Broiling A Steak

[Xploder]

For a self-professed awesome cook, I must admit that I have NO idea how to use my broiler. Well, the wife and I were going through one of our freezers yesterday and found a giant package of rib-eyes that I had cut up last winter. As in three inch thick rib-eyes.

If it were just tossing them on the grill, it'd be no problem but my wife REALLY wants to learn how to cook more things and doesn't want to learn on the grill. Not to mention the fact that I can't even stand up long enough to cook a hotdog, much less a steak on a grill, this seems the best approach.

I would LOVE some help, ideas or even just general laughter at my inability to use a major part of my damn stove.

Pretend that I have pretty much every spice necessary to make a steak because I pretty much do and we'll go from there. Onions? Mushrooms? What? I NEEDS ANSWERS AND I NEEDS THEM SOMETIME IN THE NEXT EIGHT HOURS!

Thanking you in advance,
I remain,
Me.

[KidVermicious]

First, you'll want a broiling pan. I've tried broiling in baking pans, or on wire racks over cookie sheets, and it doesn't work as well.

After that it gets really really tricky. You take your steaks, see, and you put them on the broiling pan, and you set the oven to broil, and then you broil your steaks, and then you eat them. Be sure to follow that exact order. Broiling your steaks before setting the oven to broil, for example, could result in unsatisfactory broilness, as could eating them before putting them on the broiling pan.

It really is that easy . You'll want to experiment with how far from the element/burner to put your rack, because every oven is different. Leave the oven door open a crack, because you're not baking. Other than that, have at it!

ETA - Onions and mushrooms are great. You'll have juiceness in the bottom of your broiling pan, you can use that and a little butter to fry up whatever for the side. I've never put tried putting veggies under the broiler, but I suppose you could stick them in the bottom of your pan? I dunno, give it a whirl and report back.

[Xploder]

Well, the broiler is part of the stove. Specifically, the BOTTOM part and only has one way for it to go. No raising or lowering at all. I guess what I need to know is how long should I cook the steaks on each side?

If it matters, which I doubt, I plan on cracking a peppercorn medley and then pressing it into the meat along with a bit of sea salt before broiling. The onions are gonna get thick sliced and placed on top after turning the steaks. The potatoes I'm not really sure about yet but probably gonna bake them.

[RedRosesForMe]

::High five:: for bottom-broiler-havers! (Not really, the bottom broiler is, IME, a bit less convenient to use).

3 inches thick? How do you want 'em cooked? If you're ok with rare-ish, 15-20 minutes ought to do it. Or not. I don't think I've ever cooked steaks that thick.

[Wolf Larsen]

My one question would be why that thick? It's going to be tough not to have the inside still be raw while the outside gets overdone. I'd vote for having them about an inch or inch and a quarter. But then I like my meat on the doner side. (I typed that as "donner", but it looked funny and seemed to be indicating cannibalism.)

[Solfy]

Originally Posted by Xploder

Well, the broiler is part of the stove. Specifically, the BOTTOM part and only has one way for it to go. No raising or lowering at all.

Generally speaking, the broiler doesn't change positions, but the rack under it does. The thicker the item being broiled, the further one would want it from the element. If something thick is too close to the broiler, it's going to cook too fast on the outside and not on the inside. Fish - top rack. Steaks, 2nd rack. I do garlic bread under the broiler at a rack below that - not because of thickness, but because it would burn if it were too close to the element.

Mama taught me to chunk up some butter on the steaks before broiling, along with salt and pepper. 5-10min per side or flip 'em when they brown on the edges. Mushrooms and onions go in butter in a pan on the stove, not under the broiler.

[KidVermicious]

Originally Posted by Xploder

Well, the broiler is part of the stove. Specifically, the BOTTOM part and only has one way for it to go. No raising or lowering at all. I guess what I need to know is how long should I cook the steaks on each side?

If it matters, which I doubt, I plan on cracking a peppercorn medley and then pressing it into the meat along with a bit of sea salt before broiling. The onions are gonna get thick sliced and placed on top after turning the steaks. The potatoes I'm not really sure about yet but probably gonna bake them.

