Different take on cooking steaks

[DWB1960]

Tried this with some 1-1.25" thick fillets and it was incredibly yummy.

Let meat come to room temperature. Salt and pepper fillets on both sides 10 minutes before cooking. Add a couple of turns of olive oil into a non-stick skillet (DO NOT use cast iron) and get the sucker as hot as you can.

Sear steaks on each side for 2 minutes.

Then add 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar and 1/4 cup of red wine. Reduce heat to a slow boil and then cook fillets an additional 4 minutes on each side.

(be careful not to have your face too close to the pan when you add the vinegar!)

Remove fillets and let them rest under a foil tent for 5 minutes. Keep liquid on stove and continue to reduce.

Right before serving drizzle a teaspoon or so of the sauce over each fillet.

MMMMMMM!!!!!!!

[Bozak]

Change the vinegar for Brandy and I think that's a French technique, Les Halles style, bet it's pretty good!

[fazendeiro]

Sounds delicious.
Why no cast iron?

[A-Frame]

Originally Posted by Donnie B.

a non-stick skillet (DO NOT use cast iron) and get the sucker as hot as you can.

Isn't that a no-no ? I've heard of health hazards.

[A-Frame]

Originally Posted by fazendeiro

Sounds delicious.
Why no cast iron?

It works great for this.

[Jetrow]

You want to avoid the nonstick pan if you have birds. For that matter, I would avoid a nonstick pan for anything over medium heat.

[zosozep7]

Don't forget the A1!!

[anathema]

Originally Posted by A-Frame

Isn't that a no-no ? I've heard of health hazards.

especially with the low cooking point of olive oil.

[DWB1960]

Originally Posted by fazendeiro

Why no cast iron?

Same reason you shouldn't cook anything tomato or citrus based in one. The acid will ruin your seasoning at least, and corrode the skillet at worst.

[DWB1960]

Originally Posted by zosozep7

Don't forget the A1!!

Don't need it man.

[zosozep7]

Haha! Just kiddin ya Donnie B! Steak recipe sounds good and I would never wreck a steak with A1. At least not a fillet!

[hogy]

Originally Posted by A-Frame

Isn't that a no-no ? I've heard of health hazards.

Absolutely. Google "teflon flu".

Anything above 300F and you're breathing fumes that'll make you sick. Above 450 and it starts to break down, releasing chemical compounds that cause lung damage.

Nasty stuff, I wouldn't use anything non-stick, other than ceramic coated.

[kush06]

Doesn't cooking the steaks in half a cup of liquid essentially steam the outside? Sounds like it'd be a grey mess anywhere there wasn't a sear.

I'd sear the fillets in a non-nonstick (heheh) pan until a nice medium rare, take them out of the pan and cover or put into a 150' or so oven, add the liquid, deglaze the pan (no fond in a nonstick), check seasoning, reduce, check seasoning, then serve it over the steaks.

[buddaman71]

I personally love the steakhouse-type method.

Hot cast iron with olive oil.
Sear each side on stove.
Finish in 350-400 degree oven until desired cooking level is achieved.
I love to make a pan sauce with Gorgonzola/garlic/cream or a Burgundy/mushroom/garlic
Topping with a large pat of parsley butter and/or caramelized shallots is nice too.

[DWB1960]

Originally Posted by kush06

Doesn't cooking the steaks in half a cup of liquid essentially steam the outside? Sounds like it'd be a grey mess anywhere there wasn't a sear.

Just the opposite. First off, the pan was large enough that the 1/2 cup of liquid ended up only being about 1/4" thick. The meat was nice and pink in the center.