Bachelor Chef Recipe : Pepper-crusted Steak

[Wolf Static]

Okay, when it comes to cooking at home - I am completely inept. I used to eat out all the time and spent TONS at restaurants, until I couldn't even afford new pickups for one of my guitars (yes, I'm referring to the Suhr Aldrich humbucker set for my ESP Eclipse!)

Anyway, here's a kick-ass recipe for making your own restaurant-grade steak at home for even the most inept of chefs, without breaking your back or your budget... Now... I welcome any enhancements / improvements to the following, as I'm sure that there are some gourmet chefs here at TGP...

What you need :

* 1 x NY Strip
* 1 cup of Coarse ground black pepper / coarse sea salt
* Olive Oil
* Iron skillet with a metal handle (and an oven mitt).

1) Start Preheating your oven @ 200 degrees, and skillet on your stove top at medium heat.

2) Sprinkle the salt evenly across the steak. Do the same with the pepper and press it in.

3) Throw a drizzle of olive oil. on the steak.

4) Do the same for the other side of the steak.

5) Throw the steak onto the nicely pre-heated skillet and sear each side for 2-3 mins (depending on thickness).

6) Throw the entire skillet (with the steak) into the now, pre-heated oven for a your desired duration. I like mine medium, so it's just like 5-8 mins (depending on thickness)... but you can always periodicaly check the 'wellness' of the steak.

7) Serve with some firey horseradish sauce and a splash of A1 and you're all set!

Anyway... this has been a public service. I figure that since I didn't know about this and discovered how easy it is to pull off such a delicious meal - I'm sure there'll be someone else here that may find it helpful!

[Ultron]

nicely done......searing first, then finishing in the oven is often overlooked, but that's how the great ones are made. Why only 200 degrees? I would think high temp.

Also, ditch the A1 and try to find a bottle of Smith and Wollensky steak sauce. I put that shit in my coffee. Thank me later.

[Wolf Static]

nicely done......searing first, then finishing in the oven is often overlooked, but that's how the great ones are made. Why only 200 degrees? I would think high temp.

Also, ditch the A1 and try to find a bottle of Smith and Wollensky steak sauce. I put that shit in my coffee. Thank me later.

LOL... No kidding... Smith & Wollensky - I'll look out for that! Since I'm pretty new to this - what would you recommend high-temp wise in the oven. I'm just afraid that it'll over-cook, like you mentioned...

I'm going to try and bacon-wrap it this weekend. (I hear a toothpick is what's required to keep the bacon on the steak?)

[shark_bite]

Far out. You just gave me an idea for dinner. And a new thread idea. Bachelor food!

[scottl]

Try reducing red wine into a delicious sauce. Add garlic, jalapeno, salt, pepper, diced onion or shallot, parsley, sriracha, and/or whatever floats your boat.

Better than any store bought condiment!

[dkals]

LOL... No kidding... Smith & Wollensky - I'll look out for that! Since I'm pretty new to this - what would you recommend high-temp wise in the oven. I'm just afraid that it'll over-cook, like you mentioned...

I'm going to try and bacon-wrap it this weekend. (I hear a toothpick is what's required to keep the bacon on the steak?)

You tube "Alton Brown steak" From memory, grape seed oil, or peanut oil (does not smoke a lot ) oven 500 degrees. Oil the skillet, skillet in the oven get it to 500. Then skillet on the stove over a high burner, 45 seconds each side for the steak. Skillet and steaks back in the oven steaks 2 minutes each side. Perfect medium rare. Important to have a good oven mitt, get one of those thick rubber ones that takes high heat. A regular oven mitt will heat soak in seconds and you are looking at blisters.

[Doodad]

Try reducing red wine into a delicious sauce. Add garlic, jalapeno, salt, pepper, diced onion or shallot, parsley, sriracha, and/or whatever floats your boat.

Better than any store bought condiment!

No doubt. A good pan sauce is a thing of beauty.

Don't forget to rest the steak tented under foil while you make the sauce.

[Ultron]

I thought kitchens finish them in a 500 degree oven. You'll have to experiment to find the correct cooking time base on the cut and how you like it done.

Speaking of shallots, here's a nice sauce I pulled from Bon Appetit years ago....great on steaks:


Roquefort Sauce

4 T (1/2 stick) butter
1/3 c shallots, finely chopped
2 tsp flour
1/2 cp dry white wine
2/3 cp crumbled Roquefort cheese (about 3 oz)
1/4 c whipping cream

1. Melt 2 T of butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add shallots and saute till just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
3. Add flour and stir one minute. Gradually mix in wine. Boil til liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Reduce to low.
4. Gradually add Roquefort and stir till melted and smooth.
5. Add whipping cream and simmer 24 minutes.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.

