The Secret To Cooking Steak Without A Grill

With summer now in full swing, there's not much better than a nice steak fresh off the grill.

However, the truth is you don't need a grill for a perfectly cooked steak. With a little time, patience and attention to detail, you can easily master cooking a perfect steak indoors as well.

Here are three keys to cooking a steak perfectly, no matter what time of year it is.

Preparation Is Paramount

One of the most important keys to a perfect steak happens well before you even begin cooking.

The first step is to select which cut of steak you'd like. This will help determine how long you cook the steak for, and at what heat. Thinner cuts use higher heat and shorter cooking times, while thicker cuts call for lower heat and longer cooking times. Some of the most popular steak cuts to panfry are Ribeye and Strip.

The next step is actually preparing the meat. If you're serious about a perfectly cooked steak, this process should begin at least a day before you actually cook.

Sprinkle your steak with coarse salt – as opposed to table salt – and allow it to sit suspended over a plate (so it's not sitting in its juices) for 45 minutes before cooking in a cool, dry place.

Alternatively, you can coat your meat with Asian fish sauce or any other marinade and refrigerate for up to three days.

When this process is over, rinse the steak (if using the salt method) or just pat dry with a paper towel before seasoning. Make sure your steak is at room temperature before cooking. Besides seasonings, I like to brush my steak with oil so it doesn't stick. If you want to add butter, don't add till after you have seared your steak and lower the temperature or else it will burn the butter.

See more steak recipes here: http://www.thedailymeal.com/best-recipes/steak

Plan Your Cooking Attack

When actually cooking the perfect steak, timing and temperature are everything!

First, decide how you'd like your steak cooked. Rare falls between 120°F and 130°F, medium-rare between 130°F and 140°F, medium between 140°F and 150°F and well-done between 160°F and 170°F.

The amount of time you cook your steak depends on the thickness and how well you'd like it done. For a thin half-inch steak cooked medium rare, three minutes on one side and two minutes on the other should be sufficient. On the other hand, for a two-inch steak cooked medium, you might need up to 10 minutes on the first side and eight on the second.

When in doubt, use a meat thermometer to make sure you are cooking your steak to the required temperature. But be careful not to overcook! You actually want to take your steak off the heat 5°F before it reaches your desired doneness.

After cooking, tent your steak with tin foil and let sit for 5-10 minutes before cutting. This will let it slowly reach your desired level of doneness and will help keep the steak nice and juicy!

Cooking Steak Without a Grill

To cook a perfect steak inside using only your oven and stovetop requires a bit more work than just tossing a steak on the grill. To make the transition easy from the stovetop to the oven, use a ceramic or cast iron pan. I personally prefer ceramic skillets, just make sure the one you have doesn't leak lead or cadmium into your food when cooking.

The surface temperature for steak that's a half-inch thick should be between 425°F and 450°F. The temperature for steaks that are about an inch thick should be between 360°F and 400°F, while the temp for thicker steaks ranges from 325°F to 350°F.

Check out this chart for more details on cooking temperature and time: http://www.ceramcor.com/blog/recipescooking-with-xtrema/how-to-cook-steak-perfectly/

The best way to heat up a cast iron or ceramic skillet is in the oven. Just place the skillet in the oven and preheat for 400°F or whatever temperature aligns with your cut.

As mentioned, the amount of time you cook your steak depends on how thick it is and how you'd like it cooked. Many chefs say to only flip your steak once, however, there are others who say it's better and quicker to flip your steak multiple times (http://www.seriouseats.com/2012/12/the-food-lab-complete-guide-to-pan-seared-steaks.html). The choice is up to you.

There are a variety of ways to cook your steak indoors. I personally like to take the skillet hot out of the oven and sear each side of the steak, about 90 seconds for each side. Then I place the skillet back in the oven for 6-9 minutes or until it reaches the temperature right before my desired doneness.

You can also cook your steak completely on the stove top (with similar cooking times as the grill). Cooking it on the stove top also allows you to constantly baste the steak and then use the bits stuck on the bottom to make a sauce after the steak is cooked.

A final key to remember is that your steak will continue to cook even after you remove it from the heat. Remove your steak a minute or two before it reaches your desired level of doneness, then let it sit for three to five minutes before you cut and enjoy.

Master these tips and it won't be long before you become known as your family's go-to person for preparing the perfect steak.