Good steak! (peanut, marinade, grocery store, meats)

[johnrex62]

I adhere to Alton Brown's advice:

Place a large well-seasoned cast iron fry pan in the oven and heat oven to 500 degrees. Keep pan in oven 10-12 minutes after 500 degrees is reached; pan should smoke lightly. While pan is heating, lightly oil top and bottom of steaks with a good olive oil; season top side to taste. Turn gas cooktop on high and move pan from oven to burner. Place steaks seasoned side up in pan. The steak should sizzle immediately. Brown 30-60 seconds depending on the thickness. Flip the steak and repeat same length of time.

Remove from stove top and return to oven; cook 6 – 10 minutes depending on thickness for medium; a bit less for medium rare.


I have always had folks rave about my steaks and it is so easy. You can season according to your diner's tastes. Some like peppery, some like sweet or garlic or whatever. Alton's method just ensures that the steak is cooked properly and juicy.

[DontH8Me]

I grill mine - never from frozen/thawed, however. Always fresh.

Higher heat - place the steak on grill and DON'T MOVE IT. After a few minutes, use the tongs to peek under. If it's stuck, it's not ready yet. If you can peel up an end and you see the marks on the steak from the grill - turn the steak about 45 degrees and repeat. Flip the steak once and repeat the same process.

As stated earlier, use the hand squish test to check for your preferred level of doneness. Depends on the heat as well as the thickness of the steak.

[Dirt Grinder]

Regarding seasoning, it's better to rub the steaks with raw garlic than to sprinkle with garlic powder. The garlic powder burns and creates a bitter, burned taste.

[Threestep2]

Have the meat at room temperature. Have a very good cut of meat.

[Moonlady]

I usually grill mine, but recently I found a cooking technique for the stovetop that seems crazy but it produces an awesome steak. Works best with steaks about an inch thick.

Cook in a 225 degree oven for about 25 minutes or until temperature reaches 95 degrees for med - med-rare. Remove from the oven and sear in a hot (preferably cast iron skillet) until brown all over and to your doneness liking.

I've always heard about the searing and then baking, but this works wonderfully and you get a nice even pink interior and a nice crispy exterior.

[Cleonidas]

Originally Posted by FlowerPower00

I need advice, I can cook chicken and pork, but darn it steak is a challenge!!! I have cooked it in the oven and in a cast iron skillet, but it never comes out THAT good. I want to make a steak worth remembering.

The only things you should ever put on a steak are olive oil / ghee / butter, kosher sea salt, fresh-ground black pepper, chopped fresh garlic and thyme (fresh if possible, but dried does the trick). You should give the steak at least an hour, preferably 4-6 or better yet overnight, to soak in the seasoning and let the flavors combine, then at least thirty minutes to come up to room temperature.

Note that I LOVE grass-fed, grass-finished beef (needs aging with a mild acid)... But if you want "a steak to remember" then you are probably talking about a two inch thick, well-marbled cut from a grain-finished animal, otherwise it's not that different from bison or game meats.

Anyway, once your grill is up to temperature and your steak is closer to room temperature in the middle than it is to refrigerator temperature, throw it on the hottest part of the grill and let it sit for two or three minutes, then rotate the steak 45 degrees (this is how you get "cool" grill marks) and let it sit for one or two more minutes. Flare-ups are good at this point; you want the fire to kiss the meat. Flip it over and repeat, then move it to indirect heat and cover. An artist will guesstimate how long to leave the lid down and check periodically for done-ness. A scientist will jam an electronic remote meat thermometer into the thickest part of the steak and set the alarm to an internal temperature of about 130 degrees. Artists and scientists both make great steaks, you just have to decide which you are... If you are a novice, I think it pays to be a scientist until you figure out how to be an artist. Either way, when the steak is done remove it from the heat (use tongs, not a fork... Don't pierce a finished steak until it has rested) and LET IT REST for at least ten minutes. The resting period is the MOST IMPORTANT PART of "a steak to remember".

Note that no one gets to be any good at grilling steaks without serving a few unacceptably raw steaks and a few unintentional beef jerky steaks that are as dry as sand.

[Cleonidas]

Originally Posted by johnrex62

I adhere to Alton Brown's advice:

Place a large well-seasoned cast iron fry pan in the oven and heat oven to 500 degrees. Keep pan in oven 10-12 minutes after 500 degrees is reached; pan should smoke lightly. While pan is heating, lightly oil top and bottom of steaks with a good olive oil; season top side to taste. Turn gas cooktop on high and move pan from oven to burner. Place steaks seasoned side up in pan. The steak should sizzle immediately. Brown 30-60 seconds depending on the thickness. Flip the steak and repeat same length of time.

Remove from stove top and return to oven; cook 6 – 10 minutes depending on thickness for medium; a bit less for medium rare.


I have always had folks rave about my steaks and it is so easy. You can season according to your diner's tastes. Some like peppery, some like sweet or garlic or whatever. Alton's method just ensures that the steak is cooked properly and juicy.

I love Alton Brown, but his methods are for New England yankees.

[mainebrokerman]

by a "choice" bnls rib eye steak, cook it medium rare

the top three grades of beef are prime, choice and select, buy choice- (if you can afford prime,,buy it)

also,,,the best steaks are filet mignon, rib eye, bnls strip sirloin,, porterhouse/T-bone

avoid the lean round steaks, and bnls chuck steaks (they are working muscles which are tougher)




bring steaks,, to room temp before cooking, (it will cook more evenly)


you can grill, pan-fry or broil,,,,

grilling is probly the easiest- watch the youtube clips

panfrying is also good- finish in the oven..

depends on the thickness too,,,get a steak an inch thick

remember, when picking out the steak to buy, look for the marbling - white specks of fat in the steak,, this is flavor, the more marbling,,the higher the grade

also keep in mind lean and tender do not go together- round steaks are lean,,,but are tough

again, id choose a rib eye,,,they are forgiving,,, even if you overcook, they are tender and delicious!!


and avoid grass fed lean steaks,, not all but many sold in stores have a sour taste to them,,,grass fed, means the critter was grass finished,,,all beef critters are grass fed,but good meat ones are finished on grain a few months before processing
( ive cut up many many local organic grass fed cows, ive also cut up tons of higher grade beef choice grade,,,,

I love steaks,,but do not care for grass fed,,,do not take the chance on grass fed/finished

[Butterfly4u]

Remember, you cook beef slowly.
It's not like chicken or pork.
CHicken and pork is cooked at a much higher temp than beef.
The tougher the cut of beef, the lower the temp you cook it.
Real tough cuts (stew beef), are cooked on low heat in fluid.
Steaks are best done on the grill. Period.
I don't cook steak on a real high setting on my outside grill.
I take my time with it, nice and slow, it will be tender.
Other than that, it's a personal preference.
Seasonings, what kind of grill you use, how you cook it as far
as doneness.
I don't cook steak in a fry pan.
Steak is awesome, and pricey, I always buy Prime, the best,
and that piece of meat is going on the grill.

[fibonacci]

NEVER press down on a steak, burger, or any other type of meat while cooking. Always am perplexed by the fact that many people feel the need to press down. Also, take off meat from heat source about 1 to 2minutes away from where you want it cooked. It will keep cooking after you take it off and most meats need to rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting into it.


Also brine brine brine. If you really want to experiment and want to try something completely new see if you can find bone marrow and cook the steak in it. I tried a steak like that from a restaurant a few weeks ago and it was put of this world delicious. Very rich and fatty.

Try a cut like hanger or skirt steak as well. It is a very good choice for marinades and is wildly popular with guests.