Every time I watch one of those videos and hear that damn guitar riff I have to go thaw a steak. It's pavlovian at this point. This one was a half blood Minnesota Wagyu. Not the best marbling and lots of fat but tasted amazing all the same.
My searing is still not great. Maybe I should just pull the trigger and get a flamethrower because I had that cast iron on the grill smoking and it was still kind of pale after 45 seconds on each side. Was worried I was going to start eating into the rare center so I probably pulled it earlier than I needed to.
by DankDarko
8 Comments
All that pepper isn’t helping you get good adhesion and a good sear…and honestly, you say the pan was hot but I don’t see it smoking in the photo, so I think it needed to be hotter.
you need a higher smoke point oil. canola oil works for me, but the pan needs to be rolling smoke and will always take more than 5 minutes to preheat. you’ll want an outdoor burner, and about 45 seconds a side should be plenty. If you’re set on using a stove top, preheat that pan for like 10 min and don’t let the pan dry out.
I’ve had some success getting a decent sear with a propane weeds burner torch from harbour freight. Charcoal chimney method is also good if you have the means.
Do you dry it really well before searing? Pale or gray is usually an indicator of it being steamed.
Get a IR heat gun and make sure your pan is at least 500F, if you’re using cast iron, make sure it’s there for a min or two to hear soak before you start. Dry the steak with towels or paper towels, dry. Oil, smoke….Put it/them in and press them down a little.
Time is dependant on steak and thickness, pan temp, etc.. I’d rather have a steak with less sear but not over cooked. 30-60 seconds a side is common.
just sear first, then bag. no flamethrower needed. pat dry then dust with a little powdered milk (or nothing honestly) and re-sear quickly or dry-roast for texture.
This is a great thread. I have the same issues as you and I have been trying to figure out the perfect solution
The problem is that it looks like you served it in a wooden dust pan.
/s
Drying the surface of the steak before searing makes a huge difference. A huge amount of energy gets wasted boiling that water off before searing can happen if you leave it on