Originally Posted by RedRosesForMe

::High five:: for bottom-broiler-havers! (Not really, the bottom broiler is, IME, a bit less convenient to use).

3 inches thick? How do you want 'em cooked? If you're ok with rare-ish, 15-20 minutes ought to do it. Or not. I don't think I've ever cooked steaks that thick.

Bottom-broiler? What communist trickery is this?

[Glazer]

Onions and peppers can go in the pan with the steaks after you turn them. Cut them into large pieces. Do not put them on top of the steaks or they will burn. In a bottom broiler steaks that thick will not cook to well done with out burning on the outside. As Solfy said put butter on the steaks. Bast the steaks with the butter and their own juices 1 minute before turning and 1 minute before done. Potatoes can be cut into 1/2" wedges and placed in the pan with the steaks and butter and bast them when you bast the steaks. Also add a little water to the bottom of the pan to help cook the steak and potatoes. Wile the steaks are resting use the butter, water and juices to make a sauce with a little corn starch on the stove top. Add mushrooms to this.

[tunaman]

I like Alton Brown's method: put a cast-iron pan in the oven, and turn the broiler on to 500F. Take the steak(s) and give them a light coating of olive oil and kosher salt. When the oven is preheated, CAREFULLY take the cast-iron pan out of the oven and cook the steaks for 1-2 minutes per side on the stovetop over high heat. The goal here is just to get a nice char on the steaks, so only worry about making them pretty for now. Once they're nice looking, put the pan in the oven for 3-4 minutes (or more), until steak is done to your liking.

[Contrapuntal]

For steaks that thick I would start them in the broiler, say five minutes a side give or take depending on the distance from the heat, and finish them in the oven set at 350. This is ideal if you are planning on baking the potatoes, as your oven will be hot already.

[Valerieblaise]

Originally Posted by tunaman

I like Alton Brown's method: put a cast-iron pan in the oven, and turn the broiler on to 500F. Take the steak(s) and give them a light coating of olive oil and kosher salt. When the oven is preheated, CAREFULLY take the cast-iron pan out of the oven and cook the steaks for 1-2 minutes per side on the stovetop over high heat. The goal here is just to get a nice char on the steaks, so only worry about making them pretty for now. Once they're nice looking, put the pan in the oven for 3-4 minutes (or more), until steak is done to your liking.

Do this! I have done it and it is amazing! Here are Alton's exact instructions, although I notice he's using a 1 1/2 inch ribeye rather than a 3". So you'll probably need to leave it in the oven longer.

[Xploder]

I may have to try the Alton Brown method as the man is a genius. As for anyone who would want a steak cooked ANY other way than rare, you are a sick, sick person. If the steal goes moo, the steak is cooked enough for me.

[KidVermicious]

I still want to know about this bottom broiler doohickey. Where I come from, we call that a "grill".

[The Futility of Nihilism]

Originally Posted by KidVermicious

I still want to know about this bottom broiler doohickey. Where I come from, we call that a "grill".

No way!

[The Futility of Nihilism]

Seriously, though, a broiler is where the heat comes from above and a grill is where the heat comes from below. Which is why typically grilling is done outdoors on either a propane or charcoal grill. You don't really see indoor grilling in this country in a home setting. It's quite common in restaurants, of course, but that's another subject altogether. And goodness knows there's all sorts of variations with all sorts of names. For example a big gas broiler is often known in the restaurant biz as a "salamander". But I digress.

Of course one can easily do grilling indoors if one has a George Foreman Grill which technically is both a grill and a broiler since it cooks both the top and bottom at once.

[Solfy]

I think he means the broiler drawer on the bottom of the oven, most common in gas ovens. I could be wrong.

[NAF1138]

Broiling should work just like grilling as long as you use a broiler pan. You can use a cast iron skillet too as long as you don't mind your food sitting in it's own fat and frying a bit (and with steak that's not a bad thing at all). A lot of other cooking equipment won't handle the heat as well though.

Alton's method is a good one, but keep in mind it is for bone in rib eye, adjust cooking times for boneless (for a 1-1.5 inch boneless steak I wouldn't even put it in the oven if you don't want it medium rare or better.) Searing the steak is key, as is having a very hot dry pan and a well oiled steak. IT WILL SMOKE! That's ok, turn on your fan and use an oil with a neutral flavor and the highest smoke point you can grab easily. Do not put anything other than salt, finely ground pepper and oil on the steak at this point, it will burn.

