Turn off. Set the boiler on high and wait until the broiler is on. Use tongs to place the steak on the pan. Close the oven.
5. Cook a one-inch thick steak for exactly 3 minutes. Using tongs, remove the steak from the oven, turn the steak over, and let the meat rest for 5 minutes. Serve.
6. Be careful as the cast-iron pan will still be hot several hours later.
Lodge pre-seasoned cast-iron skillets are perfect for broiling steaks.
store information
Mon-Sat 9:30 am to 5:30 pm
Sunday 12 to 5 pm
9011 Manchester Road
St. Louis, MO 63144
314-862-COOK (2665)
I have tried this method. It might just replace outdoor winter grilling and thus not freezing. Experience so far: 1) dry the meat before cooking with paper towels and season with only salt and pepper. Moist meat will not brown. 2) 3-minute cooking time results in rare using the upper broiler of an electric oven and the temp at 550 deg F. There is a band of cooked meat about a quarter of an inch on the top and bottom. 6 minutes would produce well done. 3) the meat should be at room temperature before cooking. 4) Use only prime grade meat. 5) Experiment with various cuts of beef: strip steak, porterhouse steak, sirloin steak. Do not use tenderloin since it is too fragile. 6) this cooking method enhances the “beefy” taste, so try some lower prime cuts. 7) resting the meat for 5 minutes is not necessary since so far there has been no juice secreated when the meat is sliced.
Thanks for the head’s up on Bittman’s article and the recommendation not to use a grill pan. I’ve always broiled steaks, because my mother always did (taught by her mother, a good old German meat-and-potatoes cook), but I’ve also always had the hassle of the pan and the foil to line it. Using nothing but a cast iron skillet sounds so easy!