How to Cook a Steak on your Stove top

You'll learn how to cook a good steak
when you can't grill outdoors.
It can turn a bad cut of meat into good dinner,

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cooking oil,spray oil,olive oil your choice
• Aluminum Foil
• Cast Iron skillet
• Meat Thermomator
• Seasoning of your choice
• I use salt,pepper and garlic powder

1. If steaks are frozen, let them thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Once thaw, set steaks out in the sealed package. Do not open the package. Let steaks come to room temperature. This should take 1-2 hrs. WARNING, DO NOT DO THIS TO CHICKEN!!!!

2. Find a plate or platter that will be big enough for all steaks to fit on when they are done cooking. Stretch out a sheet of aluminum foil large enough to cover the bottom. Instead of tearing the foil, fold it over and make a "clam shell" that will cover the steaks top and bottom with about a 2 inches on either side to make a good seal.

3. Place Skillet on stove and add about a teaspoon cooking oil. If using cooking spray, wet skillet well. Turn on heat to high and let skillet heat up.

4. While skillet is heating up, open steaks and sprinkle garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper seasoning the top side only.

5. Place one steak in the skillet seasoning side down. As quickly as possible sprinkle garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper and flip the steak. Your goal is to sear one side and quickly flip it over to seal in the moisture. Moisture will cook out of the top of the steak if it is not seared. Do not cover steak.

6. Cook the steak until it reaches a temp of approximately 160 degrees( check with meat thermometor).
   Flip the steak, check with thermometer again. If it goes up to 180, remove the steak from the pan.

7. Immediately place the steak inside your foil clamshell and seal the edges by folding up. Try to seal it so that the steam stays inside.

8. Repeat steps 5 through 7 for the other steaks.

9. After the last steak is cooked and placed in the clamshell, let all the steaks sit in the foil and continue cooking for about 5 to 8 more minutes.
   
   Serve

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Tips & Warnings

• Do not marinate in a bunch of gunk.
• Do not get carried away with the seasoning.
• It may take a couple of times to get it down- but once you do the steaks are great.
• With meat prices as high as they are right now, using this method can really help a cheaper cut of meat be the best it can be.
• The juices in the foil will be hot! Be careful to not spill it when transporting platter to the table.

[McBob]

on 8/27/2008 I just came across this article completely randomly, and I need to make a couple of points for anyone who sees it in the future.

Searing has nothing to do with sealing in the juices. The reason you sear a steak is to improve the flavour and appearance. There is no reason to quickly cook one side and flip it right away. Cook it for equal time on both sides without moving it in the pan for the best crust, and wipe it down before adding the salt/pepper to eliminate any surface moisture.

Also, "well done" starts at 160F, and at 180F you've got tough, dry, grey meat. I can't imagine why anyone would cook a piece of beef to that temperature. Even the USDA's extremely conservative minimum temperature recommendation isn't that high. I prefer my steaks nice and rare around 120-125, but I'd never go above 135ish (medium rare).