If you are going to skip the oven step a trick I picked up from somewhere is to butter baste the steak while it cooks. Drop a tablespoon of butter into the pan at the same time you do the first flip then after the butter melts tilt the pan and baste the steak with the butter while it finishes searing. It's really really good. It was a technique I learned for Filet Mignon (a cut that is prone to dry out and not have much flavor) but it works for everything. It is not healthy, but when eating steak I don't usually care.

I also agree that 3" is too thick for Rib eye. 2" would be the absolute thickest I would cut the steak and 1.5" is what I consider ideal if you want even cooking.

[KidVermicious]

Originally Posted by Solfy

I think he means the broiler drawer on the bottom of the oven, most common in gas ovens. I could be wrong.

I don't think I've ever heard of such a thing. I guess that would make it difficult to move your food closer or farther away, wouldn't it?

For reference, Xploder, my oven has the broiler at the top.

[Solfy]

Not if the base in the drawer was adjustable, but I've never used one. Seems like it'd be a shame to make it non-adjustable.

[KidVermicious]

Maybe the flame is adjustable?

[Solfy]

This one adjusts.

[Xploder]

Originally Posted by Solfy

I think he means the broiler drawer on the bottom of the oven, most common in gas ovens. I could be wrong.

Yes my dear, you are, as usual, correct. I couldn't think of the proper name for the damn thing.

[RedRosesForMe]

Yeah, it's a broiler drawer thingy. I haven't checked if mine's adjustable, I very rarely broil anything. To make up for it, though, I have a built-in broiler pan.

[Random Precision]

I have no comment on the broiling method and what I do have to say doesn't apply to Xploder since he has a gas broiler, but if you want to broil in a conventional electric oven, listen up.

Electric ovens with a top element can also be used for broiling. One very important thing to know is that when broiling, the oven door should be left slightly open. There is a position where the door will stop and stay about 6" open. This is called the broiler stop. It allows heat to escape from the oven so that the cooking is all done by the radiant heat from the broiler element and not by just being in a hot place. If you try to broil with the door closed, you are baking. And baked steak is tough, dry and nasty.

I had a customer call me a liar to my face after I explained that there was nothing wrong with her oven, she just didn't know how to use it.

[Jeff]

Originally Posted by NAF1138

If you are going to skip the oven step a trick I picked up from somewhere is to butter baste the steak while it cooks. Drop a tablespoon of butter into the pan at the same time you do the first flip then after the butter melts tilt the pan and baste the steak with the butter while it finishes searing. It's really really good. It was a technique I learned for Filet Mignon (a cut that is prone to dry out and not have much flavor) but it works for everything. It is not healthy, but when eating steak I don't usually care.

To echo NAF I don't think broiling is necessary to make a good steak, pan searing with a little extra butter makes a great steak with only a few minutes cooking per side depending on thickness/doneness. One important point for a nice pan seared steak is don't move the meat except to flip it, it sears better that way.

[Solfy]

Originally Posted by Random Precision

Electric ovens with a top element can also be used for broiling. One very important thing to know is that when broiling, the oven door should be left slightly open. There is a position where the door will stop and stay about 6" open. This is called the broiler stop. It allows heat to escape from the oven so that the cooking is all done by the radiant heat from the broiler element and not by just being in a hot place.

Additionally, some ovens will shut off the top burner if the temp gets too high because the door is shut. You can't broil with the burner off. My oven's manual (yes, I'm one of those rare people who read the manual) says to keep the door open to keep the burner on.

[Wolf Larsen]

Originally Posted by Jeff

To echo NAF I don't think broiling is necessary to make a good steak, pan searing with a little extra butter makes a great steak with only a few minutes cooking per side depending on thickness/doneness. One important point for a nice pan seared steak is don't move the meat except to flip it, it sears better that way.

Mrs. Larsen's pepper steak is done this way. She uses a cast iron skillet, gets it good and hot and sears the meat with the pepper corns pounded in.

