When it comes to cooking steak, everyone has their own preference. But almost all start with thawing out the steak from the freezer before proceeding to light that baby up.
But what if there’s another way? What if cooking steak from frozen is actually more effective and tastes even more yummy? Well, in this post we’re going to answer a question we regularly get asked, can steak be cooked from frozen?
The short answer to this is yes! Absolutely! And you may be surprised to find out that it does in fact taste incredible, with many swearing by only cooking steak from frozen.
That being said, I must start this post my offering a disclaimer. I’ve cooked many a frozen steak in my time but have to say this is not my preffered way of cooking steak.
I perfer to buy my steak fresh and cook unfrozen steak, but I’ve spoke to many who will now only cook their steak from frozen.
What I personally recommend is before you go slapping a frozen filet mignon or Wagyu steak onto the pan, try this method with cheap meat first.
If you like it, then feel free to move onto the more expensive cuts and see how you feel.
Let’s take a closer look…
Contents
Freeze Your Steak Properly
The first step to cooking the perfect steak from frozen is to ensure you freeze your steak properly in the first place. The way to do this is to freeze your steak on a flat surface, such as an over tray or baking sheet.
This ensures that when your steak freezes it isn’t all bunched up, and when you decide to cook it, you ensure that the largest surface area is touching the grill.
It is also wise to wrap each individual steak up in plastic wrap as tight as possible and then seal in a resealable freezer bag. Press as much air as you possibly can out of each bag, this will stop freezer burn.
Freezing your steak this way will ensure your steak keeps for around 3 months and is the best way to freeze your steak for cooking at a later date.
Learning to freeze your steak properly is important for those that love this food, it helps keep the quality of the meat high when it’s been frozen for a few months.
How To Thaw Out Your Frozen Steak
If you’re not one for cooking oyur steak from frozen, you’ll need to know how to defrost your steak correctly.
When the time is right and you decide to thaw out your frozen steak, there are a few things you should know before you do so to ensure your meat stays of the highest quality.
First, defrost your steak as slowly as possible. It’s recommended to thaw your steak out in the fridge whilst still in the plastic packaging.
This will naturally take longer but it will also preserve the quality of the meat and make it taste nice and juicy when it;s cooked.
Midway through the defrost, take the wrapped steak out of the fridge and remove all of the packaging. Place the steak on a uncovered plate or container and return it to the fridge.
This helps the meat dry and removes any sweat that may be trapped inside the packaging, giving you the best texture possible.
How To Cook Frozen Steak Correctly
You can cook any steak from frozen, but as I mentioned earlier if this is your first time then it’s wise to start with a cheap steak in case cooking from frozen isn’t your thing.
You’ll be glad to know what cooking your steak from frozen is incredibly simple. It’s a three-step process that works like a charm every time.
Step 1: Sear
The first step of cooking steak from frozen is not around the steak at all, and it’s to sear your pan with the perfect amount of oil in preperation for your frozen steak.
One thing to note here is that hot oil and hot pans mixed with frozen meat have been known to cause kitchen fires. So please be very careful and take extra precautions when cooking your steak this way. I recommend removing your searing pan from the heat before adding your frozen steak to it.
Using a large skillet, pour a small amount of your preferred oil into the pan at medium heat. Ensure that the oil is hot enough for the crust of the steak to form.
If the skillet is not hot enough the crust of the steak will not form and you risk overcooking your steak.
Then, remove your pan from under the flame and gently add your steaks. Wait a moment or two before adding your pan back over the flame, you should hear a nice sizzling noise for confirmation that you’re on the right track.
Sear each side of the steak for around 90 seconds to ensure a nice even crust on both sides, this adds texture to your steak and makes it that much more delicious.
Step 2: Season
After your steaks have an even crust, remove them from the skillet and place them onto a wire oven tray. Season generously with salt & pepper.
The wire tray allows air to circulate around the steaks helping them cook evenly and cooling them down for step 2.
Adding salt to your steak before cooking draws out the moisture, this creates a brine that is re-absorbed back into the steak. This breaks down the proteins in the meat making them more tender and delicious.
Seasoning steak is where many individuals go wrong, they either don’t do it at all or largely over-do it, resulting in a steak that is dry and bland or far too salty.
Be careful when seasoning your meat, and don’t be afraid of using a steak rub or other seasonings providing your careful with your already piping hot steaks.
Step 3: Cook
After you’ve seasoned your steaks, it’s now time to cook those bad boys and get them prepped for eating.
Pre-heat your oven to 275˚F and place your wire oven tray into the oven to cook your steaks.
The preference of yourself and your guests will determine the length of time to leave your steaks in the oven for.
My friends and family typically prefer their steaks medium rare, and I find that this type of steak can be cooked perfectly after around 20 minutes in the oven.
If you’re not sure what temperature to cook for the different types of steak doneness then I’ve created a table below for you to take a look at.
| Steak Doneness | Temperature (°F) | Temperature (°C) |
| Blue Steak | 110°F | 43°C |
| Rare Steak | 120–130°F | 49–54°C |
| Medium Rare Steak | 130–135°F | 54–57°C |
| Medium Steak | 135–145°F | 57–63°C |
| Medium Well Steak | 145–155°F | 63–68°C |
| Well Done Steak | 155°F and up | 68°C and up |
Is Cooking Steak From Frozen Better?
I personally prefer to cook my steak fresh instead of frozen. However, many swear by cooking their steak from frozen as it has a slightly different taste.
The reason for this is because when you cook steak from frozen, it allows you to sear the outside of the steak at a very high temperature without the heat penetrating into the steak.
This means you get a lovely crisp edge of the steak that is cooked to perfection once taken out the oven.
Not only that but when cooking steak from frozen you also ensure that the meat retains more moisture during cooking. You’ll find that it does take twice as long to cook steak from frozen, but it yields better results in terms of taste.
Final Thoughts
So, can steak be cooked from frozen? Absolutely!
Yes, it will take a little longer than usual and may seem like a strange concept at first, but after a couple of attempts, you’ll soon find that it’s easy and your steak tastes yummy.
That being said, please be careful when cooking steak from frozen in a hot skillet. This has been known to cause fires if not done correctly.
As menitoned above, many people believe that cooking steak this way is better than cooking fresh, unfrozen steak.
This is all down to personal preference but you will certainly find that it does taste a little different, largely because of the extra moisture from being frozen.
Remember, if you’re trying this method for the first time to use a steak that isn’t expensive. It’s not worth using expensive meat for the first few times as you may ruin the meat and also may not enjoy the taste.
It’s wise to use cheap options such as rump or rib-eye before working your way up to sirloin and filet.
Hopefully, you’ve learned a thing or two in this post about cooking steak from frozen, feel free to stick around and learn more about steak.
