Grilling steak isn't all that bad, especially if you are using wood. Can't get that smokiness on a skillet. Love me a ribeye grilled over mesquite.
Aha, so Peter Luger apparently understands how to work the broiler. What's his secret? Please, no more responses about how to grill, or how to sear a steak on the stovetop in the cast iron skillet. I already know and love those methods. I'm looking for some education on how to employ this fucking useless appliance I have. BROILING STEAK INSIDE YOUR OVEN, GO:
I looked around a little and what I could find on Peter Luger is that he broils them in a commercial broiler at 1800 degrees. You're not gonna get that kind of output from your home kitchen stove.
My method: salt & pepper each side, then put an extremely tiny amount of olive oil on each side. Have the stove on max, heat the all metal (oven safe) pan till it is screaming hot. Sear each side briefly to get a nice crust and seal in the juices. Then finish it in the oven until it hits the desired doneness. After that, you remove the pan from he oven, plate the steak with tongs, and put a tin foil tent on top and let it sit for ~5 mins to re-absorb the juices.
Nope. Your point disproven. The difference between broiling and grilling is solely that the heat comes from above in a broiler and from below on a grill. Both are dry cooking methods as the juices and melted fat are permitted to drain away from the meat rather than being trapped as on a flat top or in a pan. Luger broils in a commercial unit that is at or slightly above 800 degrees (not 1800 as someone else posted here) just a little hotter than your weber grill can reach. Cast iron pans are for grilled cheese, which is neither grilled nor usually cheese, but rather "pasteurized cheese product."
This is my method as well. I take the steaks out about 15-20 mins before cooking and give them a liberal amount of salt and pepper. Throw in a little butter in the pan and start off on high heat to get a nice crust then dial it back after flipping. Take off at 130° and let sit for 10 mins or so and enjoy. Yeah I think I'm picking up steaks today now.
An alternative method for indoor cooking of steaks is the "sous vide" method which is essentially cooking at very low, controled temps. While this can be done in a conventional oven the most accurate sous vide method is a digitally controlled water bath (with the steak vacuum sealed in a plastic bag). Sounds odd but it works and allows for the most control in cooking to the desired doneness. A few things to consider: if using a conventional oven, you'd want to lightly freeze just the outside of the steaks before pre-searing (prior to cooking low temp 'sous vide'). This prevents the interior of the steak from getting too much of a head start cooking-wise (important to consider given the slow, lo-temps involved). As for the searing, a blow torch does the trick very nicely however you should use one that burns MAAP or propylene and not propane since they produce a hotter flame, that is, the more 'complete combustion' does not result in any fuel odor residue. Once seared, into a very low oven with a digital read themometer and adjust accordingly (pull the steaks at--depending on how you like them--between 128-133 F). As for the "water bath" method, google 'sous vide cooker' and a number of gizmos will pop up: http://www.sousvidesupreme.com/en-us/chefs.htm However, a good Dutch Over 3/4 filled with water is a perfectly suitable platform when going the vacuum-sealed warm bath route. In addition, a number of recipes are available on-line as well. Again, it's not as crazy as it seems and it produces some of the most tender meats you can imagine. Sous vide 101: http://www.sousvidesupreme.com/en-us/sousvide101.htm
I was actually reading about this earlier, didn't get enough info yet though. Where I was reading said it is easier and turns out just as good to do the searing after cooking if you already have the meat sealed. Might try the beer cooler method tomorrow.
I have the "Demi" model off that website. The starter kit is really good. My only regret is not getting the "supreme" model.
I thought most top steak houses use salamanders to broil their steaks then finish them in the oven. I find it's never to cold to grill and will did a 3 foot deep trench in the snow to get to my grill. _
Btw, I've tried dry aging my steaks in the fridge using Alton Brown's method from Good Eats. He also shows a method of top grilling steaks (which I have not tried). www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4aI_O8kcN8 Lately after finishing my filets on the grill I hit them with a big dollop of black truffle butter as they rest, all that rich goodness just melts all over the top of the steak. _
Professional chefs always finish in the oven Not all of them broil first, a lot use a pan or a stove top grill.
I'd like to try this at home as well like dierking was mentioning but I feel like I would not be able to get the broiler hot enough. Also I like to check the temp a couple times towards the end with a meat thermometer because I always shoot for 130° before taking off heat and opening the oven repeatedly would defeat the whole purpose.
Dude, I have 3 thermometers in the kitchen, one for steak, one for pork, one for fowl. My wife is a great cook, but refuses to use them, I'm the one that does Xmas turkey and Easter ham, and during the summer I always do at least 2 pork loins. I temp five times no matter what I am cooking, and it always comes out right. She gets so pissed off.
I was always led to believe that its a cardinal sin to pierce the flesh of a steak while its cooking and let all those flavorous juices escape. That's why you use tongs and not forks on the grill. But I'm supposed to get a meat thermometer in there? No way.
You absolutely use tongs for that reason. But imo the downside of piercing a couple times with a meat therm is pretty minimal when gauged with the upside of guaranteed perfectly cooked meat.
I've always felt that the trick isn't the amount of time you cook something, but the finishing temp you pull the item off the heat to rest. Internal Temp is everything particularly for beef, pork and poultry. Let the meat take as long as it takes to reach the correct internal temp you're looking for. Usually, I pull at about 10* lower than my target temp, cover and rest. The item keeps cooking but all the juices redistribute and you wind up with perfection. JMHO
