How to : How to Cook Chuck Steak

Turn on the broiler and season the steak. If your broiler is in the top part of the oven, move the oven rack about 4 inches away from the broiler element. If the broiler is in a sliding tray under the oven, you won’t need to adjust the rack. Turn the broiler on while you salt and pepper both sides of your chuck steak.^[5]

Broil one side of the steak. Place the seasoned steak onto a baking sheet or skillet and place it below the broiler. Depending on the thickness of the steak, broil it for 7 to 9 minutes. If you’d like it on the medium or rare side, cook it closer to 6 or 7 minutes.^[6]

Turn and broil the other side of the steak. Use a sharp fork or kitchen tongs to carefully turn the chuck steak. Place the steak back under the broiler and let it cook for another 5 to 8 minutes, depending on thickness. Check the steak’s temperature.^[7]

Let the steak rest and serve it. Remove the steak to a cutting board or serving plate. Place aluminum foil over the steak so it forms a tent and let the steak rest for about 5 minutes. This will help the muscle tissue in the steak redistribute the juice so it doesn’t all run out when you begin cutting the steak.^[8]

Turn on the oven and season your steak. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (204 C). Season your steak with any kind of seasoning you like. If you want to keep it simple, just use coarse salt and pepper. Don’t be afraid to coat both sides of your steak with the seasoning since this will give it flavor and help it brown. You should be able to see seasoning on the steak. You could also use:^[9]

Heat a skillet. Place a heavy-bottomed skillet (preferably a cast-iron skillet) over high heat. Add a few tablespoons of coconut oil, grapeseed oil, or vegetable oil in the pan to heat. You want the pan to get really hot so the steak sizzles immediately and begins to brown.

• Coconut, grapeseed, and vegetable oils all have high-smoke points so they won’t burn as your pan heats up. Avoid pan-frying a steak in butter or olive oil which will burn.

Sear both sides of the steak. Place the steak in your hot oiled skillet and let it cook for 1 to 3 minutes. Carefully turn the steak and sear the other side for another 1 to 3 minutes. The steak should be a dark golden brown color on the sides. It will still be mostly raw inside, but you’ll finish the steak in the oven for even cooking.

• You can turn the steaks frequently while they’re searing so they sear evenly and brown faster.^[10]

Finish cooking the steak in the oven. Place the entire skillet with the seared steak into the preheated oven. Cook the steak for 6 to 8 minutes or until the steak reaches the level of doneness you’d like. If you check the temperature, the steak should be between 145 degrees F (62 C) for medium-rare and 175 F (79 C) for well-done. Transfer the steak to a plate and let it rest a few minutes before you serve it.^[11]

Choose the chuck steak. If you’re buying steak to feed several people, try to choose smaller steaks that are about the same size. If you can’t find any, you can purchase one or two larger steaks to cut into smaller portions. This way, the steaks will cook evenly.

• Chuck steaks can be irregular since they include a lot of muscle from the shoulder area of the beef. Look for a chuck steak that doesn’t have too much fat and seems to be an even thickness.^[12]

Store and handle the chuck steak. Try to use your fresh chuck steaks as soon as you bring them home. If you can’t use them immediately, you can refrigerate them for up to 2 or 3 days. To store them, remove them from the plastic wrap covering and place them in a non-plastic dish. Cover the dish loosely so there’s some air flow. Put the steaks in the meat compartment of your fridge or put them on the bottom shelf so any juices don’t drip onto other food.

• When handling and storing raw meat, it’s important not to place, touch or store raw and cooked meat together. Keep them in separate compartments and use different cutting boards when wrapping and handling them.