How to cook steak?

[twainny]

(not sure if this belongs here or in the "tips/how to cook" thread)

So the only way I know how to cook steak is to grill it. I am looking for recipes for other ways to cook steak (I am talking t-bone, porterhouse, sirloin, etc). Or is grilling the way to go?

I have been watching some cooking shows and they sear it in a pan. I tried that once and the steak was gross. At the price of meat, I hate for my meal to end up in the trash.

Please help!

[tenofcups]

This is my all-time favorite steak recipe, but it does involve frying it in a pan. Dh looked at me like I was nuts the first time I made it -- until he tried it and he now swears it's one of the best meals he's ever eaten!

(The notes in parens are my own notes that I've added to the recipe based on my experiences. As you can see, it's a pretty flexible recipe--if you don't have the exact ingredients, you can substitute with no problem.)

Steak Diane

salt
pepper
3 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. shallots minced [if you don't have real shallots, can use dried ones instead]
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 ½ tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. fresh chives [I always use dried]
1 tsp. brandy [I never have brandy in the house, so I'm pretty sure I just use cooking sherry instead]

portobello mushrooms

- Season both sides of steak with salt and pepper
- Sauté 2 tbsp. butter, mustard, and shallots over medium heat one minute
- Add steaks and cook approx. three minutes on each side [but really takes a lot longer than that--about 5 minutes on each side]
- Remove steaks to serving plate and keep warm
- Add into pan drippings 1 tablespoon butter, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and fresh chives
- Cook for two minutes
- Add brandy
- Pour over steaks

Can also add portobello mushrooms, which is what I usually do -- sauté in butter with shallots in separate pan (less than five minutes)

Oops--forgot to add that I make that with filet mignon (or tenderloin as they seem to call it today). The above amounts work nicely for two nice sized pieces, enough for two people for dinner. If you were making for more or less people, you could adjust the other ingredients up or down.

[laura]

We pan sear our steaks in a cast iron skillet for either 30 seconds or a minute on each side (I can't recall right off hand) and then we finish cooking them in the oven w/ the broiler on until done. We usually do about 2-3 minutes per side in the oven, but it depends on your cut, thickness, and how done you like it (we like medium rare).

[DallasLady]

The only way we do steaks is on the grill. Once I got used to having it this way, no other way will do.

We keep the seasoning minimal- a good piece of meat doesn't need much. Salt, coarse ground pepper, garlic powder, maybe a little minced onion. Sometimes I'll marinate in worchestershire if it's not a great cut of meat. Then we grill it hot and fast (we like it rare).

[Rosebud]

Here is a thread of Beef Recipes (http://www.constantchatter.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35779) that should be helpful as well.

[maplekitty]

i have a cast iron grill pan that i love!

spray with cooking oil. season steaks (garlic powder and seasoning pepper). put on grill. dont touch!! thats the biggest tip, dont touch it, just let it cook, about 5 mins each side. then set it on a cooking board and cover with a piece of foil to let it rest, about 3-5 mins.

[jenjunum]

I cook steak differently depending on the cut. For a fillet (tenderloin) I really like that crust across the whole steak. So I cook those either in my everyday frying pan (a calphalon skillet, truply aluminum, not nonstick) or in a flat bottom cast iron pan. I don't deglaze a cast iron pan so if I want to make a pan sauce I always cook it in my regular pan. For flank steak or skirt steak, I cook that in a cast iron pan with ridges--a grill pan. For a NY steak I'll use either one of the above 2 methods. Those are typically the only cuts of steak I cook with.

I only season with kosher salt and pepper. Nothing else ever. Any other type of seasoning comes in a sauce not on the steak.

I think a seared fillet tasted better than off a grill.