In praise of pan-seared steaks

Len's kids are in town, each with their families, so we have a houseful. Last night we had planned on NY Strips on the grill (and splats-- Mike's or Jenise's potato creation..,can't remember.)
Well, we had an unbelievable wind storm and could not even keep the grill lit (even before I put the steaks on). So, I pulled my large rectangular Cuisinart grill pan down from the top shelf of the pantry, lit two burners under it until it was scorching hot and pan seared nine steaks at once. All of the steaks fit beautifully onto the pan (I was surprised), and I could even have gotten one or two more on there if I'd needed to. After I had flipped them, Len walked in and was pleasantly surprised by the nice crust. (We both are great fans of grilled steak and the crustier the better...we weren't looking forward to having to pan sear them.)
The bottom line is that the steaks were delicious. Tender and juicy in a way that we don't get when they are grilled. I would make them this way again in a heartbeat--wind storm or not!
How about everyone else. Do you always grill steak? Always pan sear? Like to mix it up?

[Jenise]

Instant clarification: Mike's method, my name for it.

And oh yes I know what you mean about pan-seared. That crispy crustiness is beef nirvana! It's why, for a hamburger, there's nothing in this world like a hand-made, not-overly-compacted pan-fried, cast-iron-skillet beef patty. When you can get that on a steak, too? Oh yez, oh yez, as Rogov would have said. And then if you really want to sin, top it off with a pat of butter.

Outdoor grilling does a lot of things well but typically, that crust isn't one of them. Though the searing station on our new outdoor grill gets a lot closer than any other outdoor grill I've ever used.

I mix it up, and pan-grilling definitely gets the crust. But I grill outside over mesquite, and the pan doesn't taste like wood.
Maybe that's why I don't mind some wood in my wine....

John

When it comes to steaks, I pretty much always pan-sear them. I just prefer that method over grilling.

The only pan-seared steak I seem to like is tenderloin, and even then I prefer charcoal grilled. There's just something about the way pan-seared tastes that doesn't quite do it for me.

I like charcoal grilled, too. (But, heck, folks, it's steak so even tartare will do.)

Pan seared, finished in the oven.

Len's kids are in town, each with their families, so we have a houseful. Last night we had planned on NY Strips on the grill (and splats-- Mike's or Jenise's potato creation..,can't remember.)
Well, we had an unbelievable wind storm and could not even keep the grill lit (even before I put the steaks on). So, I pulled my large rectangular Cuisinart grill pan down from the top shelf of the pantry, lit two burners under it until it was scorching hot and pan seared nine steaks at once. All of the steaks fit beautifully onto the pan (I was surprised), and I could even have gotten one or two more on there if I'd needed to. After I had flipped them, Len walked in and was pleasantly surprised by the nice crust. (We both are great fans of grilled steak and the crustier the better...we weren't looking forward to having to pan sear them.)
The bottom line is that the steaks were delicious. Tender and juicy in a way that we don't get when they are grilled. I would make them this way again in a heartbeat--wind storm or not!
How about everyone else. Do you always grill steak? Always pan sear? Like to mix it up?

Most of our steak consumption is outdoors when camping, when grilling is the only available method. At home, though, pan searing is the method of choice since, as you note, you get that yummy Maillard reaction going on the exterior. A friend of mine has noted that most high end steak houses pan sear rather than grill because of the flavor imparted.

Mark Lipton

I have recently become enamored with vintage cast iron skillets, waffle irons, dutch ovens, roasters (round and oval), plett pans, ebelskivers (pronounced "able-skeevers") griddles, Gem pans, Turks head pans, and a few more. One that I haven't yet found but will buy when I do is a long griddle that fits over two gas burners. The old vintage ones are so much better and better made than anything one can get today, or at least that is my story, and I am sticking to it.

How many of you guys have the Momofuku cookbook??

I bought PRIME tenderloin the other day, cut into filet mignons, at Costco. Wonderful marbling, and tenderloin never has marbling.

I cooked 2 of them tonight using the Momofuku recipe, which is 2 minutes in a smoking hot cast iron fry pan, then a flip, 2 more minutes, and then a few minutes in a 400 degree oven. First step is "salt the meat like a NY sidewalk in winter." After the oven you add butter, minced garlic, and thyme to the pan and baste the meat repeatedly.

This worked beautifully on this lovely tender meat.

For sides 1) duck fat potatoes (fingerling potatoes boiled starting with cold water, then halved and scorched in duck fat, and salted)

2) slivered shiitaki mushrooms sauteed with shallot.

3) fennel bulb sliced lengthwise sauteed with onions sliced lengthwise. Because it was still a little tough I braised with a bit of chicken broth until totally tender.

Louise said "this is the best beef I ever tasted!!"

Pan searing is great.

I'm usually in the anti-tenderloin crowd, but if my Costco has prime filet with noticable marbling, I'll try (and yes we have the Momofuko cookbook)

They had several packages at the Vineyard Road Costco in Edison NJ

In honor of this thread, I pan-seared some tri-tips tonight: really hot pan, a small splash of vegetable oil, about 3 minutes per side, then 5-6 minutes in a 500* oven. Really perfect. I'm sold.

Note: I did then finish them off pizzaiola because that was the plan for the evening but I'm going to leave them au naturel next time. Or maybe butter and garlic....

In honor of this thread, I pan-seared some tri-tips tonight: really hot pan, a small splash of vegetable oil, about 3 minutes per side, then 5-6 minutes in a 500* oven. Really perfect. I'm sold.

I could eat that.

In honor of this thread, I pan-seared some tri-tips tonight: really hot pan, a small splash of vegetable oil, about 3 minutes per side, then 5-6 minutes in a 500* oven. Really perfect. I'm sold.

Makes me smile to have inspired.
(Robin, can you create a "Like" button??? Kidding.)

In honor of this thread, I pan-seared some tri-tips tonight: really hot pan, a small splash of vegetable oil, about 3 minutes per side, then 5-6 minutes in a 500* oven. Really perfect. I'm sold.

Makes me smile to have inspired.
(Robin, can you create a "Like" button??? Kidding.)

We're pan searing tonight in honor of this thread....thanks a bunch.

What pan searing looked like -- the Momofuku method with a dry pan at high temperature. These are the tenderloin steaks, and you can see the smoke.

Steaks.jpg

[Jenise]

I just got the momofuku book like two weeks ago. Haven't thoroughly digested it, but wish I'd seen this thread before I went in a different direction with the tenderloin I accidentally thawed out today. Damn!

since you couldn't keep the fire lit because of the wind; you must have been using gas. gas will almost never give a crust as it is not hot enough. the wind would not cause a problem(and maybe help) a real charcoal fire(not briquets). as someone else pointed out, it is quite easy to get a crust using charcoal. in the summer i get my crust outside to avoid heating the house and in the winter i get it on cast iron - which heats the house and me at the same time.