Fuzzy avert your eyes! This message is added here to keep it in a more appropriate thread; it started over in Valentine’s 2012.
I thought caramelized steak was a common phrase & cooking technique but when I Googled it the results were sparse; maybe I’m just imagining things but for me it really just developed from caramelizing onions and mushrooms – either separately or together.
Basically, I leave a steak lightly covered with kosher salt and seasonings out on the counter all day until I’m ready to cook. I heat a small fry pan over high heat with grapeseed oil until just before it smokes (burns at 480F). Generally I cut my steaks in 10 ounce pieces about 1.5 inches thick. Using tongs, I brown the edges for 1 minute each side and then each flat side for 2 minutes. When the second side is starting to cook, I turn the heat off or to low, wait for 2 minutes, add a teaspoon of butter to the pan, wait for the butter to melt and add a very small amount of BBQ sauce and balsamic vinegar (like less than a teaspoon of each), mix the butter, vinegar, and sauce slightly and place the steak on top of it and turn the heat back up to med-high for about one minute and then cook the other side for one minute.
The trick of course is not burning the sugars in the sauce and vinegar, but the meat being on top of this mixture generally prevents burning. The initial high heat gives me a crisp exterior and the caramelization of the sugars adds that hint of sweetness and smokiness that we like and complements the mushrooms and onions (which are only caramelized in butter over a low heat for about 45 minutes). For us, the least amount of sauce and vinegar is best as it can overwhelm
We prefer steaks rare/blue-rare so these times obviously depend upon your pan, burner, taste and experience. Plates are pre-heated and everything else being served is ready to go, so the last minute or so can be hectic. It's so darn good, we even have wine with it
