Cooking without a Gril! Need Help

[goat]

So live by myself in an apartment that wont allow grills on the balcony (considering buying one anyway...but besides the point) we have a community grill by the pool, but is a royal pain to go all the way down etc....so my question is (without the use of a george foreman) what is the best way to cook a breast of chicken, or steak. I have tried a pork tenderloin and it worked out great....but other than that i am lost.....any suggestions?

 

[washparkhorn]

Steak is easy without a grill and for a cut like a filet - better, in my opinion.

My favorite steak recipe:

4 center-cut filets mignons , 1 1/2 inches thick, 7 to 8 ounces each, dried thoroughly with paper towels
4 teaspoons olive oil
Table salt and ground black pepper


1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, place rimmed baking sheet on oven rack, and heat oven to 450 degrees. When oven reaches 450 degrees, heat 10-inch heavy-bottomed skillet (not nonstick) over high heat on stovetop until very hot, about 3 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, rub each side of steaks with 1/2 teaspoon oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place steaks in skillet and cook, without moving steaks, until well-browned and a nice crust has formed, about 3 minutes. Turn steaks with tongs and cook until well-browned and a nice crust has formed on second side, about 3 minutes longer. Remove pan from heat, and use tongs to transfer steaks to hot baking sheet in oven.

3. Roast 2 to 4 minutes for very rare (center of steaks will appear cherry red and feel very soft and loose when cut with tip of paring knife), 4 to 6 minutes for rare (centers will appear red and soft), 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare (centers will appear pink and feel firm but juicy), or 8 to 10 minutes for medium (centers will appear light pink and feel firm and compact). (After transferring steaks to oven, proceed with pan sauce of your choice.) Transfer steaks to large plate; loosely tent with foil, and let rest about 5 minutes before serving.

The Sauce:

Madeira Pan Sauce with Mustard and Anchovies

Makes 2/3 cup, enough for 4 steaks - Prepare and measure all ingredients ahead of time - this is a very very quick sauce and timing is important.

1 large shallot , minced (about 3 tablespoons)
1 cup Madeira
2 anchovy fillets, minced to paste (about 1 teaspoon)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Table salt and ground black pepper


After transferring steaks to oven, set skillet over medium-low heat; add shallot and cook, stirring constantly, until softened, about 1 minute. Add Madeira; increase heat to high, and scrape pan bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Simmer until liquid is reduced to about 1/3 cup, 6 to 8 minutes. (If steaks are not yet out of oven, set skillet off heat and wait for steaks to come out of oven and rest for 2 minutes before proceeding.) Add accumulated juices from baking sheet and reduce liquid 1 minute longer. Off heat, whisk in anchovies, parsley, thyme, mustard, lemon juice, and butter until butter has melted and sauce is slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste, spoon sauce over steaks, and serve immediately.

 

[goat]

thank...need to get tongs and meat therm....

what about chicken....anyone?

 

[Woland]

I like to cook my steak in a cast-iron skillet with a little bit of margarine.

With a properly seasoned skillet, a cutting board, and a knife you can cook a whole bunch of tasty stuff (including chicken).

 

[Wooderson]

Sounds like you need a grill pan.

Lodge Cast Iron Grill Pan
.
.
Non-stick Grill Pan

 

[washparkhorn]

I love cast iron (especially a cast iron dutch oven), but you might want to splurge a little and get an all-clad stainless skillet (10 inch). It cooks beautifully, and is easy to deglaze (which is essential to pan sauces in my opinion). The Link

 

[Wooderson]

washpark:

I agree that nicer pans are worth the money, but this sounds like a single guy who isn't really into cooking. That's why I suggested a couple of inexpensive grill pans.

 

[washparkhorn]

I assumed that Wooderson and cast iron is a great choice.

I waited for a long time to get an all-clad skillet and I am amazed with its performance every time I use it. But cast iron (and teflon Calaphon) served me well for a long time.

 

[Woland]

Well, both the 12-inch cast-iron and 10-inch All-Clad stainless should be essentials in every serious kitchen. Each does different things better.

 

[washparkhorn]

Woland - serious question that I don't know the answer to -- what does the cast iron do better? I still use mine for bacon and burgers (cold snowy days).

 

[washparkhorn]

Add cornbread to what I make in the cast iron skillet.

 

[goat]

Thanks for all the suggestions....I am headed to spend some $$$ on some new pots and pans today.....Am a young single guy, but love to cook and just used to grill a ton....after spending the holidays with the family and making our traditional xmas dishes (Split Pea Soup, homemade pierogies...like a potato filled ravioli.....pork tenderloin and lobstertail....xmas eve) and then our italian xmas day (beef tenderloin, homemade meatballs and italian sausage, shell stuffed twice baked potatoes, and homemade raviolis) still full from it actually. My main prob is that the things i like to make are tough to do in a single portion and well, just expensive and a lot of hassle to make for 1 and i am not a big fan of leftovers.....i am getting sick of a chicken breast on the foreman, caned veggies, and instant rice.....

 

[Woland]

Iron is extremely dense and heavy. It takes a while to heat up and cool down, but distributes the heat very well. That makes it far superior for searing meat and great for making jambalaya. The 10-inch All-Clad skillet, on the other hand, is perfect for sauteing where you are flipping your ingredients, or cooking something that needs the temperature of the pan to drop when you turn down the heat or remove the skillet from the flame.

 

[Randy_Allen_Fan]

I second everything said about cast iron. If you can get one that is well seasoned from a relative or something, all the better. I have two skillets that belonged to my Grandfather. He used them to make steaks and chili for my Mother when she was a child and then she got the skillets and now I have them. They are seasoned to absolute perfection.

I also have a cast iron grill/griddle pan that I bought a few years ago. I can't say enough good things about it. I actually use the griddle side to make pancakes on. I put some butter on the surface and the pancakes get really crispy. It's almost like they are fried.

Outside of a charcoal/wood grill, I don;t know if anything is better for cooking steaks, chicken, pork chops, etc. that a goos cast iron pan.