Give me your best tips on broiling meat

tomatoey

Especially for steaks and chicken with skin on. I love crispy chicken breast, steaks seared in butter, kebabs - those I usually cook with high heat on the stove top, but it smokes up my place something awful. So I thought I'd try this (cheaper and apparently less smokey than a separate indoor grill.) But it's weird to me because I like to use the stove-top to see and smell what I'm doing - this is a little different.

I've got a 12" cast iron pan (mine is designed for camping, so it's lighter than most, and it has two handles (one long one short) - this is excellent by the way if you can't carry one in just one hand for whatever reason [eg arthritis]). I just got some silicone oven mitts and a set of tongs. I am serious about this!

I tried a steak tonight, following a recipe. It didn't sear that well, and it turned out a bit dry. I had it about 7" from the top of the oven at broil for 3 mins per side, and then turned it down to 450 for another 3 to cook it through.

I know the pan emits a lot of heat, and I did heat it in the oven for 30 mins beforehand, but I think it's not enough. I think the heat coming from above isn't as great as having it below (don't know why, maybe it's dryer?). But I'm sure I'm doing it wrong!

So what are your tips for using broiling to make lovely meats that are beautifully browned, tender, and juicy?

tomatoey

So I found a GREAT recipe for chicken (3 versions below). Which is an achievement because most deli roasted chicken makes me gag a bit and I don't even want to say how I feel about boneless skinless.

I still think it only actually works because of the 5 mins browning on the stove top. I don't fully believe just using the broiler can make things taste good.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/pan-seared-chicken-breast-recipe.html

http://www.chow.com/food-news/54292/the-basics-how-to-make-roasted-chicken-breast/?page=8

This is the chow one (i think)

Heat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. (Ovens take at least 20 minutes to warm up.)
Rub the chicken all over with a good amount of olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. If you have it, sprinkle on Cajun spice mix.
Heat a frying pan over high heat for a few minutes. If it gets too hot and starts to smoke, take it off the stove to cool a bit. Put the chicken, breast side down, in the dry pan. Your chicken should sizzle. Don’t move it around, because the skin is becoming crispy and browned.
After about three minutes, flip the chicken over with tongs and put it in the oven to finish cooking. (If you’re not using an oven-safe frying pan, transfer the chicken to a baking dish first.)
After about 15 minutes, take the chicken out to check it. If it’s done, it will register 160 to 165 degrees Fahrenheit on a meat thermometer. If a metal fork or a skewer stuck inside the breast for 30 seconds doesn’t feel hot when you pull it out and hold it against your skin, or the chicken feels spongy when you poke it, it’s not there yet. Put it back in for another five minutes.
Take the chicken out and let it rest for five minutes so the juices settle before eating.

A variation from the comments (this is the one I actually used, by the way it was great):

"I can give you guys a better way. It is similar to the above instructions but this is what I have been doing for the past 15 years in restaurants. It is easy and foolproof.

1. Preheat oven to 450F
2. Take a pan large enough to accomodate the chicken breast and put it over medium heat with just enough oil to coat the bottom. NOTE-don't use a stainless steel pan as the chicken will stick. Use a non-stick or carbon pan.
3. Season a bone-in, skin-on chicken breast with seasoning of choice
4. Carefully place the chicken breast in the pan (laying the breast down away from you so you don't get splashed) skin-side down and cook for about 5 minutes...until you see the edges starting to brown lightly
5. Place the pan with the chicken (without turning the chicken over) in the oven
6. Cook for about 6 more minutes, then turn the chicken over
7. Cook for about 3 more minutes and it should be done. If using a thermometer check the thickest part and it should read 165F if I am not mistaken. I am a chef so I don't use a thermometer, I just check by touch.
8. This way will always give you chicken with a nice, crispy skin. Remember whenever cooking any kind of poultry skin you can't use high heat or the skin will brown before being thoroughly cooked.
Enjoy"

tomatoey

Two other things re chicken (which I'm not used to cooking because although I used to like it the way people made it when I was growing up, I haven't tried those ways, because as I said, the chicken in the stores these days makes me gag, usually):

- Pound the chicken breast so it's as even as you can get it
- Wash it, but then, pat it super super dry - this is one secret to crispiness

tomatoey

Also: buy chicken from a butcher who gets it from Mennonites