A few weeks ago in The Wall Street Journal I read an article titled The Search for the Perfect Steak. If that link doesn't work, I can send you the article. But in any event, I pasted in below the "steakhouse steak" recipe that was a sidepbar to the article. I tried the recipe--it's very very easy--and sho nuff, it was really outstanding. I also tried substituting the old standby Montreal Steak Seasoning for Kosher Salt, and the results were fine. But if you have a great quality steak, all you really need is salt. I also tried the old caterer's trick of putting a "bit of butter on the burger." Next time you are at a catered event where they have great looking, great tasting hamburgers, a likely "secret" is butter (that you can't specifically identify as butter), but does wonders for the longevity, appearance, and taste of the hamburger.

So I tried a bit of butter on one of the filets last weekend, and I perhaps overdid a bit; next time I will use less. It wasn't bad, but you could just taste the butter, meaning I used too much.

People get a bit obsessed over grilling steaks on the BBQ, but this cast-iron skillet and oven method yields superior results than cooking on a propane fired grill, imao (in my arrogant opinion). While I was cooking the steaks according the below recipe last weekend, I rather manfully drank a glass of Lagavulin (Scotch Whiskey) with one ice cube in it. Steak and scotch...hard to beat.

Here is the recipe:


2 steaks; cut strip steaks or rib-eyes about 1.5 inches thick, filet mignon, 2.5 inches

2 teaspoons grapeseed or canola oil
Kosher salt

• Remove steaks from refrigerator 2 hours before cooking time. Dry them with a paper towel.

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with a rack set in the middle.

• Heat a heavy, cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, until a few drops of water sprinkled in the hot pan evaporate within 3 seconds.

• Coat the bottom of the pan with 2 teaspoons of grapeseed or canola oil.

• Liberally salt the steaks with kosher salt, about 3/4 teaspoon for each steak.

• Place steaks in pan and sear for 2 minutes on each side, flipping only once with tongs.

• Transfer the steaks, still in the pan, to the oven and roast for roughly 8 to 9 minutes for 1.5-inch steaks to achieve medium-rare (an instant-read thermometer should register between 125 and 130 degrees).

• Let the steaks rest, under a tent of aluminum foil, for 5 minutes before serving.