Apartment Tenderloin Steak

This isn't so much a recipe as a 'why yes you can!' tutorial. While many apartments do have a balcony and access to a grill, I do not. That doesn't mean I don't long for a good tender steak every once in a while. I have not ever tried cooking a steak inside because many recipes require a cast iron pan that can go from stove top to oven and I don't own one. Also the idea of STEAK just can be more intimidating than meats like chicken or fish. The steak I made was fantastic and believe it or not it was so amazingly easy. Really.

If you are skeeved out by a steak that is cooked in a pan (sounds kind of greasy and sad when you picture it right?) don't be. Cooking a steak in a pan is the same as cooking it on a flat top grill. Many, many restaurants cook their steaks on flat top grills and not over open flames.

Finding a good steak recipe/directions reminded me of finding a good one for a roast chicken. There are lots of ways, many of them way over complicate what is actually a very simple, very quick process. Any that mention oven use are just asking for a dry overcooked steak.

This is it: buy steak, season, heat pan with a little butter or oil to medium. Once the pan is hot cook your steak for 2 minutes a side for rare, 3 minutes for medium rare, etc up to 5+ minutes a side for well done. Use the face test to check for done-ness instead of a meat thermometer. This progression of minutes assumes your steak is not either freakishly thick or pancake thin. About 1" or slightly more. 

It really was that easy. I bought a tenderloin and I cooked it rare. It almost reminded me of cooking sea scallops. Sear the outside, keep the inside tender and not cooked through.

1. Buy steak...

2. Make sure it isn't freakishly tall...

3. Heat a tab of butter in a heavy bottomed pan (usually just a normal pan that isn't wok-thin). Toss the steak in! You will be searing the outside of the steak so you need the heat at medium at least. This can get splattery with the butter or oil, so use a screen pot cover if you have one, but NOT a lid.

4. Flip...

5. Eat.

Yes I JUST ate a giant steak without a side dish. Who says a quick meal can't also be decadent?