how do you cook a steak?

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I've been practicing cooking steaks trying to get the best possible method. Tell me what your methods are.

I put the non-stick skillet on the stove and put it just below high. I sear both sides and then I then I turn it down to low and let it cook for a few minutes so the inside of the steak is nice and warm. While its cooking I put a little seasoning on top, and sometimes I cook it in seasoning.

Oh, broil it. You can do this in your oven. I line the broiler pan with aluminum foil (easy clean-up), then broil on high since you want to sear both sides quckly. I like steak bloody. Do not overcook - broiling goes quickly. You may season with whatever you like, but do not apply salt until after or the meat will toughen. Also, when broiling, try to not cut with a knife into the meat since you'll lose the juice. I assume you meant beef steak for broiling. If you have a cheap cut of meat, use a wood mallet, gently, to loosen the texture so you can a tender steak.

But, when I cook moose or caribou steak (for you, maybe venison?) I do it like a Swiss steak - I double wrap the steak, brushed with olive oil, in aluminum foil with plenty of water inside the packet, some vegetables pieces, seasoning (except the salt). Then, bake on LOW (or use a slow cooker). With wildgame, always cook slowly on low heat so the meat can tenderize. And, do use a wood mallet on wildgame; you'll get a better texture overall - instead of a tough piece of jerky!

For meat, I like conservative seasoning. Mostly, a little garlic, beau monde (like all-seasoning spice, 'Mrs. Dash', etc), pepper. Do not forget: For venison (whatever version), try mint jelly on the side. Chutney is good too. I do not eat pork, but definitely on pork steaks use rosemary for seasoning.

For a cheap cut of beef, be creative: Make shish kabob, stew meat cubes, or slice it thin and gently saute, like a stir fry with vegetables. Oh, for meat, cut against the grain, not parallel, or you will toughen the meat! You can ruin an expensive cut just by not butchering propertly or preparing it 'wrong.'
Do not overcook.

I like the oven.

That sounds really good. If you were closer i'd try to snake you into cooking with me sometime.

well done please

I'm assuming you don't have a BBQ? If you do, that's the way to go. Also, it depends how you like it done. Mine's gotta still be pink in the middle (ie medium rare).

Another fan of well done steak here. Every time I go out for a meal and order a well done steak the waiter looks at me as if I'm from another planet. If it's not crispy at the edges it's not ready.

Ed Almos

I marinate beforehand with either a homemade marinade or some good italian dressing...then broil like LabPet suggests...more on the well-done side for me though.

Get a good cut of meat and put it under the broiler and sometimes you don't even need a knife to cut it with.

The key with steaks no matter what method of actual cooking and preperation you use is the "touch" test. I used to be a chef in a fairly upscale steak place and what we did was have a pair of tongs...when we thought a steak was ready we'd poke it with the tongs. Depending on how hard it was, was how well done it was. It got harder as it was cooked. It takes practice to tell when a certain feel is medium, medium rare, well, etc...

When I cook a steak in the over, I normally salt a pepper it. I set the oven on broil and put an empty skillet in, let it heat up, and when it gets really hot, I put the steak on, just for a few seconds, flip, and serve. ((My husbands I leave on for about twice as long because he doesn't like his nearly as rare as I do.))

Why cook it? That ruins the flavor.

I use a Scanpan grill pan. http://www.amazon.com/Scanpan-Classic-2 ... B0000CDUUI

I trim the fat on the steaks, pre-heat the pan, grill for about 1 minute on one minute to seal it, five minutes on the other and four on the first side.

Et voila, a perfectly cooked steak every time.

Theres a lot of great advice here. I think I might just have to bookmark this.