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How to cook steak without smoking up the house
Nobody likes a smokey house. I don’t like smokey houses. You probably don’t like smokey houses…even the dog doesn’t like a smokey house. Unfortunately, steak is one of those kinds of meats where, quite often, if you cook it quickly on a hot grill it will start to give off thin clouds of white smoke.
When you cook meat, especially red meat like steak or hamburger patties, the fat and juices drip down into the bottom of the pan (or on your outdoor grill) and burn at high temperatures. This causes smoke, which can get into your walls and drapes if you don’t take care of it right away.
There are a few things you can do to keep steaks from sticking:
Choose the right kind of pan
A cast-iron skillet or griddle will help prevent sticking by allowing you to get some good color on your meat without overcooking it. Make sure your fire is nice and hot before cooking so that you get those browned bits on the bottom of your pan.
Smoked meat tastes delicious, but it’s not exactly friendly to the environment. If you want to cook your steak the way people did in colonial times — with an open flame — consider using a Dutch oven instead.
Use a dry rub or marinade before cooking
This helps seal in moisture and adds flavor to your steak without adding extra fat or calories. You can even use marinade as a sauce after cooking if you want more flavor!
Season your steaks with salt before cooking them; this will help keep them juicy while they cook, preventing them from drying out during the process. You can also add spices like paprika or cayenne pepper if you want a spicy kick!
Oven-broil or bake
If you’ve got a decent oven, broiling or baking your steak can be an excellent alternative to grilling it outdoors.
This method allows you to get all the benefits of searing in high heat without any smoke or flare-ups — plus, it will keep your kitchen cool on hot days when you’d rather not crank up your oven.
Use a panini press or grill pan
Panini presses are great for cooking steaks because they flatten out your meat so it cooks evenly all around — no more flipping and turning steaks back and forth on the grill!
Grill pans work similarly except they have more surface area than a panini press, allowing you to cook multiple steaks at once if need be (although there are some disadvantages to using a grill pan).
If you have an electric stovetop or countertop, then this may be a good option for you since there’s no open flame involved in cooking your meat (and therefore less chance of burning down your house).
Cook outside on a gas grill
If you have a gas grill, turn off the burners under where you want to cook, then open all vents and doors for maximum airflow.
You can also try placing a foil tray underneath where you’ll be cooking — this will catch any drips or flare-ups from the meat and keep it from escaping into your house.
Sear the steaks outside first
Sear the steaks outside over direct heat for about 3 minutes on each side before finishing them in the oven or on top of the stove inside (with no open flames).
Using this method will give you plenty of time to enjoy your meal without worrying about your house smelling like a campfire when you’re done eating!
Broiling
Broiling is another popular method for cooking steak because it’s fast, simple and results in a browned exterior that gives you a nice crust on your meat — kind of like grilling over direct heat would do.
However, broiling doesn’t produce any smoke at all and doesn’t require much attention from you either; just give it about five minutes per side and then check back every so often until you get your desired doneness level.
Grill with aluminum foil
You can prevent smoke from filling up your kitchen by creating an aluminum foil tent around your food while it cooks on the grill or under the broiler — just poke holes in the foil so that enough smoke can escape so that it doesn’t fill up your kitchen with acrid fumes.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a way to enjoy your steak without black soot all over the house, then this post is for you. Particularly if you like to grill, these tips can help you enjoy your meal without ruining your lungs or making your home smell like a campfire.
Best of all, these methods are fast, cheap and easy, so there’s no reason not to give them a try.
Robert is a certified Pitmaster, with over a decade of experience in smoking the best meats you’ll ever feast upon. He also has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio. When he’s not researching technical topics, he’s most likely barbecuing in his backyard.