A couple of friends cooking steak in a cast iron skillet for the first time stunned TikTok by accidentally ending up with a perfect blue steak.
At first glance, the large steak resting on @meghan.abbott’s countertop looks like perfection in a video that’s been viewed over 9 million times since it was posted in early April. But when the knife goes in and the center is revealed, the two women burst into laughter at how utterly raw it is on the inside.
“Pov you’re just girls trying to cook a steak on a cast iron for the first time,” reads the text overlay.
There’s a third level to this saga, though. Yes, the steak is raw. But viewers were quick to point out that the specific way it turned out actually is perfect after all, even if it’s not what they had expected.
“The fact you made a perfect blue steak on accident is hilarious,” @swaz.y wrote in the comments.
What is blue steak?
Put simply, a blue steak is a steak that’s essentially raw on the inside but seared to perfection on the outside. It’s cooked to a slightly lower internal temperature than steak served rare. And it’s usually cooked under higher heat for a shorter time. That leads to the crust looking more well-done, as seen in the video.
Achieving that juxtaposition isn’t an easy feat. That’s why people were so impressed that @meghan.abbott and her friend managed to pull it off by mistake.
“Some rich dude would pay $80 for that,” said @now_viral.
How do you cook steak in a cast iron skillet?
Most people probably aren’t attempting to cook a blue steak at home. Still, getting a more familiar level of doneness, like medium rare or even well done, with a cast iron skillet can take some trial and error.
There are tons of recipes out there to help get a delicious end result. But there are a few key factors that tend to stay the same across the board.
First, letting the steak come to room temperature by allowing it to sit out for 20 to 30 minutes rather than cooking it straight out of the refrigerator can make a big difference. Several viewers theorized that this was probably the step the TikTokers skipped.
“This 100% went into the pan, still frozen solid,” @kaolo420 joked.
Another helpful tip includes letting the steak rest for 5-10 minutes after it’s cooked. This brings up the internal temperature further without continuing to cook the crust. And you can find out where it’s at by using a meat thermometer. A medium-rare steak, for example, should end up at around 130 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit.
Viewers share reactions and cooking tips
The video got a big response on TikTok. That means it drew both people as amused by the result as the women who posted it and those who wanted to share their own experiences figuring out how to cook steak.
“The pan is supposed to be hot. Not preheated in lava,” wrote @justshillbruh. “How did you get a crust that perfect and the inside be so raw? I’m impressed honestly.”
“Not even rare, it’s legendary,” @hectic358 said.
@tim05311 quipped, “That looked so immaculate at first and then just started mooing.”
@lexifawks offered this practical advice for their next attempt, “Imma be so fr. I’ve mastered cooking a steak in a cast iron. Medium heat, Tablespoon of butter, and then play Fergalicious twice. Once for each side. I’ve gotten perfect med rare steak.”
@meghan.abbott #fyp ♬ original sound – meghanmywaydownt0wn
But how do you salvage a steak that’s already turned out blue if raw meat isn’t to your taste? Here, viewers were generally in agreement
“Put it in the oven (in the cast iron) for a lil bit til it’s the temp you want,” said @wheezybones.ttv.
The Daily Dot has reached out to @meghan.abbott via TikTok comment.
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The post ‘The fact you made a perfect blue steak on accident is hilarious’: Woman cooks steak on cast iron skillet for the very first time. Then she cuts into it appeared first on The Daily Dot.