So yesterday was a fantastic day-- my new Le Creuset grill pan came in the mail! I know that doesn't sound very exciting, but I was absolutely thrilled! It came just in time for dinner, so of course, I had to grill some steaks!
Let's talk about the pan before we talk about the steaks. On Facebook and Instagram (@christinaandemmablog) I got a lot of questions on How do you make steak in a pan? and How can I use my Le Creuset to grill food? Let me start by saying, not all pans are created equally. Le Creuset makes two types of enameled cast iron; one with a light sand interior, found in french ovens and braisers, and one with a black satin enamel, found on skillets and grill pans. The black satin enamel-- and more specifically, the design of this grill pan-- allows me to cook with the high surface temperature needed to grill food. Now that doesn't mean you can crank up your stove to high heat and begin cooking. Not only can that damage the enamel, but your food will stick like crazy! I never go above a medium heat when using any type of Le Creuset product. The trick is to heat the pan long enough so that it heats through. Then, because cast iron retains heat so well, you can turn the heat down and begin your cooking!
Now, the steak! In my house, there are a handful of absolute, nonnegotiable essentials when grilling a steak: salt & pepper, garlic, parsley, rosemary, and lemon. Say what? It's actually really good-- hear me out! Salt, pepper, garlic, and rosemary for the cooking of the steak; and salt, garlic, parsley, and lemon for dressing your board. Check out the recipe below, and enjoy!
CAST-IRON GRILLED STEAK
Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 8 minutes per steak
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INGREDIENTS:
steaks for grilling
salt & pepper to taste
olive oil
an herb bouquet of rosemary
2 cloves garlic, 1 halved & the other minced
1 lemon
1 tablespoon butter [more or less]
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
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DIRECTIONS:
1. Prepare your cast-iron grill pan by heating it over medium heat.
2. Season raw steak (patted dry & at room-temperature) with salt & pepper on both sides. Then, brush lightly with olive oil.
3. Dress your board. To do this, drizzle some olive oil, salt, minced garlic, parsley, and the juice from one lemon onto your cutting board. Mix it around, and set it aside. This is where you will place your steaks to rest after they are done cooking.
4. When your pan is heated through, brush it lightly with olive oil, and hold steak upright with the fatty edge on the grill. Sear the fat until it is crispy, then lay the steak down flat and press it lightly against the bars. Cook for two minutes.
5. After two minutes, flip the steak to the other side (making sure it's in the same direction), and cook for two minutes. While the steak is cooking, take one of the halved garlic cloves and rub it against the top of the steak. Then, using your rosemary bouquet, mop up the fat from the pan and pat it on top of the steak.
6. After two minutes, flip your steak and rotate it 90 degrees (this will give it classic cross marks), and cook for two minutes. While the steak is cooking, take one of the halved garlic cloves and rub it against the top of the steak. Then, using your rosemary bouquet, mop up the fat from the pan and pat it on top of the steak.
7. After two minutes, flip your steak (making sure it's in the same direction), and cook for two minutes. While the steak is cooking,take one of the halved garlic cloves and rub it against the top of the steak. Then, using your rosemary bouquet, mop up the fat from the pan and pat it on top of the steak.
8. When your steak is done, remove it from the grill and place it onto your dressed cutting board. Rub it around on both sides with some butter, and let sit for about a minute or two before you cut into it. Enjoy!
xoxo,
CHRISTINA