[buddaman71]

Hot sear then oven roast in same pan is exactly how I was taught by a friend of mine who used to be a sous chef at Ruth Chris.

My steaks made at home are as good or better than any I have ever paid $$$ for at restaurants.
I love to make different types of sauces too, although it's pretty hard to beat a melted bleu cheese/garlic/cream sauce drizzled over the steak.

For the absolute best steak sandwich I've ever tasted, buy a nice cibatta loaf from Panera or a local bakery.
Split longwise, place provolone on the bottom half and toast in the oven while the steak is resting.
Slice the steak diagonally against the grain, place on the toasted/cheese bottom, cover with caramelized onions/mushrooms that were cooked in the steak pan, top with the bleu cheese sauce and eat.

It will change your life.

[jcmark611]

Yeah, you need to kick up the heat to 500. Literally takes just minutes to make a steak (one the oven gets to 500....)

Here is an idea to kick it up just a bit. Once the steaks are done, leave the burner on high. Throw some red wine and Worcestershire sauce in the pan (after removing the steaks) with some mushrooms. Cook that for about a minute or two and it's a meal!

[GregoryL]

Just need to throw some mushrooms and sliced onions in that skillet and you're golden.

[GA20T]

1 CUP of pepper & sea salt?! lol

[Stike]

1 CUP of pepper & sea salt?! lol

I like salt but DAYUM!:rotflmao

Another turn that oven up to 500.

[tonedaddy]

1 CUP of pepper & sea salt?! lol

No kidding.

Even assuming that cup is 1/2 cup sea salt and 1/2 cup pepper,
my sea salt container specs 1/4 tsp at 570 mg sodium.

That makes 1/2 cup sea salt come in at 54,720 mg sodium,
or nearly 23 days of the recommended sodium intake
(at the RDA of sodium < 2400 mg/day).

Any way you slice it (pun intended), that's a salty steak (or two)!
You might have a lot of sea salt coming off the steak during cooking,
but if you make a pan sauce, the sodium will still show up there.

Not trying to be the salt police here, just passing along the info for anyone's use.
;)

[GA20T]

Ok, I'll play. Steak Au Poivre is in regular rotation in my kitchen.

1 heavy skillet (well seasoned cast iron is both cheap & excellent for this task)
Aluminum foil
6-8 ounce steak/s (such as rib eye or filet mignon)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1-2 teaspoons black peppercorns, coarsely crushed (I use the bottom of my heavy skillet on a cutting board)
2 tablespoons butter
salt, to taste
1/2 cup chicken stock
dash dry sherry, Cognac, or both (optional)

Rub steaks lightly with olive oil, press peppercorns into both sides.
Heat 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat until very hot. Add steak/s and cook, turning once, until nicely browned on both sides, about 6 mins. for medium-rare. *HINT= learn the thumb-doneness trick! (http://kitchensavvy.typepad.com/journal/2005/04/grilling_steak_.html) Season steak/s with salt. Transfer the steak/s to a warmed plate and loosely tent with aluminum foil to rest.
Add remaining tablespoon of butter to pan and melt. Add the stock and bring to a boil over high heat, scraping up any browned bits in the pan w/ a wooden spoon. Add the sherry & boil rapidly until reduced by half. Add the Cognac and cook for another 30 seconds or so. Season the sauce with salt & pepper to taste and drizzle over your fabulous steaks.

Bon Appetit!

Don't get me started on Steak Dianne...

[jamess]

Okay!! Okay!! I GIVE!!!!!!!

After reading this thread I simply have to cook a steak this weekend.

I can almost taste it already.......

[DWB1960]

And it's best to let the meat come to room temperature before starting to cook it. And like others have said, letting it rest 5 minutes before cutting it allows the juices to incorporate back into the meat. If you don't do this they end up all over the plate instead.

My well seasoned cast iron skillet is killer. It has never once seen any soap and it never will. Here's some chicken parmesan I made in it a while back.

http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs199.snc3/20637_1359767917466_1329591606_31010073_69637_n.jp g

[GA20T]

And it's best to let the meat come to room temperature before starting to cook it. And like others have said, letting it rest 5 minutes before cutting it allows the juices to incorporate back into the meat. If you don't do this they end up all over the plate instead.

