The best steak to cook in a cast iron skillet is a high-quality, thick cut steak such as a ribeye, porterhouse, or New York strip. These types of steaks have a good fat content that will help create a great sear and crust on the outside.
To achieve the desired doneness, you’ll want to heat the cast iron skillet on high heat until it starts to smoke before adding a bit of oil or butter. Place the steak in the hot skillet and let it cook until it achieves a nice golden brown color.
From there, reduce the temperature to medium-high and let the steak cook until it reaches your desired doneness, flipping once during cooking. If you want to add some extra flavor, season the steak with some herbs and spices while it cooks and baste it with some butter.
Once the steak is finished, let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
What kind of steak is for skillet?
Skillet steak is any type of steak that can be cooked in a skillet or pan on the stovetop. This includes cuts of beef such as sirloin, top round, eye round, flatiron steak, shoulder steak, chuck steak, skirt steak, hanger steak, and tri-tip.
Skillet steak also includes other cuts of meat such as pork loin, country-style ribs, and boneless pork chops. The key thing to remember when it comes to skillet steak is that the cut should have enough fat and/or marbling to hold together during the cooking process.
The best way to prepare skillet steak is to season the steak with salt and pepper, then let it sit at room temperature for 15 – 20 minutes to absorb the seasoning. Next, you’ll heat a bit of oil in your skillet on medium-high heat until it’s hot, then place the steak into the skillet.
Allow the steak to cook undisturbed for 2 – 3 minutes to form a nice crust, then flip over and repeat with the other side. Depending on the size and thickness of your steak, you can then adjust the heat and cooking time accordingly – for example, thick steaks need lower heat and longer cooking times.
Once the steak has reached the desired level of doneness (145°F for medium-rare, 160°F for medium, etc. ), remove it from the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. You can also drizzle melted butter or good-quality olive oil over the steak before serving, or top it with a flavorful sauce of your choice.
Enjoy!.
How do you cook a steak in a cast iron skillet?
Cooking a steak in a cast iron skillet is relatively easy and takes little time. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you get the perfect steak:
1. Start by heating the skillet over a medium-high heat.
2. Drizzle a small amount of oil, such as olive or coconut oil, into the skillet and wait for it to heat up for about a minute.
3. Place the steak onto the skillet. After a couple minutes, use tongs to turn the steak over and cook for another couple of minutes.
4. Once both sides are seared, reduce the heat to low and continue to cook the steak for another 5 minutes.
5. For steak that is medium-rare, use a food thermometer to check the temperature. The ideal internal temperature for medium-rare steak is 130-135°F.
6. Once the steak has reached its desired temperature, remove it from the skillet and let it rest on a plate for at least 5 minutes before serving.
7. If desired, you can add butter and fresh herbs, such as rosemary or thyme, to give the steak additional flavor. Enjoy your steak!
Do you need oil for cast iron steak?
Yes, you do need oil when cooking a steak on a cast iron skillet. This is because the oil helps to create a good non-stick surface, preventing the steak from sticking to the skillet and creating a perfectly cooked steak.
It is important to use a high-heat oil, such as avocado or canola, so that the oil won’t burn at the high temperatures associated with searing a steak. To properly oil your cast iron skillet for cooking steak, heat the skillet on the stovetop until it is just starting to smoke.
Then, turn off the heat and wait for the skillet to cool down slightly, about a minute. Then, add the oil to the skillet, using enough to lightly coat the entire surface. Holding a paper towel in one hand and carefully swirling it around the skillet to evenly distribute the oil.
Once evenly distributed, turn the heat back up to high to finish preheating the skillet and start searing your steak.
How do you keep steak from sticking to cast iron?
To ensure that steak (or any other food for that matter) does not stick to the surface of a cast iron skillet or pan, it is important to heat the pan thoroughly before adding the steak. Once heated, achieve an even coating of oil on the entire surface of the pan with a heavy gauge brush or paper towel.
If the oil starts to smoke, you know it’s hot enough to proceed. When ready, carefully place the steak onto the hot oiled surface and let it sit for at least one minute or until there is a brown crust developed.
Then, use a metal spatula to release the steak from the surface, being sure to lift the entire steak before turning it over. Finally, once flipped, reduce the heat to low and cook to the desired doneness.
By following these steps, the steak should easily release from the pan without sticking.
How do you know if cast iron is hot enough for steak?
To know if cast iron is hot enough for steak, you can use the “touch test” to gauge the temperature of the pan. Place the palm of your hand about an inch above the surface of the pan. If you can keep it there comfortably for about four seconds, then the pan is hot enough to start cooking.
If it feels too hot for you, then you should lower the heat and let it cool a bit before adding your steak. You should also be careful when handling the cast iron as it retains heat for a long time and can easily burn you.
Additionally, you can also use a food thermometer to gauge the temperature of your steak as you cook. This can help you to ensure that your steak is cooked to the desired temperature.