Pull up steaks
Classic dinner for meat lovers just got better ... and the best thing? It only takes 30 minutes to make
This is a classy take on a restaurant-quality steak dinner, and other than remembering to salt the steak ahead of time, it’s only 30 minutes from start to finish.
These instructions are for a thick steak, at least 1 1/2-inches. Thinner steaks don’t need the additional oven-roasting time, and will be overdone if they go into the oven after being seared on both sides.
Here are four things that make a good steak great, and a great steak marvellous:
1) Salting meat a day before cooking it draws out excess liquid, concentrating and developing the flavour, and allows the meat to form a nice caramelized exterior. Salting an hour ahead is OK, but the longer time allows the seasoning to get past the surface.
2) Let meat come to room temperature before cooking, or the inside will take longer to warm up and cook, and by then the outside of the steak will be overcooked.
3) Pat meat dry before putting it in the pan for searing purposes. 4) Use an oil with a high smoking point, like canola or vegetable, to cook steaks on the stove. Butter is a lovely thought, but add it at the end and just allow it to melt in the hot pan.
Roast potatoes, add a little sautéed spinach (cooked while the steak is in the oven), or a green salad, and you’ve got that perfect steak dinner.
Rib Eye Steaks With Thyme-Garlic Butter
Start to finish: 30 minutes Serves: 4, generously
2 rib-eye steaks, about 11/2 inches thick, and 1 to 11/4 pounds each
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tbsp (30 mL) canola or vegetable oil
4 tbsp (60 mL/1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 tsp (5 mL) finely minced garlic
1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh thyme leaves
The night before cooking steaks, salt and pepper liberally, and put on a plate.
Refrigerate uncovered overnight.
One hour before cooking, take out of the fridge and allow to come to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 C). Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat.
Pat meat dry and add steaks to pan. Sear for 4 to 5 minutes, until bottom is nicely browned, flip steaks and brown for another 3 minutes.
Transfer pan to oven and roast for another 5 to 10 minutes until internal temperature reaches 120 to 125 F (48 to 52 C), for rare, 125 to 130 F 52 C to 54 C), for medium rare.
Remove steak from pan to cutting board, pour off fat, and place pan over medium low heat. Add butter, garlic and thyme, and stir until butter has melted and you can smell garlic (about 30 seconds).
Brush half of seasoned butter over resting steak and pour rest of butter into small bowl. Let steak sit for 10 minutes.
Slice steak with a large, sharp knife, and fan out slices on serving platter.
Brush slices of meat with remaining melted butter.