Use the oven! But don’t burn yourself!
I have always advised my readers and students that when pan frying or grilling a steak, to think of the steak in 2 parts – the exterior and the interior.
- Exterior – to be crispy and brown due to an initial high heat blast on both sides.
- Interior – to be juicy and tender because, after the high heat blast, to create that crispy brown exterior, you lower the heat to gently cook the interior.
During this process, feel free to turn the steak over a few times.
This is workable if the steak isn’t over approx. 3cm, even if you turn it over a few times.
So how do the professionals do it with a thick steak?
The oven!
Why the oven?
- The oven gently and evenly heats the interior of the meat (even at a high temperature of approx. 180 degrees C) without adversely affecting the exterior.
- The juices and sediments in the pan don’t burn.
Next time you have a very thick steak to grill or pan fry, do this:
- Turn the oven to 180 degrees fan force.
- Now, going to your grill or stove top, sear both sides on high heat to reach a nice brown exterior.
- Place the fry pan in the oven. If you used a grill, transfer the steak to an oven proof dish.
- Every few minutes remove from the oven to test the temperature. Keep it in the oven until it reaches the desired temperature/doneness. I use a digital thermometer.
- Rare: between 40 – 55 degrees C (104 – 130 degrees F)
Medium rare: between 55 – 65 degrees C (130 – 150 degrees F)
Medium: between 65 – 70 degrees C (150 – 160 degrees F)
Well done: between 70 – 75 degrees C (160 – 167 degrees F)
Remember that the fry pan handle is hot! Use oven mitts!
- Once you have reached the desired temperature, remove the steak and let rest before serving.
Its very simple and it is all about making use of your equipment.
Professional chefs do this and so can you!
For more on red meat cooking and how to get the most value from your purchase: