Full disclaimer: I’m a griller primarily: plank salmon with prosciutto, loads of taragon lemon butter basted chicken cooked slowly on the grill with a cider sprayer to put out fires.  But for quick workday meals, especially when it’s ok to heat the house with the oven, this is a can’t miss method for making juicy, medium rare steak and pork chops.

Ingredients

1. Cast iron pan
2. Steaks
3. Butter
4. Montreal seasoning

Process:

1. Heat the oven to 500 degrees with the cast iron pan in the oven from the start
2. Let the steaks come to room temperature (3o minutes is plenty)
3. Dust with pestle-ground Montreal (rubbed first with olive oil if you like)
   1. Option: slice up an onion or mushrooms and pre-saute in butter
   2. Empty the pan and return it to oven for 10 minutes wiped clear of butter
4. Wait for 15 more minutes after the oven comes to temperature
5.  Put the pan on a high heat burner
6. Sear the steaks 30 seconds a side
7. Pan back in the oven for 2 minutes
8. Pan back on the high heat burner
9. Flip steaks
10. Add pats of butter and optional ingredients
11. Back in the oven for 3 (mediam rare) to 5 minutes (medium)
12. Pull pan put on unheated stove, let rest of no more than five minutes
13. Serve whole or sliced