# I've been cooking my steak wrong all these years. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 13, 2013, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-cooking-my-steak-wrong-all-these-years/660935 "2013-06-13T22:37:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-cooking-my-steak-wrong-all-these-years/660935/1 "2013-06-13T22:37:16Z")
I honestly don’t recall how/why I did a Google search that yielded this simple, sublime technique. I think I might have seen someone do it on a cooking show. No matter. Being 46, I have cooked steaks in many ways. Directly on the grill being the most common. I’ve tried the broiler. The stove top. Most recently, I tried my beloved cast iron skillet, in the oven. All were good. It’s steak, after all. It never dawned on me to try the cast iron directly on the grill. Of course! It makes brilliant sense. The high heat of the grill, with the flat cooking surface of the skillet. I’m probably sounding like an amateur to those who know this. No matter. I preheated the grill on high for 15 minutes with the skillet on the bars. I lightly coated the boneless rib eye with olive oil, salt and pepper. When the pan was ready I put the steak on, and let it cook 4 minutes per side. (I like my steak medium.) I let it sit while I fixed my sides. PHE-NOM-EN-AL. Perfectly seared outside. Just barely pink inside (you can obviously cook it less it if you like it more rare.) Juicy as hell. Yep. Wrong all these years. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-cooking-my-steak-wrong-all-these-years/660935/2 "2013-06-13T22:57:35Z")
A rib eye steak, being fatty, takes to a closed heated skillet pretty well. In fact, a lot of people do that on the grill to render off excess fat. You might want to add onions, celery and bell peppers to the skillet after you’ve seared both sides. Personally, i prefer the leaner t-bones and sirloins. For these, sear for a couple minutes each side and then put in indirect heat (usually still on the grill but away from the coals.) ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-cooking-my-steak-wrong-all-these-years/660935/3 "2013-06-13T23:36:28Z")
so, you liked the results from all of the other ways you’ve cooked your steaks, but now you’ve found another way and all of a sudden your previous methods were all wrong. got it. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-cooking-my-steak-wrong-all-these-years/660935/4 "2013-06-13T23:38:37Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > so, you liked the results from all of the other ways you’ve cooked your steaks, but now you’ve found another way and all of a sudden your previous methods were all wrong. > > got it. Sure. The difference is between good and great. Glad you got it. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-cooking-my-steak-wrong-all-these-years/660935/5 "2013-06-14T00:52:38Z")
Funny. I thought you were referring to[this article](http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/06/the-food-lab-7-old-wives-tales-about-cooking-steak.html), which matched my experience. ---
**Author:** ![the\_O](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@the\_O](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_O)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-cooking-my-steak-wrong-all-these-years/660935/6 "2013-06-14T02:54:22Z")
TY Chuck. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-cooking-my-steak-wrong-all-these-years/660935/7 "2013-06-14T03:00:40Z")
That seems like an odd extra step to me. What’s wrong with preheating it on the stovetop? Given 15 minutes, I bet it would get up to blazing temps in a hurry, too. I do two minutes a side on a stovetop for medium rare (after slowly bringing it up to about 90-95F first in a slow oven.) ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-cooking-my-steak-wrong-all-these-years/660935/8 "2013-06-14T03:13:56Z")
There’s no reason to put your iron skillet on top of a grill. Sear the meat in the skillet first under extremely high heat, then finish for a couple minutes on the grill. Or alternatively, do whatever you like! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-cooking-my-steak-wrong-all-these-years/660935/9 "2013-06-14T09:32:59Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > There’s no reason to put your iron skillet on top of a grill. Sear the meat in the skillet first under extremely high heat, then finish for a couple minutes on the grill. This, pretty much. You sear it in a skillet always, then finish it however you want (grill, broiler, engine block, etc). ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-cooking-my-steak-wrong-all-these-years/660935/10 "2013-06-14T09:41:15Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > That seems like an odd extra step to me. What’s wrong with preheating it on the stovetop? Given 15 minutes, I bet it would get up to blazing temps in a hurry, too. I do two minutes a side on a stovetop for medium rare (after slowly bringing it up to about 90-95F first in a slow oven.) This is exactly how I cook mine! The warming is a smidge different as I use a warm water bath rather than low oven, but same thing, really. Two minutes a side in cast iron to get that perfect golden brown crust and medium rare. Eesh, now I’m hungry and I’m on my way to bed. Big glass of water it is… ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-cooking-my-steak-wrong-all-these-years/660935/11 "2013-06-14T09:47:09Z")
