When it comes to mealtimes for big groups or even for the family, nothing quite hits the spot like a perfect grilled steak does. But the truth is, while preparing one or two steaks to perfection may be the prerequisite for a romantic dinner for two, having to cook multiple steaks for a party or a family gathering can turn out to be a disaster if you’re not careful.
Commercial kitchens have the ability to prepare multiple steaks quickly during a lunch or dinner service thanks to their super large grills and dedicated heavy-duty kitchen equipment that is meant to cook large numbers of steaks all at once.
Like most other homeowners, if you don’t have the luxury of having a commercial-sized kitchen installed in your home, chances are you’re not likely to enjoy preparing 5, 10, or even 20 steaks every day of the week.
But if you do need to cook multiple steaks at once, here are some tips on how you can do so.
Can You Cook Multiple Steaks In One Pan?
By cooking smaller cuts of steak, you can use an average 14-inch skillet for cooking three to four stakes at once.
Just make sure to leave 1 -2 inches of space between the two steaks in the pan.
Don’t crowd the pan with too many steaks, as this cools down the pan too much, resulting in a less than ideal batch of steaks. If you have a big pan, you can fit up to 3 steaks, for smaller pans, 2 steaks will be enough. Any more and you risk undercooking all of your steaks.
How long does it take to cook a 1-inch steak in a pan?
As far as steak cuts go, 1 inch is the most common thickness for steaks that you can get from your local supermarket or at the butcher.
When cooking a 1-inch steak in a pan, spread oil on your preheated pan and leave it to heat to a very high temperature. Once you add the steaks to your pan, you should get a loud sizzle – this means that the temperature is ideal for cooking steak.
Cook the steak for 4 minutes on each side. This should result in a crispy brown exterior on the outside of the steak, and medium-rare doneness on the inside.
How do you grill multiple steaks?
Grilling is an easy way to cook multiple steaks at once, and if your grill is big enough, you can fit as many steaks as your grill can accommodate. A grill gives constant heat throughout the entire grill area, which is great for cooking multiple items at once with no risk of undercooking.
Make sure to leave at least 2 inches of space on the grill between each steak, and cook each piece for about 4-5 minutes on each side until you see that the exterior is a nice seared brown. Cooking for this amount of time also means that the steaks are medium-rare on the inside. Leave them on for another 3-4 minutes if you or your guests prefer them to be well-done.
How long does it take to cook two steaks in the oven?
You can fit 2 steaks in a regular-sized cast iron skillet, and pan-sear them to perfection. Turn the burner to high, add in your cooking oil (rice bran and canola is the best), and wait for the oil temperature to come up to the smoke point, where the oil starts to almost look shimmery.
Add your 2 steaks into the cast iron skillet, then wait for the smoke to dissipate – it’s only the beef fat rendering. Sear both sides of your steak. Don’t move them until they develop a nice crust on the side that’s on the hot surface of the pan, then flip them over with a pair of tongs to do the same to the other side.
Now add the butter, garlic, and your herbs into the pan and baste the steak with the butter, garlic, and herb mixture. This imbues the crust with a delicious flavor that seeps into the inside of the meat.
Now, insert a temperature probe into your steak and transfer the cast iron skillet into the oven to continue cooking the steak thoroughly (convection at 255ºF and conventional ovens at 250ºF).
Depending on your desired doneness, you’ll want to remove your steak from the oven when it reaches 5º below your desired doneness temperature. For example, a medium-rare steak reads a temperature of 130ºF – so when your steak reaches 125ºF, take it out of the oven to let the residual heat raise the temperature to cook it perfectly.
Using Indoor Electric Smokeless Grills
These devices are a true lifesaver! Not only do you get the benefit of cooking multiple steaks on a large cook surface, but you can also grill indoors with minimal smoke.
I know they are called smokeless grills, but in reality, you do get a small amount of smoke. And even less smoke with the power vented smokeless grill.
Considerations when cooking Multiple Steaks At Once
Although cooking multiple steaks at once isn’t exactly rocket science, it takes some consideration.
Here are some considerations to note:
- Prepare your steak beforehand
Salting your steaks and then drying them on a rack in the fridge 24 hours before cooking allows the salt to permeate the meat and dry out the excess moisture on the surface. Use a fine ground salt to do so. This helps prevent the steaks from sticking to the pan when you cook them and also reduces spattering when you place your steaks into the hot oil in the pan. - Start by searing, finish in the oven
It’s much easier to cook multiple steaks by searing them first, then cooking them through in the oven. Searing is best done with a cast-iron skillet, which retains the highest amount of heat and produces the best heat distribution for the ultimate char on the surface of your steaks in a short time.
Then, after you’re done searing your steaks, finish off by cooking the inside of your steak in the oven. This way, you can effectively cook as many steaks as your oven can hold – the bigger the oven, the more steaks you can prepare at once. - Let the steaks rest
Resting your steaks for at least 10 to 15 minutes ensures that the cooked juices inside your steaks don’t become all runny and mess up the texture of your steak when you slice them to serve.
Photo altered by simplelifesaver.com | Photo attribution: MILAN GAZIEV
