How To Cook Steak In A Frying Pan

 




THE PERFECT STEAK IN A PAN

   This method ensures the juiciest, tastiest, well-done steaks and chops, despite the howls of derision that will probably arise from the lips of "expert" chefs!


INGREDIENTS

Steaks or chops about 1" thick
Salt, pepper, herbs
Cooking oil, such as canola,or light olive oil

Rinse steaks with cold water, pat dry.

STEP 1   Rinse steaks with cold water, pat dry. Let the meat come to room temperature before cooking (take out the cut 30-60min before it hits the pan). When Room Temp, liberally sprinkle salt (preferably sea salt) and pepper over one side and rub in well, using either your fingertips or the back of a spoon. Turn over and repeat on the other side.

Pour oil into frying pan, preferably stainless steel.

STEP 2   Pour oil into frying pan, preferably stainless steel. Use a larger amount than you think is necessary, 1/8-1/4in will do, it can always be drained off later - oil facilitates heat transfer necessary to develop a flavorful crust. Heat up to medium/medium high heat. When the oil is just about smoking (hot), put meat into pan, being careful not to crowd the steak (if you crowd the steak with other cuts it will steam, not sear). You should hear a sizable sizzle.

After a few minutes, check the underside of the steak
 to see how the sear is developing.

STEP 3   After a few minutes, check the underside of the steak to see how the sear is developing. You are looking for a deep, brown/mahogany crust. Adjust the heat as necessary to avoid charring or overcooking the meat - you do not want to heat it too long or it will become dry.

When well seared, flip the meat and wait a few more
 minutes, depending on the thickness of your
 cut and how long the sear took to develop.

STEP 4   When well seared, flip the meat and wait a few more minutes, depending on the thickness of your cut and how long the sear took to develop. Remove the pan from the heat, drain off the oil and add a good chunk of unsalted butter and (optionally) some sprigs of thyme and rosemary. Another great way to add flavor is to make a brush out of the twiggy herbs and use it to slowly 'paint' the meat a few times with the butter and the pan juices. Often we see professional chefs 'basting' the flipped meat by spooning the hot oils onto it over and over. This can help develop a deeper top crust, but be careful not to splash the hot oils.

Remove from the heat when just under-done and wait
5-10 minutes.

STEP 5   Remove from the heat when just under-done and wait 5-10. The residual heat of the steak will cook it to medium-rare perfection. There are many ways to check doneness without cutting into the steak. Poke the steak lightly and try and get a feel for what RARE feels like, what MED RARE feels like etc. Or get a thermometer. Put aluminum foil over the meat to prevent heat loss, but always let the meat rest so the juices have a chance to settle in the steak. Consume.

You notice there are brown bits left in the pan
 (you used a stainless steel pan right?).

STEP 6   You notice there are brown bits left in the pan (you used a stainless steel pan right?). You can make a sauce out of them by deglazing the pan with wine or stock and adding flavorings such as butter, herbs, shallot, mushrooms, garlic, whatever you wish. This is known as a pan sauce.

Pour any residual fats off of the pan,
leaving a relatively dry surface full
 of tasty brown bits.

STEP 7   Pour any residual fats off of the pan, leaving a relatively dry surface full of tasty brown bits. While the pan is still hot, pour a healthy amount of stock/wine/cognac and scrape up the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Keep on the heat to reduce to desired consistency - feel free to add butter.

(alternative pan sauce) Leave the residual fats left
in pan untouched, add garlic and shallot
and sweat them, then add your wine, butter and extras.

STEP 8   (alternative pan sauce) Leave the residual fats left in pan untouched, add garlic and shallot and sweat them, then add your wine, butter and extras. Either pan sauce can be strained or served as is.

Apple Chicken Quesadilla

Apple Chicken Quesadilla Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes    Cook time: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 4 Flour tortillas (approximately 8-inches wide)
• 1 cup cooked, shredded or chopped, chicken meat
• 1/4 lb cheddar or Monterey jack cheese, sliced or grated
• 1 apple, sliced
• 1/4 cup salsa

METHOD

  1. Heat a large skillet on medium high heat. Place one tortilla in the skillet. Flip it a couple of times with a spatula, then let it sit in the pan heating up until air pockets form and parts of the tortilla begin to puff up. Flip it again.

2. Place cheese slices on half of the tortilla, at least 1/2-inch from the edge of the tortilla. Add chicken pieces on top of the cheese. Fold the tortilla over like an omelette, and press down on the folded tortilla with the spatula. Lower the heat to medium. At this point, if you have enough room in your skillet, you can add a second tortilla to the pan to begin to heat it up.

