Steaks look light brown aren't charing

I'm cooking steaks in a stainless steel pan. It's never getting hot enough to cook steaks and char them it's charring in a few places then starts to basically boil and lightly brown the meat which tastes bad and looks bad.

I should probably be using a cast iron pan which is thicker that can hold the heat longer. The steaks are about an inch or so thick not very thick. I'd like to get them charred on the outside and medium rare on the inside mainly on the rare side so they are still red, not brownish.

Any advice on a good type of pan for cooking steaks over a gas stove?

Thanks

steak pan

Best Answer

I have made steak with a stainless steel pan and I haven't any issues achieving browning. Yes, a cast iron pan would be better, but a good stainless steel pan can work too.

Here is my technique (I am also using gas):

Heat pan without anything in it.
When it's hot enough, I add the oil to coat the bottom.
Then add the meat to sear both sides. I usually finish the whole thing in the oven. (Make sure to check your pan is oven safe).
Depending on the size of the steak, sometimes I just finish it there, sometimes I finish it in the oven.

Other notes:

Make sure the pan is hot enough
If your stainless pan is really thin, you may still have an issue. If this is the case you may want to invest in another pan. Cast iron pans last for ever and can be had for cheap.
Make sure your steaks are at room temperature. Take them out of the fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking.
Remove any moisture from the surface prior to cooking. You don't want to have to heat the water first (steaming the meat), and then browning. You want it to brown right away.

Edit: to add the info suggested by jalbee and Henrik

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Why are my steaks light brown?

The Maillard reaction is a chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that gives flavor, aroma, and pigment to foods\u2014particularly meats\u2014that are browned over high heat. This reaction was named after the French chemist who originally described the phenomenon in 1912.

Are steaks bad when they turn brown?

Answer: The steaks should be fine. As the U.S. Department of Agriculture points out, it's normal for fresh meat to change color during refrigerator storage. For instance, it's common for beef to turn more of a brownish shade, due to oxidation.

How do you know if steak has gone bad?

If your steak is bad, it will often look and feel slimy and slippery to the touch. The surface of the meat will have a sheen to it, and the slime may have a yellowish hue when it catches the light.

What color is steak when it goes bad?

Your meat has gone bad if you see a slimy texture, yellow color, or a green color instead of the normal red or pinkish color you'd expect to see with steak. As mentioned above, if your steak has been kept in the freezer or refrigerator, it may have a slight brown color, but that does not mean it has gone bad.

Why Does Steak Turn Brown?

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Andrea Piacquadio, Erik Karits, Monstera, David Selbert