cast iron skillet straight on top of the natural gas burner on top of the stove. Bring the steak to room temperature first, heat the pan then cook for 2 minutes each side on “burn”. rest on a warm plate with some foil over top for 2-3 minutes while you get the sides. then eat. I like mine rare. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-cooking-my-steak-wrong-all-these-years/660935/12 "2013-06-14T10:17:50Z")
There are moments sometimes when someone says something really puzzling in a thread, and I figure out I’ve been reading American English wrong all these decades. I think this must be one of those moments. What exactly is “a grill” in your world? Because in my world, a grill is an enclosed oven-like area (except much smaller) where the heat is produced from the _top_ and goes _down_. You can’t put things “on” the grill, but you can put things in it. So am I defining “grilling” different to you, or is it the word “on” which is causing me confusion? ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-cooking-my-steak-wrong-all-these-years/660935/13 "2013-06-14T10:18:36Z")
I have an electric cook top stove. The reason I tried it all on the grill was so that my kitchen didn’t get filled with smoke and my cook top wouldn’t get splattered. I’ve seared it on the cook top and finished it in the oven before, but this was the easiest way I’ve found. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-cooking-my-steak-wrong-all-these-years/660935/14 "2013-06-14T10:20:35Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > There are moments sometimes when someone says something really puzzling in a thread, and I figure out I’ve been reading American English wrong all these decades. I think this must be one of those moments. > > What exactly is “a grill” in your world? Because in my world, a grill is an enclosed oven-like area (except much smaller) where the heat is produced from the _top_ and goes _down_. You can’t put things “on” the grill, but you can put things in it. > > So am I defining “grilling” different to you, or is it the word “on” which is causing me confusion? A “grill” or sometimes called a “BBQ grill” is a (typically) outdoor cooking appliance. It can use charcoal or gas, but the heat/flame comes up from the bottom and there is usually a rack that you put the food on. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-cooking-my-steak-wrong-all-these-years/660935/15 "2013-06-14T10:30:49Z")
Oh…ok, that’s what we would call a barbecue. So - do you have the other kind of grill? Is that what a “toaster oven” is? - small enclosed area, heat coming down? And…explain again the difference between putting your pan on the stovetop and putting it on a bbq grill? Isn’t it the same effect in both cases - heat comes up from the bottom, heats the pan, pan cooks the steak? All confused - but becoming less so! ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-cooking-my-steak-wrong-all-these-years/660935/16 "2013-06-14T10:41:31Z")
You might find this site useful, **Aspidistra** : > 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-cooking-my-steak-wrong-all-these-years/660935/17 "2013-06-14T10:56:56Z")
> [@sandra\_nz](#): > > You might find this site useful, **Aspidistra** : > > [language - Translating cooking terms between US / UK / AU / CA / NZ - Seasoned Advice](http://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/784/translating-cooking-terms-between-us-uk-au-ca-nz) > > 🙂 Nice site. It took me ages to figure these things out. > [@](#): > > Cooking methods: > > broiling (US) is grilling (AU, UK) > grilling (US) is barbecuing (AU) > barbecuing (US) is slow cooking using wood or charcoal to impart smoke to the food ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-cooking-my-steak-wrong-all-these-years/660935/18 "2013-06-14T11:23:23Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > Oh…ok, that’s what we would call a barbecue. > > So - do you have the other kind of grill? Is that what a “toaster oven” is? - small enclosed area, heat coming down? > > And…explain again the difference between putting your pan on the stovetop and putting it on a bbq grill? Isn’t it the same effect in both cases - heat comes up from the bottom, heats the pan, pan cooks the steak? > > All confused - but becoming less so! Yes, what you describe would be closer to a toaster oven in the U.S., although most wall ovens have a broiler feature which cooks with more intense heat from the top down. I wanted to get my cast iron skillet very hot. My gas grill gets up to 500+ degrees. When putting a steak in that skillet it sizzles and smokes quite a bit. I decided I didn’t want a kitchen full of smoke and a glass stove top to clean up last night. It was a beautiful night to have a cocktail on the deck and cook outside. I normally would have just thrown the steak directly on the grill, but thought I’d try something new. I’m discovering I prefer the sear of a hot pan to the char of an open flame. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-cooking-my-steak-wrong-all-these-years/660935/19 "2013-06-14T11:42:31Z")
A tip for the OP: don’t apply the pepper before you put it in the pan. Pepper burns, and it’ll give your steak a slightly bitter taste. Pepper it after you flip it. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-cooking-my-steak-wrong-all-these-years/660935/20 "2013-06-14T11:47:45Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > A tip for the OP: don’t apply the pepper before you put it in the pan. Pepper burns, and it’ll give your steak a slightly bitter taste. Pepper it after you flip it. Thanks. I’ll try that next time and see if I notice a difference. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-cooking-my-steak-wrong-all-these-years/660935.md?page=2)