Mark Bittman's Grilled or Broiled Steak

Updated March 22, 2019

Here's a scenario that we're sure at least a few of you are familiar with. A big, beautiful steak catches your eye at the market, perhaps a dry aged ribeye or a well marbled locally raised T-bone. After a bit of inner dialogue (those things aren't cheap), you take the plug and take the steak home. Then a moment of panic hits. How am I going to cook this thing? What if I overcook it and all of its beefy deliciousness is ruined?

To resolve this beef related quandary, we present Mark Bittman's Grilled or Broiled Steak from How to Cook Everything The Basics. Meat plus salt and pepper plus heat equals a great steak, no fancy stuff, no elaborate technique, just a broiler or a grill, and a knife to test the steak's doneness, and done.

What Worked: This is what Mark Bittman has to say about steak: "In a nutshell: salt, pepper, meat, heat, eat." It's a simple formula for a super successful steak experience.

What Didn't: Not a thing, we couldn't agree more with Bittman's steak methodology.

Suggested Tweaks: Here are Bittman's suggestions:

Pan-Cooked Steak: A little more forgiving than using the higher-heat method: Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Prepare the steaks through Step 2. When the oil is warm, put the steaks in the pan (they won't sizzle), seasoned side down, and sprinkle the tops with salt and pepper. Cook until the edges begin to turn brown, 5 to 10 minutes, then turn and cook until the steak is at least 1 shade redder (or pinker) than you like, another 3 to 5 minutes. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook, turning once, until each side is seared a little, less than a minute total. Remove from the pan, let rest, and serve with the pan drippings poured over all.

Pepper Steak (Steak au Poivre): Before Step 1, coarsely grind 1 tablespoon black pepper and melt 1 tablespoon butter. Salt and pepper the steaks as described in Step 2, pressing the extra pepper into the raw steaks, then brush both sides with the butter.

Recipe Details

Mark Bittman's Grilled or Broiled Steak

Active 20 to 25 mins

Total 20 mins

Serves 2 to 4 servings

Ingredients

2 strip, rib-eye, or other steaks (about 1 inch thick and 1/2 pound each), at room temperature
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Prepare a grill or turn on the broiler; the heat should be medium-high and the rack about 4 inches from the heat source. If you’re broiling, put a large ovenproof skillet on the rack 10 minutes before you’re ready to cook.
Blot the steaks dry with a paper towel and sprinkle the top with salt and pepper.
Put the steaks—seasoned side down—on the hot grill or under the broiler and sprinkle the top with salt and pepper. Cook, undisturbed, until they release easily, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook the other side, checking for doneness by peeking inside with a sharp knife and checking the same spot frequently. For medium-rare, figure about 3 more minutes (if they’re over an inch thick, you’ll need a little more time; if they’re under an inch, you’ll need a little less).
When the steaks are still a little bit redder than you want them, remove them from the heat and let them rest for at least 5 minutes. Sprinkle the steaks with more salt and pepper if you like and cut them in half crosswise or leave whole and serve.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
230	Calories
16g	Fat
0g	Carbs
21g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories	230
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g	21%
Saturated Fat 7g	36%
Cholesterol 66mg	22%
Sodium 631mg	27%
Total Carbohydrate 0g	0%
Dietary Fiber 0g	0%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 21g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 11mg	1%
Iron 2mg	11%
Potassium 237mg	5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.