How to Oven Grill Steak

You need not hassle with a barbecue to enjoy a fine steak

For those who enjoy a juicy steak---even on rainy days or in the dead of winter when snow covers the yard---you need not break out the gas or charcoal grill whenever the craving for seared beef strikes. While oven-grilled steaks lack the natural smokiness of those cooked over fire, you can still enjoy the savory flavor of a good T-bone or sirloin steak without leaving your kitchen.

Things You'll Need

• Cast iron oven-ready frying pan
• Steak (sirloin, rib eye, T-bone or porterhouse)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Broiler pan with grill
• Spray on non-stick coating

Instructions

Stove-to-Oven Method

1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Place the frying pan on a burner; turn the burner on high and wait until the pan starts smoking (do not use any oil).

3. Lay the steak on the hot skillet and fry the meat for 30 to 60 seconds until it smokes; flip the meat and sear the other side for the same amount of time.

4. Slide the frying pan into the hot oven. Turn the steak over in the pan after two minutes for rare to medium rare; after four minutes for medium to well done.

5. Remove the frying pan from the oven and serve the steak, seasoned with salt and pepper to taste. Rare steaks should not cook longer than five minutes total time (the meat should yield easily when poked with a finger; for medium steak, cook for seven to eight minutes. More thoroughly cooked meat will be firm when poked. For a well-done steak, poke the meat with a fork or knife; if any bloody juices seep from the steak, cook it for another three or four minutes and test it again.

Broiler Method

1. Preheat the broiler in your oven for five minutes.

2. Spray the broiler pan's grill with non-stick coating and place it in the broiler to heat for five or more minutes.

3. Slide the broiler pan out of the broiler just long enough to lay the steak on one-half of the grill and return to the broiler; cook for two minutes.

4. Remove the broiler pan from the oven just enough to flip the steak onto the unused portion of the grill and return it to the broiler. The grill from the broiler pan should sear dark streaks into the meat.

5. Broil the steak for 4 minutes for rare, six to eight minutes for medium. Check the doneness every minute until you reach the desired firmness.

Tips & Warnings

• Steaks without any bone, such as sirloin or rib eye, will cook more quickly than will those of the same thickness that have a bone (such as T-bones or porterhouses). For boneless steaks, cut cooking time by 25% and check the meat more frequently.

• For the best results, try to buy steaks at least one to one and a half inches thick. If cooking thinner steaks---even with a bone---cut the cooking time in half.

• Either method can produce a considerably amount of smoke; use an exhaust fan if possible or leave an exterior door and window open; you may need to remove the batteries from your nearest smoke detector until your steak has finished cooking.

References

• New York Times: Recipe of the Day: Oven-Grilled Steak