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Steak timings.

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Steak timings.

Postby Gruney2 » Thu May 27, 2021 10:37 am

I tend to use a cast iron frying pan for steaks - 2 to 2.5 mins each side for medium rare. I've read loads of American recipes and watched recipes on video - the cooking times are much longer, and often involve a fair bit of time in the oven. Their steaks are, of course, much thicker than ours.

This morning, I picked up an item on tv - Giada, cooking a steak that was about the thickness i would be used to. It was a strip steak - and looked similar to a rib eye. She used a griddle pan and cooked it for 4 mins each side - it looked fine, when she cut it, but I would have thought that would have produced a well done steak.

Here's my question, please. Because only the raised ridges on a griddle pan touch the steak, are my frying pan timings not directly transferable to a griddle?

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Re: Steak timings.

Postby Seatallan » Thu May 27, 2021 10:39 am

I have a ribbed griddle pan Gruney, and my steak timings are much the same as yours. I'm a 'blue' steak person so I generally don't cook mine for more than a minute or so on each side but Mr S is a medium-rare man and I'd say 2-3 minutes on each side for his is usually spot on so perhaps there's another factor at play?
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Re: Steak timings.

Postby Gruney2 » Thu May 27, 2021 10:46 am

Thanks S - it's so disappointing when you've looked forward to a steak, and it turns out over your wished for doneness.

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Re: Steak timings.

Postby Suffs » Thu May 27, 2021 10:57 am

I would agree with Seatallen in every respect :thumbsup making sure of course, that the steak has a good 'rest' before serving.

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Re: Steak timings.

Postby Gruney2 » Thu May 27, 2021 11:00 am

Thanks Suffs.

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Re: Steak timings.

Postby WWordsworth » Thu May 27, 2021 12:01 pm

I expect heat is rising from the troughs, adding to the heat from the ridges.

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Re: Steak timings.

Postby ZeroCook » Thu May 27, 2021 4:52 pm

..

Could be the pan temperature Gruney. Steaks - meat and fish - take longer in a medium hot pan, which I prefer. Easier to control doneness, too.

I prefer medium well to well done beef steaks, no oozing blood. The juiciness is a lot about cooking technique and not how raw the meat is is when served. If a steak is dry when cooked to well done, the pan heat is probably too fierce.

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Re: Steak timings.

Postby aero280 » Thu May 27, 2021 6:16 pm

i can't help with this. I like my steak cooked until there are some crispy bits around the edge! :)

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Re: Steak timings.

Postby Stokey Sue » Thu May 27, 2021 6:49 pm

The rule I have followed is that almost any steak takes 10 minutes in total, that’s cooking time and resting time together

I have gone back to using a flat pan, I get it as hot as possible, oil the meat, drop it in and sear it so some nice browning on each side, no more than 2 minutes a side normally, less with a thin steak
I did find timing more tricky on a ridged pan

Best steak though is a single rib over the hottest possible coals until really brown round the edges and then rested for about 30 minutes while you nibble your starter

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Re: Steak timings.

Postby karadekoolaid » Fri May 28, 2021 12:43 am

Well I´m the last person to ask about how to cook steak 8-) but I´ve done it lots of times, under the nervous guidance 8-) chefs, sous-chefs and friends who eat steak every day. :lol: :lol: No complaints yet... :shock:
If you´re cooking in a cast iron pan, you can ensure high heat; the ridges, I imagine, help to "mark" the steak .
What sticks in my mind are 3 things. Firstly, the steak needs to be well-seasoned before cooking - perhaps more than one might expect - because about 30-40% of the seasoning will disappear while the steak is cooking. Secondly, the steak needs to be properly seared, because that´s what keeps the flavour in. And finally, it needs to rest after cooking.
How you cook it ( rare, medium, well-done) is entirely up to you, although "purists" will tell you that a well-done steak is tough and loses all the juices. Can´t help you there!!

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Re: Steak timings.

Postby Gruney2 » Fri May 28, 2021 1:17 am

Thanks everyone.

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Re: Steak timings.

Postby Pampy » Fri May 28, 2021 1:53 pm

karadekoolaid wrote: Secondly, the steak needs to be properly seared, because that´s what keeps the flavour in.

I seem to recall that Harold McGee says that a seared steak actually has fewer juices that a non-seared one.

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Re: Steak timings.

Postby Stokey Sue » Fri May 28, 2021 2:32 pm

It’s a myth that searing “seals” the surface of meat

It browns it, and dries off the surface juices so there is no visible leakage until well into the rest period - but it doesn’t stop juice or flavour leaking out

Which is why the modern tendency is to say seaR not seaL

Searing and browning improve the appearance and flavour of course - but before anyone uses the C word, the only thing that you can caramelise is sugar despite tv chefs abusing the term, most of what happens to meat is the Maillard reaction - onions you can caramelise, the juice is sugary. And if you want to improve caramelisation, use white sugar not brown for the best colour and flavour

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Re: Steak timings.

Postby Suffs » Sun May 30, 2021 11:22 am

I'm blaming Gruney . :lol: ... I just had to go to the farm shop on Friday and get a rib eye steak for my supper ... it was fabulous ... :wino
first one I've had for ages as I don't buy steak I can't see so haven't had any in the online shopping.

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