Cast-Iron Steak
Updated Jan. 26, 2022
- Total Time
- About 1 hour
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- Coarse salt, such as kosher salt or Maldon sea salt
- 1 or 2boneless beef steaks, 1 inch thick (about 2 pounds total), such as strip, rib-eye, flat iron, chuck-eye, hanger or skirt (preferably “outside” skirt)
- Black pepper (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
88 calories; 5 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 0 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 12 grams protein; 135 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Remove packaging and pat meat dry with paper towels. Line a plate with paper towels, place meat on top and set aside to dry further and come to cool room temperature (30 to 60 minutes, depending on the weather). Turn occasionally; replace paper towels as needed.
- Step 2
Place a heavy skillet, preferably cast-iron, on the stove and sprinkle lightly but evenly with about ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt. Turn heat to high under pan. Pat both sides of steak dry again.
- Step 3
When pan is smoking hot, 5 to 8 minutes, pat steak dry again and place in pan. (If using two steaks, cook in two batches.)
- Step 4
Let steak sizzle for 1 minute, then use tongs to flip it over, moving raw side of steak around in pan so both sides are salted. Press down gently to ensure even contact between steak and pan. Keep cooking over very high heat, flipping steak every 30 seconds. After it’s been turned a few times, sprinkle in two pinches salt. If using pepper, add it now.
- Step 5
When steak has contracted in size and developed a dark-brown crust, about 4 minutes total, check for doneness. To the touch, meat should feel softly springy but not squishy. If using an instant-read thermometer, insert into side of steak. For medium-rare meat, 120 to 125 degrees is ideal: Steak will continue cooking after being removed from heat.
- Step 6
Remove steak to a cutting board and tent lightly with foil. Let rest 5 minutes.
- Step 7
Serve in pieces or thickly slice on the diagonal, cutting away from your body and with the top edge of the knife leaning toward your body. If cooking skirt or hanger steak, make sure to slice across the grain of the meat.
Private Notes
Comments
This is a great recipe for testing the batteries in your smoke alarm.
An alternative is to begin as you do, cook steak for a minute or so in hot cast iron, turn over for a minute and the put in 500 oven for about four minutes depending on thickness. Let rest five minutes.
Alton Brown has a variant on this that works well.
-bring steaks to room temp.
-Preheat oven to with skillet in it to 500 F.
-When it gets to temp, put skillet on burner at high heat.
- Oil steaks lighly and salt generously with pepper if desired
- Put steak(s) in skillet and don't move them for 4 minutes.
-Flip steaks and return skillet to oven for anywhere from 2-5 minutes depending on desired temp.
Fool-proof.
This is the only way I cook steak now. It's perfect.
Another version; put your cast iron skillet in the oven. Heat to 500 degrees. Follow the steps for the steaks described in this recipe; drying and lightly salting (I also add freshly ground pepper). Carefully (with tongs) add steaks to the skillet in the oven and close the door. Cook 4 minutes. Turn the oven off and turn the steaks. Cook for 2 minutes. Remove steaks to a plate and cover with foil. Wait 10 minutes, uncover and serve.
Heating to high heat with zero oil in the pan seems like a sure-fire way to ruin your cast iron pan.
@Tina I’ve done it for decades with no ill effects.