The result is most excellent.

[Glazer]

So how was the steak?

[teela brown]

I'd broil steaks more often if domestic oven broilers weren't so wimpy. I've never had one that got hot enough to truly sear and crispify a steak. Once, when looking at high-end cooking appliances, I asked a salesman if once couldn't install a restaurant-style "salamander" broiler in their home, and he told me that it would invalidate your homeowners' insurance. Those suckers must get hot!

[Xploder]

I hate to say it but we haven't cooked the damn things yet. Something about me being an idiotic asshole because I ran out of pain pills before I was supposed to or something.

I'm gonna cook them tomorrow and will let y'all know. The butter thing sounds AWESOME!

[brownie55]

Three inch rib-eyes are really just thin standing rib roasts. Stove top sear and bake in the oven at 350 for best results. This is not a job for a broiler.

Not too long in the oven if you really mean rare. "Rare = red center, just cool" in the book of Brownie.

Onions and 'shrooms on the stove. Butter, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning for the saute. Trust me.

Now, medicate and cook.

[NAF1138]

Originally Posted by Xploder

I hate to say it but we haven't cooked the damn things yet. Something about me being an idiotic asshole because I ran out of pain pills before I was supposed to or something.

I'm gonna cook them tomorrow and will let y'all know. The butter thing sounds AWESOME!

I forgot to mention, you want the meat to come up to room temp before you cook it (or close ish). I usually let it sit on the counter with a little salt and pepper for a half hour or so before I start to heat my pan andfpr am things turn out fine. If it is fridge cold when you put it in the pan it will drop the pan temp too low to get a really great sear. It will still be good, bit it won't be awesome, and you want to shoot for awesome whenever you can.

[Euryphaessa]

Originally Posted by NAF1138

It will still be good, bit it won't be awesome, and you want to shoot for awesome whenever you can.

This is my new motto.

[brownie55]

Originally Posted by NAF1138

I forgot to mention, you want the meat to come up to room temp before you cook it (or close ish). I usually let it sit on the counter with a little salt and pepper for a half hour or so before I start to heat my pan andfpr am things turn out fine. If it is fridge cold when you put it in the pan it will drop the pan temp too low to get a really great sear. It will still be good, bit it won't be awesome, and you want to shoot for awesome whenever you can.

Don't listen to this man.

Salt only just before cooking, don't draw moisture out.

[Solfy]

No, salt well in advance.

[brownie55]

Originally Posted by Solfy

No, salt well in advance.

All that juice in the last picture should be in your steak.

[Jeff]

I volunteer to allow you both to make steaks for me in order to properly test these hypotheses.

[brownie55]

I'd bet you'd gladly scarf down either.

[Solfy]

Originally Posted by brownie55

All that juice in the last picture should be in your steak.

Someone didn't scroll far enough.

I can hear it now..BUT!!! What of all the water that stayed on the surface of the meat? Aren’t you drawing all the moisture out of the meat? Will it taste like a salt lick? (*%!*%!@#!#!!! I DON’T UNDERSTAND THIS STEAK RECIPE!!!

Pull your pants back on and keep reading…

[Jeff]

Originally Posted by brownie55

I'd bet you'd gladly scarf down either.

For science, man. For learning and knowledge and freedom.

[Solfy]

It works for chicken, too.

[brownie55]

Originally Posted by Solfy

Someone didn't scroll far enough.

I kept reading :grumble: and got to where they put rosemary on the steak. I win! Rosemary is good on lamb, but sucks on steak. My post is my cite.

[NAF1138]

Originally Posted by Solfy

It works for chicken, too.

Works better IMO. It doesn't work well enough for me to plan that far in advance with steak, but I only make roast chicken that has been pre salted for at least 24 hours now.

[Andrew Jackson's Hair]

Son of a bitch the advice in this thread

1. Season the steak both sides with sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, let sit for 5-10
2. Turn on one burner to med-high, and turn on broiler to high
3. In an oven safe saute pan, melt a pat of butter and sear one side of the steak until brown
4. Flip it and do the other side
5. Put whole thing in the oven for 5-10 minutes
6. Let it rest on a cool plate for 10
7. eat it