Bobo Bonobo® > wrote:

>On Jul 5, 3:41*pm, (Steve Pope) wrote:

>> There are of course different ways to cook a steak but pan-frying
>> in a cast iron (or other heavy) skillet works perfectly.

>"Perfectly?"

Yes and James Beard agrees with me.

>Pan frying is this thing you do when for one reason or
>another it is not practical to grill over wood, lump, or even gas.
>Would you *really* just as soon have a pan fried steak as one grilled
>over wood?

Not on average, but it can be just as good, in its own way.
I do feel that steak (e.g. New York, ribeye) benefits from an infusion
of smoke, but it is not essential like it is for ribs or
pork shoulder, and a few people might actually prefer no smoke.
Neither does steak need, or want, a slow cooking technique.

Steve