T-bone steaks cook best at high temperatures for a short period of time. Image Credit: Jupiterimages/liquidlibrary/Getty Images
T-bone steak combines a bit of the tenderloin on one side of the T-shaped bone with a New York strip steak on the other side of the bone. Whether you throw it on the grill, stick it in a hot oven or opt for something more complex, there are many ways to turn that steak into a sumptuous supper.
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Get Out the Grill Pan
One of the advantages of grilling a steak are those attractive cross-hatched grill marks. Duplicate that with a grill pan placed on a burner on the stove. Wipe the grill pan with cooking oil. Place it on the burner and turn the heat up to high. Put the steak on the hot grill pan for three to seven minutes, then turn it over and grill the other side.
Saute and Sauce Is a Bonus
Sauteing gives the steak an attractive brown crust — start with high heat to sear the steak, then lower it to medium-high to finish cooking. Searing does produce some smoke, so keep the exhaust fan going. Remove the steak when it's within 5 degrees of your preferred doneness. For example, if you like medium-rare steak, take it off when an instant-read thermometer reaches 120 degrees Fahrenheit. After removing the steak from the pan, you can make a sauce from the drippings. Add enough liquid to cover the bottom of the pan by 1/2 inch. Use white wine, red wine, beer or even beef broth. Scrape up the browned bits of steak. Cook the liquid until it's reduced by half and serve atop or alongside the steak.
Cube It Up
Many people think of steak as an 8-ounce-or-greater slab of beef. However, that's not the only way a T-bone steak can be cooked. Chop up the steak to create the classic dish of beef stroganoff, a rich combination of beef, mushrooms and sour cream. Start by removing the meat from the bone and cutting it into cubes. Heat the cubes over medium-high until browned on the outside but not fully cooked, then transfer them to a plate. Add mushrooms to the pan. Try porcini, white button, chanterelles or portobello. When the mushrooms are almost done, add the steak cubes back to the pan. Right before serving, pour a bit of wine into the pan to deglaze it and add in some sour cream. Take the pan off the heat and mix the sour cream with the pan juices, steak and mushrooms.
Stir-Fry Stretches the Steak
Asian cuisine uses meat more as a condiment than an entrée. Do the same and stretch a T-bone steak to feed two or more people. Remove the meat from the bone and thinly slice. Dip it in a marinade. Select from ingredients like rice wine vinegar, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, dry mustard, grated ginger and garlic to build your marinade. Stir-fry your choice of vegetables, adding the meat when then vegetables are crisp-tender. Since the meat is thinly sliced it will cook in a minute or two. Serve over rice or noodles.
