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Iron Skillet Steak with Thyme Butter

Source of Recipe

From "The Newlywed Cookbook" by Sarah Copeland


Recipe Introduction

"My baby brother loves his steak almost as much as he loves his girl. And he loves to spoil his girl, too. One year for Christmas I gave him a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet along with all of the goodies he would need to pull off 'Steak Night for Your Girl,' including an elegant set of steak knives, linen napkins, and a James Brown CD. The crux of the whole meal is the steak itself, so I included a handwritten card with my recipe and tips for the ultimate steak. Here it is. Guys, here's your chance to splurge on your lady, and spoil yourself in the process (you know you've been eyeing that T-bone!). Serve with oven-roasted tomatoes."

List of Ingredients

◦ 1 � pounds Porterhouse or T-bone steak, preferably grass-fed or organic
◦ Kosher salt
◦ Freshly ground black pepper
◦ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
◦ 2 sprigs of thyme


Recipe

Remove your steak from the fridge about 30 minutes before you begin cooking. Preheat the oven to 425� F.

Season the steak generously on both sides with salt and lots of pepper. Heat a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter to the pan. When the butter foams, lay the steak in the pan and watch it sizzle. Let the steak cook, without touching it, about 4 minutes. The steak will contract and should come away from the pan easily. Flip the steak (admiring your deep golden sear as you do), and continue cooking on the other side, 4 minutes more.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the thyme to the pan and heat until the butter melts and sizzles. Tilt the pan so that the butter pools near the edge of the pan. Using a large metal spoon, scoop the flavored butter and pour it over the steak, repeating to baste the steak with flavor. Transfer the pan and steak to the oven to finish cooking, about 4 minutes for medium-rare, or 6 minutes for medium. Remove the steak from the heat and transfer to a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes. Slice the steak against the grain and drizzle over with the warm thyme butter.

Serves 2






❧ Steak, Your Way: How to Know It's Done:

Please do not cut into your pretty steak to see if it's done. If you're a steak novice, stick a meat thermometer into the center of your steak to test for doneness. It should read 120� F for medium-rare. If this isn't your first steak (or even if it is), it's time to learn the chef's trick for testing steak for doneness: Hold your hand palm-side up. Press on the fleshy part below your thumb with your opposite pointer finger. That's how a rare steak should feel. Now join your thumb and pointer finger and, with your other hand, feel in the same area. That is how a medium-rare steak should feel. Join your thumb and third finger again and feel again, that is a medium steak.