Page 35 of Sex On A Plate

SKILLET STEAK

DIFFICULTY: You’re heating meat.

TIME: One hour, total. It only takes 8 minutes for the steaks, but you’re having a one-hour baked potato, too.

What you’ll need from the cupboard: A cast iron skillet, a cookie sheet, a hot pad, a tablespoon, and a pair of tongs.

What you’ll need from the pantry: Salt, pepper, 2 steaks (a GOOD cut of ribeye, preferably), 2 baking-sized potatoes, 2 garlic cloves, thyme, 1/2 a stick of butter, olive oil, and some vegetable oil.

* * *

I’m not easily intimidated. I’ve stared into the eyes of prisoners, lunatics, thieves, and at least a dozen federal agents who wanted to kill me, and none of them intimidated me.

Cooking a steak, however, can be intimidating.

Until now.

Follow this procedure and you’ll be the king (or queen) of the house. Nothing, and I do repeat, NOTHING beats a finely cooked steak.

You can do this. It’s easy. Really. All you have to do is follow these simple instructions.

Preheat oven to 450.

Remove the steaks from the fridge. Unpackage them.

Wash your hands.

Wash the potatoes. Dry them completely. Cover the entire surface with olive oil (olive oil your palm and rolling them in it works well). Salt the oily potatoes thoroughly with kosher salt. Pepper them thoroughly. Put a few light dashes of garlic powder on them.

Carefully place them on the cookie sheet and shove it in the 425-degree oven, using the middle rack.

Let the steaks sit out at room temperature for 45 minutes. It seems no one wants to do this, but it’s an essential step to cooking a fabulous steak.

Do it. You’ll soon see the difference.

After 45 minutes, pat the steaks dry with a paper towel. Discard the towel.

Wash your hands.

Salt and pepper both sides of the steak. LOTS of salt. A decent amount of pepper. Press everything into the meat.

Wash your hands.

Chop the 2 cloves of garlic. Fill a teaspoon with thyme, but not quite completely full. Cut your half stick of butter in two. Place your tablespoon beside these things. Have everything within arm’s reach of where you’ll be cooking.

Turn the fan on the range hood on.

Cover the cast iron skillet in a thin layer of oil. Position the skillet on the burner with the handle at the three o’clock position.

Seriously, do it.

Heat over medium-high stove until oil is smoking. This will take some time. Ten minutes or so if you’re using an electric burner. Four or so if you’re using gas.

Place one of the steaks at the three o’ clock position, and one at the nine o’clock with the long edge of the steaks against the perimeter of the skillet. Press the steaks against the pan with your hand, ensuring the entire section of meat is against the surface of the skillet.

Don’t touch anything with your nasty hands.

Make note of the time.