Basically the title. The steaks were great but I didn’t manage to get that nice brown crust I see on many pictures. I did use a frying pan and butter, and yet…
What am I doing wrong?
by Inevitable_Simple402
6 Comments
mnkhan808
No you sear with high smoke point oil. Be generous with the oil. Then baste with butter. Using a weight or cast iron press helps too if your meat is curling.
youtouchmytralaala
Make sure you thoroughly pat the steak dry after you pull it from the bag.
Get a heavy pan (cast iron, black steel) hot and add some high temp oil. I use ghee.
Sear evenly on both sides.
Rest for 10 minutes.
theartfulcodger
Pan’s simply not hot enough, and if you use butter (smoke point 300°F) at the proper temp for quick searing, the milk solids will burn & turn to bitter char before the crust forms. Use avocado oil (SP 520°) “light” olive oil (SP 465°) or peanut oil (SP 455°) and the heaviest pan you can find, to retain heat – preferably cast iron.
GoodMerlinpeen
High heat (smoking), thick pan, and turn it every 15 seconds. You have to be mindful though that it seems to cook internally a little slower with this method, so really thick steaks need either a long resting time or finishing in the oven.
ProdigalScout
Make sure the steak is dry. Moisture creates steam and that will prevent the crust from forming.
To that end, don’t add more salt before searing. Salt draws moisture to the surface.
Otherwise heat a skillet (cast iron, carbon steel, or stainless steel) to the high side of medium high heat. Let the pan heat for at least two minutes. Use a high smoke point fat (beef tallow, lard, ghee, avocado oil, grape seed oil, are examples). Sear until the meat releases from the pan, less than 60 seconds. Rest for 5-10 minutes.
Rumblepuff
Like the other said Pat steak dry you can even actually throw it in the freezer for about 5 to 10 minutes to wick the liquid away. However, I see my steaks on a charcoal chimney. It gets to like 1500° and after 30 seconds, you definitely have a crust.
6 Comments
No you sear with high smoke point oil. Be generous with the oil. Then baste with butter. Using a weight or cast iron press helps too if your meat is curling.
Make sure you thoroughly pat the steak dry after you pull it from the bag.
Get a heavy pan (cast iron, black steel) hot and add some high temp oil. I use ghee.
Sear evenly on both sides.
Rest for 10 minutes.
Pan’s simply not hot enough, and if you use butter (smoke point 300°F) at the proper temp for quick searing, the milk solids will burn & turn to bitter char before the crust forms. Use avocado oil (SP 520°) “light” olive oil (SP 465°) or peanut oil (SP 455°) and the heaviest pan you can find, to retain heat – preferably cast iron.
High heat (smoking), thick pan, and turn it every 15 seconds. You have to be mindful though that it seems to cook internally a little slower with this method, so really thick steaks need either a long resting time or finishing in the oven.
Make sure the steak is dry. Moisture creates steam and that will prevent the crust from forming.
To that end, don’t add more salt before searing. Salt draws moisture to the surface.
Otherwise heat a skillet (cast iron, carbon steel, or stainless steel) to the high side of medium high heat. Let the pan heat for at least two minutes. Use a high smoke point fat (beef tallow, lard, ghee, avocado oil, grape seed oil, are examples). Sear until the meat releases from the pan, less than 60 seconds. Rest for 5-10 minutes.
Like the other said Pat steak dry you can even actually throw it in the freezer for about 5 to 10 minutes to wick the liquid away. However, I see my steaks on a charcoal chimney. It gets to like 1500° and after 30 seconds, you definitely have a crust.