3. When the cheese inside the quesadilla has melted, remove the quesadilla to a cutting board. Open it wide and layer on apple slices and salsa. Fold the tortilla back again, and cut it into 3 triangles, as if you were cutting a pie. (You don't have to cut the quesadilla into triangles, it just makes it easier for kids to eat.)

4. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

END RESULT

Makes 12 quesadilla triangles.

Pot Roast

To most people, "pot roast" means slow-cooked beef with carrots, potatoes, or other vegetables added partway through cooking. The term actually refers either to the cooking method or the dish. Pot roast predates the modern range and likely originated when hearth cooking was common. Heavy "pot-ovens" fitted with a tight lid were suspended over a fire or nestled among the coals, so meats cooked in simmering liquid without direct exposure to the heat.

 Versatile and adaptable, pot roasting is relevant today because it renders succulent a variety of tough and often inexpensive cuts of meat, including beef, pork, and lamb. You can complete most of the prep work ahead, pop the roast into the pot to cook, and do as you please while the dish simmers. Many of these recipes can be made ahead, and some freeze well. A single roast easily feeds six to eight and often offers the promise of future meals made from leftovers.


Choose the Pot
In keeping with pot roast's down-home roots, the dish requires little in the way of specialty equipment. A pot with a tight-fitting lid is crucial. Many cooks prefer a heavy cast-iron pot, often called a Dutch oven. Enameled cast iron (a French oven) is another good option. Although this kind of pot is a bit pricier, enameled cast iron cooks beautifully on the stove and in the oven, and cleanup is straightforward. A heavy pot is important so you don't burn or scorch the meat and aromatics when browning, and it conducts heat evenly to insulate the contents during roasting. A heavy cast-iron pot delivers more intense flavor because it cooks hot and browns evenly. Of course, any large, heavy, stainless steel, aluminum, or other nonreactive pan with a tight-fitting lid will work as long as the pan is large enough to accommodate the roast.


 You'll need a pair of sturdy tongs to transfer the roast in and out of the pot. If you have two pairs of tongs, use both of them–one to handle the uncooked roast and the second to move the cooked meat. Otherwise, be sure to wash the tongs after handling raw or partially cooked meat. A wooden spoon is also handy to stir aromatics as they brown or to mix vegetables into the pot partway through cooking.


Select the Right Cut of Meat
 Pot roasting is a great technique for less expensive, tough cuts of meat, such as those from the shoulder and neck, arm, or hip and leg. These sections are typically fattier and therefore more flavorful, but they're also tough because they contain more connective tissue than more expensive cuts. Cooking tough cuts slowly in a flavorful liquid melts the fat away and breaks down the tough connective tissue, resulting in fork-tender meat.
Beef pot roasts generally come from the chuck (cut from entire shoulder section, between the neck and arm). Brisket, rump roast, and top and bottom round are a bit leaner than chuck and suitable for pot-roasting as well. Leg of lamb and pork shoulder roasts will also work. Whichever meat or cut you choose, look for a roast that's well marbled. The smaller marbling creates smaller pockets of fat, contributing to a moist and compact roast. Avoid roasts with large ribbons of fat, as they will yield a greasy, misshapen, and fatty pot roast.


Brown the Meat
 Season the meat before you cook it. Salt and freshly ground black pepper are the basics, but you can make spice pastes or rubs with fresh garlic, chopped fresh herbs, and ground spices to rub on the meat. Then heat a Dutch oven, and brown the meat on all sides. Since the meat will simmer in liquid, this step is critical to develop color and flavor. The natural sugars in the paste or rub have a chance to caramelize, while the browned exterior makes the finished dish look attractive and appetizing.


Cook It
 Pot roast is braised, which means the meat cooks in a few inches of liquid. You can cook it on the stove top or in the oven. When roasted in the oven, the temperature range is usually between 300° and 350°. Any higher and the meat will likely be dry and tough. Atop the stove, maintain the liquid at a slow simmer (about 180°) over medium-low heat.


Add the Vegetables
 You should be able to cut the cooked pot roast on your plate with a fork. To ensure that both the meat and the vegetables will be cooked perfectly, it's usually best to cook the meat until it is almost done before adding most vegetables. Test for doneness by inserting a long, thin skewer or long fork tines into the meat. If there is little or no resistance, the meat is properly cooked. Add vegetables, such as carrots or potatoes, at this point, and continue cooking until the vegetables are tender.


