How to cook a steak

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Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
None
Choose Your Method to Suit the Size of the Steak

Directions

Steaks from prime- or choice-grade meat are tender. To retain moisture and flavor, tender meat needs the dry, intense heat of grilling, broiling, searing or roasting.

The steak's thickness determines how close the meat needs to be to the heat. You want to coordinate a nicely seared surface with the right degree of doneness inside. Cook thin steaks very close to the heat; thick steaks farther away. For example, you wouldn't broil a 6oz filet; by the time the surface was seared, the inside would be overcooked. Pan-searing or roasting in a heavy skillet would be a better choice; these give the meat more contact with hot metal. Some cuts get the best results from a combination of cooking methods.

Here are some sample cooking techniques and time; all produce a rare to medium-rare steak.

~ 12-Ounce Filet Steak:

Season the entire filet with salt and freshly ground pepper. Broil or grill it 4 inches from the flame. Cook each side for 3 minutes, and then turn again and cook each side for 2 minutes, for a total of 10 minutes. Let it rest for 3 to 5 minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute.

~ 10-Ounce New York Strip or Rib-Eye: Heat a cast-iron skillet until it's smoking hot. Season the steak on both sides with salt and freshly ground pepper. Sear the steak in the skillet for 1½ minutes on each side. Don't use oil; the steak's fat will provide enough. Remove it from the pan and let it rest for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.

~ 16-Ounce New York Strip or Rib-Eye: Heat a grill until very hot and heat the oven to 400 F. Season both sides of the steak heavily with salt and freshly ground pepper. Put the steak on the grill and cook it for 4 minutes on each side, turning once. Remove it, allow to rest for 10 minutes, and then put it in the hot oven for 4 minutes. Remove it, let it rest for 3 to 5 minutes, slice, and serve.

Chef Richard Chamberlain

Chamberlain's Prime Chop House

Dallas, TX

Fine Cooking

Aug-Sept 1995

Submitted By DIANE LAZARUS On 11-11-95

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