Grill interrupted.

I'm back in AB for a visit, and cooking at my parent's place.  The last time I blogged from here is was all about making a dessert with whatever I could find in the panty...this time, my goal was to blog about the joys of BBQ (a cooking implement that I do not have access to at my apartment in Montreal).

Unfortunately, for an as yet unknown reason, I could not get the BBQ to light.

Plan B: steak, done in the oven.  I started doing steak this way a year or so ago, and found that it's a pretty foolproof way to cook the meat to the desired internal temperature.  Admittedly it doesn't give you that same "fresh from the grill" taste, but the meat you end up with is still pretty delicious.

First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

While your oven is heating, take your meat out of the fridge and bring it to room temperature.  The key to making the meat taste great is to season it well: all you need is a little oil (canola or olive), salt, and pepper.  Don't be shy about the seasoning...use just a touch more salt than you think you need.  This is also the point where you can add a little bit of extra flavour to your meat: take a look at your spice rack, and rub your favourites into the meat along with the salt and pepper.

Before putting the meat in the oven it is important to sear both sides (locking in the flavour and moisture).  Preheat a pan over high heat, and cook for 1 minute on each side.  Remove the steaks from the hot pan and place the steaks on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet  (this is, of course, the ideal...you can also place the steaks directly on a baking sheet).

Finally, bake at 400 degrees F.  For steaks that are on the thinner side, start by cooking for 10 minutes.  Check for doneness, and if they're not cooked enough throw them back in the oven for 5 more minutes (continuing to cook in 5 minutes intervals until your steaks reach the desired internal temperature).

Try cooking with sauce (like I did) or make a Michael Smith-inspired cheese crust!