Use the Pan Juices
 While some pot roasts cook with a generous amount of liquid, others have just enough wine or broth to yield a moist roast and provide flavorful pan juices to drizzle over the meat. If the cooking liquid is too thick or thin, you can always adjust it to suit your tastes. To thicken pan juices, cook them over medium-high heat to reduce the liquid, or stir in a little cornstarch. If pan juices are too thick, add a bit of wine, broth, or water and simmer briefly to achieve your desired consistency.


Serve It
 Simply remove the meat from the pan, shred with two forks or slice it thinly, and serve with the vegetables and pan juices or gravy. Chopped fresh herbs, herb sprigs, or grated fresh citrus rind are fitting garnishes for these hearty, earthy dishes.


Freezing Pot Roast
 Make sure the cooked, cooled meat is completely covered with liquid before you freeze it. You can accomplish this by cutting the meat into smaller pieces and immersing them in pan juices. Or add a bit of broth to the gravy or pan juices until it covers the roast. If you add broth, boil the liquid mixture after you thaw to thicken its consistency and concentrate the flavor. I prefer not to freeze most vegetables, as they tend to deteriorate when frozen. You can roast fresh potatoes, carrots, or other vegetables and add them to the thawed roast and pan juices.

How To Make Pancakes

1. Crack Eggs

• Crack 4 eggs in a mixing pot.
• To save time, you may preheat a skillet at low heat to start warming the skillet to cook the pancakes.
• Please note the ingredients used to demonstrate how to cook pancakes are for 3-4 people.

2. Beat The Eggs

• Beat the eggs in the mixing bowl approximately 10-20 seconds.

3. Add Milk

• Add 2 cups of milk.
• The eggs should be in a liquid form before adding 2 cups of milk.
• Don't whip yet.

4. Add Oil

• Add 2 tablespoons oil. Vegetable oil was used.

5. Whip The Eggs, Milk, and Oil

• Whip the liquid mixture for approximately 10-15 seconds.
• The finish should look like the picture which is a light tan, liquid mixture.

6. Prepare The Dry Ingredients

• In another bowl, first add 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons of flour.
• Second, add 4 teaspoon of baking powder.
• Third, add 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Last, add 1 tablespoon sugar.
• Reminder, the ingredients used to demonstrate how to cook pancakes are for 3-4 people.

7. Mix The Dry Ingredients

• Mix the dry ingredients until all mixed together.
• Approximate time is 2 minutes to mix.

8. Beat The Egg, Milk, And Oil Mixture Again

• Beat the egg, milk, and oil mixture again for approximately 30 seconds.
• The reason for the second time is to mix the oil which settled on the top.

9. Add The Dry Ingredients

• Add the dry ingredients to the liquid mixture.
• Beat the liquid mixture and dry ingredients for approximately 1 minute.

10. Check The Batter

• It's O.K. a few lumps exist. Make sure the lumps are not big.
• The batter should be thick, not watered down.
• Add 1 tablespoon of flour if the batter is too thin. Then beat again.
• Add 1 tablespoon of milk if the batter is too thick. Then beat again.
• Don't overbeat such that the batter becomes too thin and chewy.

11. Heat And Prepare Skillet

• Increase the heat from low to medium low heat if the skillet was preheated in Step 1.
• If the skillet was not preheated, then preheat the skillet at medium high for 1-2 minutes. Then lower to medium low heat.
• Add 1 teaspoon of cooking oil.
• Move the Oil around with a spatula to spread the oil.

12. Pour The Batter To Begin Cooking Pancakes

• Pour a very small portion of the batter on the skillet. Depending on the size of the skillet, you may add a bigger portion of the batter on the skillet.
• When the batter begins to bubble around the edges and turn hard, flip the pancake over.
• Approximately time of cooking before flipping the pancake is 2 minutes.

13. Cook The Other Side For Approximately One Minute

• The pancake is flipped and the other side is being cooked.
• Cook for approximately 1 minute depending on the size and temperature.
• The pancake is ready to remove when the center is hard such that the pancake can be patted with the spatula and makes a nice hard, fluffy sound.
• If the pancake is cooking too fast such that the pancake turns brown too quickly, then the temperature is too high and needs to be lowered.
• If the pancake is cooking too slow such that the pancake is not enough brown in color or it's too white in color, then the temperature needs to be raised. Raise the temperature to medium for approximately 5-15 seconds, then lower back to medium low.

14. Ready To Eat

• Ready to eat.
• Serve it with butter on top and syrup.
• Repeat Steps 12-13 to continue cooking pancakes with the butter. Add 1 teaspoon of cooking oil when necessary.