Substantial

How to Prepare and Cook Steak – Economically

1 August 2024

ingredients for 4 people

600g Hanger Steak

Olive oil

Salt and Pepper

equipment

30cm fry pan or grill

Heavy duty oven proof towel or mitts

Tongs  for turning and lifting the steak

Basting brush for painting on the olive oil

A heated serving plate 

method

Step 1 - Preparation

Salt the steak in advance of cooking. Follow the instructions here on how to salt your steak so that you maximise the texture and flavour. Do not move onto the next step without doing this first.

You need to allow the meat to come to room temperature before cooking. You do this by leaving the meat out of the fridge for 1 - 2 hours before cooking.

Preheat your oven to 200c during this time.

20 minutes before you are ready to cook the meat - place the pan in the hot oven

Prepare any ingredients you are using for accompaniments to the steak such as rocket, tomatoes or lemon wedges.

Prepare a shallow dish of olive oil and a basting brush ready beside the stove.

Step 2 - Cook

Turn the oven off and place a serving dish in the warm oven.

Turn the heat on top of the stove to high.

Carefully remove the hot pan or griddle from the oven, protecting your hands with a quality oven mitt or dry towel and place it over high heat on top of the stove. Lightly paint the interior of the pan or griddle with olive oil.

Once the oil is smoking - which will be almost immediately, gently place the steak in the pan.

Baste the top surface of the meat with olive oil

After two to three minutes - check the underside of the steak - it should come away from the base easily and be well coloured, creating a crispy crust.

Once the underside is well coloured and crisp - baste the top surface with more olive oil from the pan or the reserved oil, and gently turn the steak over using the tongs.

Allow the steak to continue cooking on the other side for another minute or two,  baste the top surface again with juices from the pan or with more olive oil.

Transfer the cooked steak to the heated serving dish.

How to test how well the meat is cooked.

The easiest is to press the centre of the meat with your thumb.

If it is springy it is rare ; If it is firm it is well done. You want it somewhere in between for medium rare. So long as you have cooked it for at least 2 minutes on either side and it is still springy it is probably medium rare. If you rest it on a heated plate for at least 10 minutes before carving it - it will continue cooking and the juices will consolidate in the flesh. 

If you have an instant read thermometer - if you remove the meat from the heat when the thermometer reads 62C and allow it to rest for 15 minutes it will be medium rare.

If you are concerned that the steak is undercooked - pop it into the warm oven and allow to cook just for another minute or two.

Drizzle the oil and juices from the pan over the steak

Step 3 - To Serve

Carve the rested meat across the grain into slices about 1 cm thick.

Arrange the slices on the heated serving plate. 

Grind over black pepper and drizzle with olive oil and any remaining juices in the pan.

Serve with any of the items in the serving suggestions above.

source

Recipe by Elizabeth Peddey