Cooking in cast iron

[jayt90]

I have the cast iron skillet. I got the steaks to be cooked on top of the stove. I turn the burner on high. I turn on my oscillating fan full blast (I live in an old building).

The skillet is smokin'. I put the steak into the skillet. Ssszzzz.

Okay, what next? Do I let it cook covered/uncovered? Do I turn down the fire at some point? Do I leave it alone for 2 minutes before turning? 5 minutes? 7 minutes? I usually like my steak medium. My concern is that if I want my steak medium, the outside of the steak will be totally burnt.

Help, please? 

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First of all preheat your oven, as high as it will go, while the pan is preheating on the burner. Season and coat the steaks lightly with oil. Sear the best side 2-3 minutes, flip over and do the other side 2-3 min., uncovered. Really thick steaks will take a little longer, but don't overdo it or they will be burnt.

Then put the pan in the oven until you get the medium finish you want. You can tell by pressing the flesh ( a good skill to learn), or by a quick thermometer probe..

I take mine out at 130F but you might be happier at 140F. Transfer to a platter while you deglaze the pan.

Watch for Alton Brown's take on the perfect steak, it will probably be re-run.

[k43]

The sainted Julia's fingertip test:

RAW: Relax your left hand and lightly pinch the flesh between your thumb and your index finger knuckle.

MEDIUM RARE: Turn your hand over and touch the meaty area below the base of the thumb.

WELL DONE :-( :Touch the tip of your nose.

[maui420]

wow is all i can say. i never heard a steak scream for that long before.

i cooked my first ribeye steak on a cast iron and i think i will never go back cooking steaks on a grill.

my friend brought me some thick cowboy ribeyes this weekend. i heated the cast iron pan on my grill until it hit 550, seasoned the ribeye with kosher salt and some olive oil, threw it on the pan, and flipped after 4 mins. there was no need to finish the steak in the oven.

even though the steak came out well done, it was still a really GOOD steak. next time, i will flip after 2 mins.

chewing on the bone was the best part, I felt like a dog.

[Mottmott]

Deglazing a cast iron an with wine? I've seen all sorts of cautions against using a cast iron pan to make sauces? And yet I recall having seen some high priced chef, sorry forget who, deglaze in a cast iron pan and then add cream to finish off his pan sauce. Is the key having a WELL seasoned pan?

Half way off topic: same technique, different meat. With appropriate time modifications and a little basting (I use a turkey baster), the technique discussed above is wonderful with chicken (butterflied or in parts), too. I always brine mine first to keep the flesh from drying out in the oven, fry briefly stovetop in the very hot pan, presentation side down, in some grapeseed oil, then pop it into a hot oven to finish. With a little basting it doesn't even need turning.

[Shalmanese]

With a pan that smoking hot, you don't have any seasoning to worry about.

[DCMark]

Will this method work ok with a NORMAL calphalon pan? Thanks

Edit made after Dave's kind response.

Edited July 18, 2005 by DCMark (log)

[Dave the Cook]

Will this method work ok with a non-stick calphalon pan?  Thanks

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The high-temperature searing method? I wouldn't recommend it. At these temperatures you're closing in on the temperature at which PTFE starts to break down, and you could ruin the pan pretty easily. You really don't need a non-stick pan for this technique, anyway.

[DCMark]

Excuse my complete lack of proof reading. I meant NOT a non-stick pan, a normal calphalon.

Sorry!

Will this method work ok with a non-stick calphalon pan?   Thanks

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The high-temperature searing method? I wouldn't recommend it. At these temperatures you're closing in on the temperature at which PTFE starts to break down, and you could ruin the pan pretty easily. You really don't need a non-stick pan for this technique, anyway.

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[Dave the Cook]

I wondered if that was what you really meant.

I still wouldn't do it. High heat under those pans is an invitation to warpage, in my experience.

[Cleo]

First of all preheat your oven, as high as it will go, while the pan is preheating on the burner. Season and coat the steaks lightly with oil. Sear the best side 2-3 minutes, flip over and do the other side 2-3 min., uncovered. Really thick steaks will take a little longer, but don't overdo it or they will be burnt.

Then put the pan in the oven until you get the medium finish you want. You can tell by pressing the flesh ( a good skill to learn), or by a quick thermometer probe..

I take mine out at 130F but you might be happier at 140F.  Transfer to a platter while you deglaze the pan.

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So I just got a Lodge cast iron pan and I'm going to try it out tonight. I have 2 steaks, not too thick, at home waiting.

I'm going to follow this method, but I have a question...For medium done steaks, about how long should they stay in the oven? I have a thermometer, but I just want to get an idea if we're talking about 5 minutes or more like 15 or 20 minutes (I'm totally clueless on this one!). I don't want to get sidetracked and ruin the steaks!

Thanks!

[Patrick S]

First of all preheat your oven, as high as it will go, while the pan is preheating on the burner. Season and coat the steaks lightly with oil. Sear the best side 2-3 minutes, flip over and do the other side 2-3 min., uncovered. Really thick steaks will take a little longer, but don't overdo it or they will be burnt.

Then put the pan in the oven until you get the medium finish you want. You can tell by pressing the flesh ( a good skill to learn), or by a quick thermometer probe..

I take mine out at 130F but you might be happier at 140F.  Transfer to a platter while you deglaze the pan.

←

So I just got a Lodge cast iron pan and I'm going to try it out tonight. I have 2 steaks, not too thick, at home waiting.

I'm going to follow this method, but I have a question...For medium done steaks, about how long should they stay in the oven? I have a thermometer, but I just want to get an idea if we're talking about 5 minutes or more like 15 or 20 minutes . . .

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It will vary depending on the thickness of your steaks. Most of the steaks I've done this way were thin, only about 3/4" thick, and 3 minutes per side in a blazing hot skillet was all it needed, no oven time necessary.

I love steak cooked this way, but I can't do it very often because I fill my house with smoke, even with the vent fan on high.

[Cleo]

Great, thanks. The steaks are fairly thin, so I don't even think I will need the oven. If I ruin them, I'll know for next time!

[jayt90]

You will need the oven if you get really thick steaks, or a single rib roast. 5-7 minutes should help a 2" steak, but the steak-roasts will take more time. That is why the thermometer is helpful, or the finger press test. The meat will continue to cook, and settle, after removing it from the heat, so it is better to take it out sooner than later.

[EdS]

The Ducasse/French method of using medium heat and butter works well as an alternative. It'll give you a result that's a little different. I prefer it myself to the screaming-in-ultra-hot-pan method but you need to have your steak cut thick for this technique to work well. It's worth trying out especially if you don't have good ventilation and want to avoid all the smoke.

The Ducasse method of cooking steak

[Schneier]

Just did it again. Inch-and-a-half steaks: 5-minutes on a side.

This is the easiest best way of cooking steaks I know.

[Porthos]

Lodge 10 maiden voyage: browning beef for a stew.  I had to deglaze it twice to get all of the fond.