Cowboy Cooking Secrets: Steaks on the Stovetop

For some strange reason, (up until age 45) I thought my mom was crazy for making steaks on her stovetop with a cast-iron skillet.  After all, I had my huge island bar and BBQ in my old house. Why on earth would I ever make my steaks on a stovetop?

Then one day I came across this video on Facebook  (see below) of Gordon Ramsay making a beautiful steak in a pan on his stovetop and it changed my cooking perspective.

I was immediately fascinated and preceded to watch the video a number of times.  From describing the appropriate time to take the steaks from the fridge (in order to cook properly) to seasoning, use of oil AND butter, and additional flavoring with fresh garlic and thyme.  Chef Ramsay even explains the malleable difference on your palm to your wrist and how to transfer that understating to the steak in order to know how done it is. Genius!

This video tutorial is practically perfect, except for the fact he’s using a simple pan (probably not that simple) and not an iron skillet.  This is where I insert my mom’s outlandish way of cooking her steaks. The skillet, when prepped properly with oil and heating, immediately puts a beautiful sear on your steaks you can’t get from a grill. That sear is the foundation for the kick-ass steak.  Add to that the embedded seasoning the skillet already holds as well as the basting Chef describes in his video, and you’re on your way to the perfect steak! But, be sure not to make this one mistake…

I specifically remember my mom telling me to “Never wash my skillet with soap and water or put it in the dishwasher!”  Again, I thought she was crazy! But if you don’t know, this pan holds a flavor from cooking in it as long as you have and take care of it properly.  ONLY clean the pan with water…that’s it! This allows the seasonings to stay with the skillet as long as you have it. 

Enjoy and let us know how it goes!