Here’s the thing about cooking steak off the grill: it has to be done on a screaming hot, heavy slab of metal. A cast iron skillet is ideal but not necessary. I’d rather use a heavy casserole pan than a dainty skillet.

Ingredients

• Steak, 1
• Olive oil, a glug
• Salt + pepper

Instructions

1. Turn your oven up to maximum temperature, place your heavy slab of metal at the top of the oven and leave in for 30 minutes or so.
2. 15 minutes before cooking remove the steak from the refrigerator, drizzle with a little olive oil and use your hands to ensure the entire steak is coated.
3. Season every surface of the steak with salt and pepper and leave to sit for 10 minutes.
4. Carefully remove your screaming hot, heavy slab of metal from the oven and place on the largest gas burner and turn up to maximum heat (also turn the oven off).
5. Place the steak in the pan then turn on the extractor fan and open doors and windows.
6. Cooking time depends on the thickness of the steak. For a 1½ inch sirloin I turn every 20 seconds for 2 minutes for a rarer medium. I find turning the steak often develops a better crust than only turning once, but however you do it, your aim is to develop a decent crust on the surface of the steak.
7. Once done, remove from the pan and leave to rest — usually for as long as you cooked it, or up to 5 minutes.