How do you pan fry a steak and how do you know when it's done?

Answer 1

For a nice T-Bone ... brush with your favorite bbq sauce and pan fry on medium. 5 minutes per side fro rare; 7 minutes perside for medium and about 10 minutes per side for well done.

Answer 2

First, use a cast iron skillet; they're the best. A heavy aluminum skillet will do in a pinch. Put your skillet on medium heat and pour in a tablespoonful of canola oil or olive oil. While your skillet heats, lay your steak on a cutting board and use a toothed mallet to pound it, which will tenderize it. Sprinkle a teaspoonful of flour seasoned with salt and pepper on the meat and spread it evenly before you pound the meat. Turn the meat over and treat the other side the same way. When a drop of water boils away when dropped into the skillet, it's time to put the meat in there along with some sliced onions. Fry it on medium heat for six minutes. If the bottom of the skillet seems to get too dry, just add some more cooking oil. Turn the meat over and fry the other side. When it's done, put the meat and onions on an oven-safe plate and put it in your oven on "warm" to keep while you stir a tablespoonful of flour into a cup of hot water, and then pour that into the same skillet. Reduce the heat to low and stir the gravy constantly, scraping up any bits of the meat that remained in the skillet. Sprinkle a half teaspoonful of salt and a good pinch of black pepper into the gravy, stir in a teaspoonful of beef bullion crystals until dissolved. Serve the meat with the gravy and the sliced onions on top and be sure to pour some of the gravy on the mashed potatoes.

Answer 3

Get the non-stick skillet very HOT. Brush steaks with olive oil. Sizzle and brown steaks on both sides. Remember, steaks finish cooking when sitting on a plate. Do not marinate as some marinades have acids in them and will cause the meat to be tough. When the steaks are done, top them with some butter, salt & pepper, and any seasoning that you like.

In General:

Very Rare: one minute each side (juices will be bloody)
Rare: 2 minutes each side (juices will be bloody but not as much juice as rare)
Medium: 3 minutes each side (juices will be a little pink)
Well Done: 3 minutes each side then put in oven for 10 minutes at 300 degrees. (Juices will be clear)

When demonstrating a technique for cooking a steak, chefs hesitate to give students an exact cooking time because there are so many variables to consider. Obviously the thickness of the steak and the degree to which it is to be cooked (very rare, rare, medium, or well done) will have a considerable effect on the timing. The temperature of the meat before cooking (if you like your steak rare or medium rare it must be at room temperature before cooking), the presence of a bone, the method of cooking (sautéing, grilling or barbecuing), and the heat of the stove, grill, or coals will also affect the cooking time. The best way to test whether the meat is cooked is by touch and sight as well as by the clock: as a steak cooks, the meat becomes firmer and the interior colour lightens from a dark purple-red to pink.

Answer 4

PAN FRIED STEAK

Round steak, 6 serving pieces
1/2 c. shortening
Flour
Salt & pepper

Pound steak to make tender. Put flour on wax paper. Sprinkle salt and black pepper lightly on both sides of each piece. Coat steak with the flour.
Melt shortening in a large skillet. When shortening is melted but not hot, put a few pieces of steak in the skillet. Cook the rest after the first pieces are done. Cook on medium heat uncovered on both sides for about 10 minutes or until brown. Take out of skillet and drain on paper towel on a plate.


PAN GRAVY:

1/3 c. shortening
2 tbsp. flour
1 1/4 c. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Use the liquid from cooking the steak, about 1/3 cup. Put salt, pepper and flour in the skillet and cook on medium high heat, stirring constantly until flour is brown, not real dark. Pour in the milk and cook until thick. Serves 5.

Answer 5

It's done when it feels like the flesh between you pinky and ring finger.