Heating a cast iron skillet


 
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Ethan G

TVWBB Super Fan
I tried my hand at blackened NY strips tonight. While they tasted very good, they didn't blacken well. I did it on the WSM with the top grate on the charcoal ring, and a full chimney of lit coals inside the ring. I let the skillet heat for about 4-5 minutes before putting in the steaks. I was hoping for a sear but didn't really get that effect. Still, I did both sides then finished them on the grill and they were good.

Does anyone use a skillet on their grill or WSM to blacken meat? If so, please let me know what works for you. Thanks.
 
steaks are tough to sear in a pan, I do it all the time, and am still working on my technique.

What I do know:

make sure your steaks are as dry as possible. I like to wrap them in several layers of paper towel before throwing them in the pan. Any moisture will boil and suck up the heat from the pan (think wsm water pan here) and the surface of the steak will stick at 212*.

Crazy heat is good if you are working outside, and don't care what the pan contents are like at the end. I pan sear so I can build a pan sauce from the browned bits so I work at sub "smoke temp."

Flipping is good. I can give you the reference for this if you want. Flip as fast as you want, and build the sear slowly, it works and keeps the insides from getting done unevenly. The trick is the up side doesn't cool as much as you would think, so you kind of get a rotisserie effect.

Make sure your steak is 1.25-1.75" thick. a good sear takes time and you don't want your middle to be too done. I usually bake the steak to my desired doneness after I put on a good sear.

Coarse ground pepper and spices prevent the steak from making good contact. Stick to just lots salt and season with spices later. Chances are any spices will get burnt anyways. Salt as you go too. Its hard to over salt a thick steak.

HTH
 
Originally posted by S Mitchell:
What about putting the steak right on the coals?
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...Personally (not to hijack the thread), I'll stack the coals right to the grate, sometimes pressing the grate down on the coals to make it fit, & then cook it right over that (lid on for the most part).

I'm not so sure about throwing good meat into the fire - around here we call that an accident
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I like all the previous suggestions. To add one more, I like the results I've got using a "blacken" rub and grilling direct rather than on a pan.
 
Thanks to everyone for your input - plenty of great advice here, as always.

Dale - what's in the rub that you mentioned? Thanks.
 
Dale - what's in the rub that you mentioned?
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Nothing exotic. Whatever is off the shelf at the store, or I've also used the rub in Raichlen's How To Grill, which I like. Don't have the recipe handy, but I can look it up tonight if you don't have the book.
 
If you are trying to actually 'blacken' steaks - i.e., cook via the technique used for blackening fish - you cannot do that on a grill grate, though you can use the grill for heating your CI pan. Cooking the meat on a grill won't cut it if you are looking for the typical crusty result. The meat needs the contact of the pan.

I just cook inside on the stove, but have done them on camping trips in pans over hot wood or charcoal.

You need a fat coating to get a great sear in a pan. My preference is clarified butter. You can use a neutral refined oil if you must (like peanut) but the flavor from the butter is so much better.

Dip the steaks in the clarified first, then sprinkle on your seasoning (for fish one dredges; not needed with steaks but you can; I make a typical Cajun blend). Right into a very hot pan they go (I heat mine for 30 min prior). A couple minutes, flip, then right into a preheated 500? oven to finish. A few minutes (tops) later, depending on thickness and desired doneness: done.
 
Kevin, I'm sure you are technically correct (heck, who am I to argue?
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) But using a blackening seasoning and grilling on heavy grate does give a tasty result (to me anyway.) I've done it in a cast iron skillet, and I like it, but you've given a couple tips that I'm sure will make it better. So I'm gonna try it!
 
But using a blackening seasoning and grilling on heavy grate does give a tasty result (to me anyway.)
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Agreed. It's just not the same as blackened steak. Good, but different. One certainly might prefer one over the other.
 
Originally posted by K Kruger:

You need a fat coating to get a great sear in a pan. My preference is clarified butter. You can use a neutral refined oil if you must (like peanut) but the flavor from the butter is so much better.

Dip the steaks in the clarified first, then sprinkle on your seasoning (for fish one dredges; not needed with steaks but you can; I make a typical Cajun blend). Right into a very hot pan they go (I heat mine for 30 min prior). A couple minutes, flip, then right into a preheated 500? oven to finish. A few minutes (tops) later, depending on thickness and desired doneness: done.
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Thanks Kevin. I forgot to mention that I did brush the steaks in melted butter before seasoning them. The taste was good, but my skillet was nowhere near hot enough to get a good sear. Maybe next time I'll use the smaller skillet, so I can get the whole thing inside the grill with the lid on. It should heat better that way.

Alternately, if one had a turkey fryer (which I don't) they could put the skillet over the burner for that and get it smoking hot in a short time.
 
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