Three Cheers for Steak

by

Sunday night when Santa Maria was making gingerbread-cookie dough, I was cooking a quick dinner of steak, broccoli, and baked potato. This is a common division of labor in our house—Santa Maria handles the sweets, and I juggle much of everything else. Nina and Pinta go crazy for the treats she whips up, but they also applaud my efforts from time to time.

We aren’t the type of parents to do much childproofing. I’ve been in houses where there’s practically an armed guard in the kitchen, along with locks on the stove and barricades in front of the bathroom. I believe in teaching them what to watch out for, rather than trying to make the world perfectly “safe” for them.

I remind them to stay away from the stove or the oven when I’m cooking. They pay close attention. They like to be with me, but they have to be careful. Our kitchen in Brooklyn is so small that the refrigerator isn’t anywhere to be seen—it is in the hall, between the bathroom and the front door. When the four of us are in the space at the same time, it can look like we’re playing a game of Twister.

Whenever they hear the sound of something sizzling on the stovetop, I warn the girls to watch out, that the hissing and snapping mean that there’s something very hot up there. At my mother’s house on Sunday night, when I threw the sirloin in the smoking-hot frying pan, it snapped and crackled. Pinta, who was standing on a chair to my right, watching me, turned towards me and smiled and started to clap and cheer.

Stove-top Sirloin (All Thumbs Experimental Method)

I have yet to develop great skill in cooking meat, and it’s with a bit of anxiety that I post the following recipe. I wouldn’t rely on it alone—I can’t tell you how long to cook the meat, for example. I put it here to encourage people: the only way to improve is to practice. I can make a half-decent steak because I’ve tried many times before. The following worked well on Sunday night, and it’s more or less what I do every time.

  • sirloin steak, about 1-inch thick
  • Salt

Remove meat from refrigerator about a half-hour before cooking and allow to come to room temperature.

Heat a frying pan until it is smoking.

Throw a good layer of salt in it.

Toss on the steak.

Cook at high heat about three minutes, or until side is nicely charred.

Flip the meat and cover the pan.

Continue to cook for about three more minutes, then set aside and allow it to sit for about five-to-ten minutes. Slice and check a thick part. Pray that it is medium to medium rare.

6 thoughts on “Three Cheers for Steak”

  2. Hi there!
    Please let me know how it turns out. In all fairness, I have to say it might be a good idea to google Mark Bittman and steak and get a more professional take on the best way to cook a piece of meat. Remember what I always say to myself “you can’t un-cook it.” It’s best to go on the rare side and risk it being underdone than to overcook it and ruin it.

  3. I agree with your philosophy John – I was just on this subject with Anya the other day. Learning to be competent in the kitchen is a great way to develop confidence in other areas – there’s a lot to juggle when cooking a real meal – how to time things properly, how to multitask, how to plan – all while making sure you don’t hurt yourself accidently 🙂 Fortunately, I have never had a bad kitchen accident.
    This week-end I had friends over and cooked Braised Short Ribs. Incredibly yummy and the slow cooking makes it easy to do when friends are coming over. It is brutal trying to cook a meal in a small NYC kitchen. I’m even more in awe now of that blogger who cooked all of those Julia Child recipes in her brooklyn apartment. Unless you have one of them, you don’t realize what an extra logistical challenge it gives the poor cook trying to plate everything! Hugs to everyone and happy holidays!

  4. John,
    Alton Brown was the source of my foolproof steak method, one that rivals the best steaks I’ve had in fancy steakhouses. The first thing you need – this is non-negotiable – is a good cast iron skillet. Lodge makes the
    for ~$20 (I’ve got the 12″ and love it).
    I suggest ribeye because they are my favorite, but you can do it with your favorite cut.
    1. Heat your skillet in a 500F oven for no less than 20min.
    2. Let your steak come to room temp.
    3. Pat the steak dry with a paper towel.
    4. Lightly oil both sides of the dried steak with canola.
    5. Salt and pepper liberally, you need more than you think (I often add
    chopped Rosemary to this – it’s incredible)
    6. Press your seasonings into the meat to make sure they stick.
    7. Pull the skillet out of the oven, and stick it on the stove on high.
    8. Put the steaks in the skillet.
    9. Turn the steak after one minute. After one more minute, return the steaks to the oven (still 500f).
    10. Two minutes, and then flip the steaks. Two more minutes, pull them out and let them rest on a cooling rack with some foil gently tented over the top (not going for air tight, it’ll ruin your beautiful crust).
    11. After 5-10min of rest, savor the perfection.
    The times I provided are appropriate for steaks about 1.5″ thick and a perfect medium rare. If you like them rare, knock off 30-45 seconds per side of the oven time. If you like them more
    done, may God have mercy on your soul.
    Let me know how it turns out if you try it.
    Pat

Comments are closed.