You Don’t Need a Grill to Cook a Great Steak!

published Jun 3, 2014

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For years I was convinced that the only way to cook a great steak, and well, most types of meat, was on the grill. And since there was no way to have a grill in my small New York City apartment, I restricted my meat eating to restaurants and weekends visiting my parents (and their grill!) in the suburbs.

A few years ago, I experimented with cooking a steak in my cast iron skillet. Despite my initial skepticism, this forever changed the way I cook meat!

The other week when I read Julia Moskin’s piece in The New York Times on the power of cooking a wow-worthy piece of meat on the stovetop, I practically wanted to reach through my computer screen and hug her!

Moskin (who for a time also avoided cooking steak at home) suggests that all you need to cook a truly wonderful steak is a sturdy cast iron skillet and the right cut of meat. I couldn’t agree more! I found myself hanging on her every word and nodding in agreement with each and every one of her points, from selecting a 1-inch thick piece of meat, to the various cuts and preparations.

→ Read the article: Steak That Sizzles on the Stovetop – The New York Times

Despite having a grill top on my new stove, I have to admit that I use it far less than I anticipated. Whether I’ve got a flank steak, a ribeye or some really good pork chops I find myself reaching my cast iron pan, or occasionally the grill pan, time and time again. A good sear in a super hot skillet does magical things to meat.

And while there is something wonderful about a sizzling steak from the grill, you certainly don’t need one to cook a great piece of meat!