Steaks Cooked Perfectly from Frozen (the safe way!)

Steaks cooked from frozen – I have cooked more steaks from frozen than I’d like to admit. But this method works. The steaks are always delicious with a good crust and wonderful flavor.

(And unlike other methods you may find on the internet, you won’t be throwing an icy steak into a pan of ripping hot oil!)

For some helpful tips before you begin, click here.

Ingredients:

2 frozen steaks at least 1″ thick, (about 1 lb/450g each)
1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
1/2 teaspoon (1.5g) black pepper
1 teaspoon (3g) garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon (1.5g) onion powder
1 teaspoon (6g) MSG*
vegetable oil, for searing

OPTIONAL:

4 to 6 tablespoons (57 to 85 g) butter, melted
2 to 4 cloves garlic

*MSG is wonderful for steak, but if you do not like to use MSG, it can be omitted.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven and prepare the baking sheet.

– Preheat the oven to 250°F (121°C) and place the oven rack in the middle position.
– Spray a cooking rack with cooking spray and place on a baking sheet.

2. Season and cook the steaks.

– Combine the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and MSG.
– Coat the frozen steaks with olive oil and then season both sides of the steaks with the seasoning mix.
– Place the steaks on the prepared cooking rack and place in the pre-heated oven.
– Cook for 45 minutes or until the steaks reach an internal temperature of 125°F (52°C) for medium-rare. (See TIPS) (The internal temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees while it is resting.)

3. Rest the steaks.

– Remove the steaks to a rimmed plate, tent with foil and let rest for at least 10 minutes and up to 1 hour.

4. Sear the steaks.

– Pour enough vegetable oil to completely coat the bottom of a large cast iron or heavy-bottomed skillet.
– Heat the skillet over medium-high heat until the oil is glistening hot, but not smoking. (The steaks should sizzle. If they do not sizzle, wait longer.)
– Place the steaks in the center of the pan and let sear for only about 1 minute per side, moving the steak around only once or twice, to get a good even crust.

Optional – After flipping the steak, add the melted butter and garlic cloves into the pan. Baste the steaks while searing.

– Sear the sides of the steaks as well. (Use tongs to stand the steaks up on their sides.)
– Remove the steaks to the cutting board or serving plate. Pour any butter or pan juices over the steaks.

5. Serve hot.

– Serve while hot. (Since the steaks were already rested before the sear, no need to rest again.)

*****

About this recipe:

Hm. Cooking a steak from frozen. What can I say? It works.

This method of preparation is the reverse-sear. Unlike pan-seared steaks, which are seared in the pan and then finished in the oven if needed, reverse-seared steaks are cooked in a low oven first and then seared.

By cooking in a low, gentle heat, steaks can be brought up to the desired internal temperature with more control and precision. If cooked to medium-rare, the steak will be medium-rare throughout – from edge to center with no overcooked grey band along the outside.

The steak is then rested before searing. A minute per side in a hot pan or grill is enough to get a good crust. Plus, because resting is done before searing, the steaks can be served hot right off the pan or grill.

But for frozen steaks, the slow, gentle cooking also allows the steak to thaw and cook evenly throughout with only a few additional minutes in the oven.

Tips:

Here are 4 helpful tips:

1) To cook steaks to your preferred doneness Pull them 5 degrees early!

Steak temperatures:

Rare: red, cool center 120-130°F/50-55°C
Medium-rare: red, warm center 130-135°F/55-57°C
Medium: pink throughout 140-150°F/60-65°C
Medium-well: barely pink anywhere 155-165°F/68-74°C
Well: brown throughout 170°F/77°

Residual cooking:

– Pull your steaks from the oven around 5 degrees before it reaches your preferred doneness and let it finish cooking while it rests. Residual cooking will bring your steaks’ temperatures up 5 to 10 degrees.

2) Estimated cooking times. (Get an instant-read thermometer!)

– The best and most reliable way to know if your steak is at the perfect temperature is to use an instant-read thermometer.

– If you do not have an instant-read thermometer, below are estimated cooking times that have worked for me.

Cooking times for frozen steaks at 250°F (121°C) for medium-rare (125°F/52°C before resting):

1″ steak – 45 minutes
2″ steak – 60 minutes
3″ steak – 75 minutes

Add about 5 minutes per inch for medium (135°F/57°C before resting)
Add about 10 minutes per inch for medium-well/well-done (145°F/63°C to 150°F/66°C before resting)

PLEASE NOTE: These cooking times are estimates that have worked for me with my oven. I recommend getting an instant-read thermometer and checking your steaks early and often.

3) Rest reverse-seared steaks before searing.

Keep the steaks juicy. If you cut into a steak that is not rested, all its juices will run out. Letting the steak sit for a few minutes will allow the juices to redistribute throughout the steak and ensure it’s as juicy as it can be.
There will be some residual cooking during resting. Internal temperatures may go up between 5 to 10 degrees, so make sure to pull your steak before it reaches your desired temperature.

4) Sear fast and hot.

Use a cast-iron pan or other heavy-bottomed skillet. These pans will retain heat better and provide more even cooking and a better crust.

If basting your steaks, start with melted butter. A minute per side goes fast and won’t provide enough time to melt and brown the butter for proper basting.