Two of the MOST common errors when cooking a steak. Excellent points. Nice looking chicken parm btw!

[TimD]

The first time I cooked a steak this way, I doused the pan with Olive Oil instead of the steak.
After almost causing a major house fire I realized I burned off half of my beard and one eyebrow.
I saved the steak and still had a delicious dinner despite the flames and smoke.

[Rob Sharer]

Dudes, this stuff is WAY beyond real bachelor cooking. Here's a real bachelor recipe:

Easy Tuna Beans

Ingredients:
1 can cheap tuna
1 can baked beans (preferably Heinz in the blue can)

Gently open both cans. Lovingly glop the contents into a saucepan. Stir the fool out of it over medium heat. Serve with saltines taken off the table at Long John Silvers.



Rob

[DWB1960]

Gently open both cans. Lovingly glop the contents into a saucepan. Stir the fool out of it over medium heat. Serve with saltines taken off the table at Long John Silvers.

:rotflmao

[Jerry]

If you want some long lasting oven mitts, get som welding gloves! We've been using a pair of them for 15 years.

[Jerry]

Ooopps double post

[tonedaddy]

Ok, I'll play. Steak Au Poivre is in regular rotation in my kitchen.

1 heavy skillet (well seasoned cast iron is both cheap & excellent for this task)
Aluminum foil
6-8 ounce steak/s (such as rib eye or filet mignon)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1-2 teaspoons black peppercorns, coarsely crushed (I use the bottom of my heavy skillet on a cutting board)
2 tablespoons butter
salt, to taste
1/2 cup chicken stock
dash dry sherry, Cognac, or both (optional)

Rub steaks lightly with olive oil, press peppercorns into both sides.
Heat 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat until very hot. Add steak/s and cook, turning once, until nicely browned on both sides, about 6 mins. for medium-rare. *HINT= learn the thumb-doneness trick! (http://kitchensavvy.typepad.com/journal/2005/04/grilling_steak_.html) Season steak/s with salt. Transfer the steak/s to a warmed plate and loosely tent with aluminum foil to rest.
Add remaining tablespoon of butter to pan and melt. Add the stock and bring to a boil over high heat, scraping up any browned bits in the pan w/ a wooden spoon. Add the sherry & boil rapidly until reduced by half. Add the Cognac and cook for another 30 seconds or so. Season the sauce with salt & pepper to taste and drizzle over your fabulous steaks.

Bon Appetit!

Don't get me started on Steak Dianne...

Start!
Start!
Start!
;)

Steak Au Poivre is my fave steak.
Great recipe, GA20T!!

[GA20T]

Start!
Start!
Start!
;)

Steak Au Poivre is my fave steak.
Great recipe, GA20T!!

I'm too busy/lazy to type right now, but Gordon Ramsey's recipe, which I've made many times, is a very close variant of my own take. I'd strongly suggest this method. For those who haven't had the pleasure of a great Steak Diane, this is an EXCELLENT place to start and you will not be let down!


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[Wolf Static]

For those who haven't had the pleasure of a great Steak Diane, this is an EXCELLENT place to start and you will not be let down!

OMG... That Steak Diane looks KILLER! Gotta try that one... I'll probably botch it, but I'll try it! LOL...

Chef Ramsey is one of the reasons I'm into cooking again (and saving a few bob, while doing it!)...


:bonkEVERYONE : Yes, the 1 cup of salt and pepper measure was incorrect - and no, I didn't use that much! LOL... :bonk

[Wolf Static]

You tube "Alton Brown steak" From memory, grape seed oil, or peanut oil (does not smoke a lot ) oven 500 degrees. Oil the skillet, skillet in the oven get it to 500. Then skillet on the stove over a high burner, 45 seconds each side for the steak. Skillet and steaks back in the oven steaks 2 minutes each side. Perfect medium rare. Important to have a good oven mitt, get one of those thick rubber ones that takes high heat. A regular oven mitt will heat soak in seconds and you are looking at blisters.

Thanks dkals... I'll try that this weekend... I'm starving!

[puckhead]

my bachelor stand-by was as follows:

a bit of olive oil in a pan
bit of crushed garlic
fresh cracked pepper
sliced chicken-breast

sear the above stuff on med heat until the chicken just begins to brown.
coat the chicken with spicy thai sauce in the pan, continue to stir occasionally.
in a few minutes, that thai sauce will reduce to an amazing glaze.
Chicken is yummy, sweet with just the right amount of zing to it.

serve with a fairly basic pasta (olive oil & basil or something) or rice.