Beef Steak on a Skillet

Copyright 2011 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

Beef steak is a rare treat for me, no pun intended. It is just too much meat for one serving but every now and then, the need to indulge is strong and I am okay with that. After all, I don't really have a steak dinner every week but rather, every couple of months or even longer. I managed to perfect a simple way to prepare beef steak on a skillet where it always comes out as medium rare, my favored doneness for my steak. 

Beef steak back home is a lot different that what is referred to as beef steak here in the US. The local term is "bistek" and is made up of small pieces of beef marinated in soy sauce, kalamansi (our local lime), sugar and garlic. The beef is then cooked in butter until just browned and the sauce is thickened and drizzled over the beef that is usually served with steamed rice. 

New York Beef Steak cut
Copyright 2011 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

As much as I love the flavor of "bistek", the minimal preparation needed to cook the American beef steak always wins in my books. To prepare this dish the right way, the trick is to make sure that the meat is at room temperature and that you start with the meat fairly dry. Use a paper towel to dab the meat if a bit moist. This process ensures the even formation of a crust on the outside of the meat while maintaining the moistness inside. I used a New York steak beef cut for this posting. 

Beef Steak on a Skillet

0.5 - 0.8 lb beef steak (about 1 inch   thick)
Coarse salt

1. Heat a thick skillet over medium high to high heat. 

2. Salt one side of the beef generously. When the skillet is hot, lay the meat, 
    salted side down and sear for 5-6 minutes. Leave it undisturbed. If the 
    edges start to curl, weigh it down with another skillet. 

3. Season the unsalted side with salt, flip and cook for another 5-6 minutes. 
    Transfer the steak onto a cutting board and let it rest for about 5 
    minutes. 

4. Cut into wedges and serve with a side of salad or your favorite side dish.