Now steaks - this I know.
First off, someone said it earlier, the grill is the way to go. However, if you can't grill, a marinade will help.
Aramike's Pan Seared Steak Marinade Recipe:
1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
3/4 Cup Water
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh ground black pepper.
Works best with tenderloin filets.
Now, for grilling, it's even easier. Coat each steak with Olive Oil. Salt liberally with Lawry's seasoned salt, or some substitution. And I mean salt the hell out of the steaks, both sides. Throw on some fresh pepper.
Next, heat your grill to "hot as hell" level. Either white coals, or 500+ degress on a gas model. Put the steaks directly over heat for a minute or so, then turn them a quarter turn each, and let them cook for another minute. Leaves great marks for appearance. Flip and repeat.
After that, my trick is simple: resalt any cut except for a filet, as most of the salt will either cook off or rinse off with the dripping fat. But then, the most important thing is to not grill any side for longer than 90 seconds or so. This prevents one side from drying out while the other is off the heat.
Finally, learn the feel. Here's a good link:
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/the...eness_of_meat/
I absolutely HATE meat thermometers for steaks, as piercing them cause you to lose juices, and food safety really isn't a huge issue here.
Anyway, give it a shot if you'd like. All I can say is this: when my friends buy steaks, they bring me one in exchange for me grilling them. The A1 always makes an appearance, but never gets used.