Everyone loved my dad's steaks. That's not surprising: As the meat cooked, he generously brushed it with sliced garlic cloves swimming in melted butter. But I'll never forget the panicked scenes when my parents invited friends over. It was never crystal-clear to any of us when the steaks were done, so my father would slap them on our plates and have us check them with a knife. Back then we didn't understand that steaks continue to cook off the grill, and we often would return them to the fire unnecessarily.
Once the steaks were deemed done, there was the big rush to the table before the meat got cold. No time for a salad or first course. The steaks had to be eaten hot off the grill. So while he took pleasure watching everyone savor his legendary steaks, I don't think my father ever enjoyed the dinner very much. It was too stressful, too last-minute.
That's why, until recently, I never cooked steaks for a crowd. Steaks, however, are perfect party food. Special, yet quick-cooking, they're on that short list of dishes that work for impromptu entertaining. I wondered if it was possible to take the stress out of cooking and serving steaks for company.
I remembered all the huge filet-mignon banquets I had attended. How had the caterers served steaks to several hundred guests at once? I suspected they seared but undercooked the steaks before dinner, then held them in a warm oven where they slowly rose to doneness.
Whenever I tried it, however, my steaks were usually fully cooked by the time they browned. Fortunately, I found a way to speed up the browning process. After reading an article about chefs who sprinkle sugar on their steaks to ensure a good sear, I thought the technique might work for me. I checked with a chef friend, who confirmed that sugaring steaks--and pork and fish, too--is a common restaurant practice.
I tried it and found the sugar reduced the browning time by nearly half - two minutes per side, rather than the usual three to four minutes--which let me sear the steaks without cooking them through. Now I can get that step out of the way before guests arrive, and I can finish cooking the meat in a warm oven as we leisurely have hors d'oeuvres and a first course. Now when we have friends over for steaks, I can enjoy the party, too.
Here's my method:
Choose the right steaks. The most common steak choices are rib-eyes, strip steaks and filet mignons. Regardless of the cut, choose thick steaks, preferably 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches thick. Thinner ones are more likely to overcook by the time they've had a chance to sear. Thicker rib-eyes and strip steaks usually weigh 12 to 16 ounces, so consider splitting one steak between two people. Filet mignons range in size, but 8 to 10 ounces is common. Make sure the steaks aren't ice-cold. Start by bringing them to room temperature. You can do this very quickly in the microwave. Working two steaks at a time, microwave them, uncovered, on the defrost setting for about two minutes. But if you plan to sear the steaks and let them rest awhile, you can skip this step.
Choose your searing method. Either a grill or a skillet will work, but the surface should be piping hot. If using a gas grill, turn all burners on high until fully preheated, 10 to 15 minutes. Lightly brush the grill rack with oil. Close the lid and let the grill return to temperature. If searing the steaks stovetop, use a heavy-bottomed non-stick or cast-iron skillet that comfortably holds the number of steaks you plan to cook. The steaks should not be crammed together (which could cause them to steam) or set too far apart (which could cause the pan to smoke excessively). About five minutes before cooking, set the pan on the burner over medium-high heat. When smoke starts to rise, turn on the exhaust fan. If serving a large crowd, use a large heavy-bottomed roasting pan set over two burners to sear up to six filet mignons or four large rib-eyes or strip steaks (serving up to eight) at one time.
Keep the seasoning simple. While the pan or grill heats, rub both sides of each steak with oil, and season each side with salt, pepper and sugar. How much sugar? For large strip steaks and rib-eyes, sprinkle on a scant 1/2 teaspoon per side. For filet mignons, about 1/4 teaspoon per side. Wait to season the steaks until you are ready to sear them, because the sugar melts quickly. Set a timer, and sear the steaks for two minutes per side. They should end up with an impressive crust that has a few blackened spots around the edge; grilled steak should have nice grill marks.
Transfer the steaks to a wire rack set over a shallow baking pan. That keeps them from steaming and lets them cool faster.
Brush them with garlic oil. I often do this, because I remember how good the soft, yet potent, garlic tasted on my dad's steaks. The oven heat tames the garlic just enough to lose its bite. Figure about half a medium minced garlic clove and one teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil for each steak.
Gently cook the steaks in a 325-degree oven until done. Once seared, all the steaks need is 25 to 30 minutes to reach a rosy pink medium. Don't worry too much about time. The low heat cooks the steaks slowly, gently and evenly. An extra 10 minutes' oven time will not hurt them. They are done when an instant-read thermometer, plunged deep into the steak from the side, registers 140 degrees, but it will not hurt them --especially filets--to cook to an even higher internal temperature. If they're ready, but you're not, simply turn off the oven and crack the door. That'll buy you at least another 10 minutes.
Copyright 2004 USA Weekend and columnist Pam Anderson. All rights reserved.
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