Name: Toaster-Oven Spice-Roasted Steaks
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 (12- to 16-ounce) boneless top sirloin , strip, or rib-eye steak, 1-inch thick, trimmed; 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil; 4 teaspoons recipe; ¼ teaspoon table salt

Why This Recipe Works

Roasting steak in your toaster oven means you can eliminate the chance that you’ll get caught up in nailing the perfect sear on the grill only to cut into a welldone slab. There are two hallmarks of a perfectly cooked medium-rare steak —a consistently pink, juicy interior and a dark brown, crusty exterior. Unfortunately, you need an even, gentle heat to achieve the former and an intense, direct heat for the latter. We tried a variety of methods, from broiling the steaks to basting them with honey, in order to produce a beautiful crust. Alas, without a searing-hot direct heat we just weren’t able to achieve a crust in the toaster oven. Yet, the interior was perfectly medium-rare from edge to edge, something that can be difficult to achieve in a skillet or on the grill. Our solution was to find an alternate crust in the form of a spice rub, which not only crisped up the exterior and added color but also contributed delicious flavor of its own. The rub produced a delicious, worthy “crust” for our juicy, perfectly rosy middle.

Before You Begin

We prefer to use a homemade spice blend here, but you can substitute your favorite store-bought blend. Depending on its level of salt, you may need to reduce the amount of salt in the recipe. This recipe can be easily doubled.

Instructions

Adjust toaster oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Cut steak crosswise to yield two 1-inch-thick steaks. Pat steaks dry with paper towels, rub evenly with oil, and sprinkle with spice blend and salt, pressing to adhere.

Arrange steaks on small rimmed baking sheet and roast until meat registers 120 to 125 degrees (for medium-rare) or 130 to 135 degrees (for medium), 10 to 15 minutes, flipping steaks halfway through roasting. Transfer steaks to cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice steaks thin and serve.