I want to put the steak onto a hot pan to get that sear on the outside and uh lock in the flavor or something. But butter burns at high heats and oil doesn’t add flavor like butter.

Is there a way I can get the best of both? A nice sear but still cook in butter?

Says it’s a stirlon for example.

  • @EmoDuck@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    166 months ago

    You can use Ghee or any type of clarified butter. The milk solids are the part of the butter that burn, pure butter fat has a pretty high smoke point.

    Also, don’t be afraid to add olive oil or butter to the steak after serving.

    PS: Not to be TOO pedantic but searing doesn’t lock in flavors/juices, it’s just for the maillard reaction

  • @stealth_cookies@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    126 months ago

    Best of both worlds is to sear in a high smoke point oil like avocado or canola and then butter baste at the end until the butter is nicely browned. Add some whole aromatics on the steak (garlic, rosemary, thyme etc.) during the butter baste for some nice flavour too.

    Ghee is also an option.

    • @Death_Equity@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      56 months ago

      Bacon fat is great stuff for steak searing. Plus it is an excuse to cook large amounts of bacon. I guess you can buy it, but then you don’t have bacon.

      • @mipadaitu@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        66 months ago

        https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfE5Cz44GlZVyoaYTHJbuZw

        Gustavo Tosta - aka Guga Foods - has a channel on YouTube where he does a lot of experiments with cooking steaks. Some of them are crazy $1,000+ steak recipes. Some of them are literal dollar store steaks cooked in a pan. They don’t always work out, but if you REALLY want to know how things change when you cook steaks in different ways, this is a really fun resource to follow.

  • 🇰 🌀 🇱 🇦 🇳 🇦 🇰 ℹ️
    link
    fedilink
    English
    7
    edit-2
    6 months ago

    When you cook it in butter, you’re gonna wanna actively continue to baste the butter over the meat and just keep it moving so it doesn’t burn, and you would first sear the steak at high heat, then cook the rest of the way at a lower temp while you’re applying the butter and herbs and stuff.

  • FuglyDuck
    link
    fedilink
    English
    76 months ago

    The simplest is to just lower the heat. Set the steak in there and let it get its crust by letting it… sit there.

    Don’t keep flipping it. A good sear comes from good, even heating and the time+temperature. Lower the temperature and increase the time.

    The caveat to that is it may come out slightly more well done. Especially particularly thin cuts. To solve that, instead start with canola and add butter after the sear. (Sear one side, reduce temp, add butter and cook the other side without flipping.)

  • @Fizz@lemmy.nzOP
    link
    fedilink
    66 months ago

    Thanks for all the advice. I wish I posted this before I cooked my steak.

  • AwkwardLookMonkeyPuppet
    link
    fedilink
    English
    66 months ago

    I used to run a cooking blog, so I’ve watched dozens of world renown chefs prepare steak, and I’ve tested many different methods myself. The most popular and tasty method by far is to brush the steak with olive oil and sear it over high heat, finish cooking at lower heat, and then baste it with butter when it is finished. You can either baste it with butter in the pan, adding aromatics as desired, or just brush it down with butter and let it rest. There’s an internet trendy reverse sear method where you bake it at low heat first, and then finish it over high heat to obtain the sear, but the butter would still be applied after all of that, as the last step before resting.

    • @Fizz@lemmy.nzOP
      link
      fedilink
      36 months ago

      This has been such a great thread I have so many new tricks to try out. I’m gonna have to buy more steak. I really want to try out the baking then sear. What heat would I bake it and for how long? Could I use an air fryer?

      • AwkwardLookMonkeyPuppet
        link
        fedilink
        English
        46 months ago

        Here’s a reverse sear recipe from America’s Test Kitchen. Their recipes are heavily tested and usually outstanding, although frequently over-complicated. If you don’t want to invest all the time into it, then you can just use their baking instructions and do your own thing for the seasoning. I haven’t heard of using an air fryer for cooking steak, so you’re on your own there. If I had to guess, I’d say it might dry it out a little, so maybe not the best approach.

  • amio
    link
    fedilink
    46 months ago

    Sear it in oil. Once the crust is formed you can ease off the heat, add the butter (garlic and herbs too, if you want) once it’s safe, and baste. Basting might cause it to carry over cook a bit more, so be conservative with the core temp.

  • @QualifiedKitten@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    46 months ago

    What about a mixture of butter and oil? There seems to be mixed information as to whether this actually yields a higher smoke point, but even if it doesn’t, it will effectively dilute the burnt flavors.

  • @Donebrach@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    4
    edit-2
    6 months ago

    I just let the steak’s own fat do the work, no additional fats necessary. Just be sure to allow the meat for rest for at least 5-10 minutes after cooking before you cut into it.

  • @bitwaba@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    36 months ago

    Use beef tallow instead of butter. I personally just trim the excess fat from the steak and render that down then pull out all the solid bits, crank the heat until it smokes, then drop the steak in.