yo yo, can i cook a steak in a toaster oven

So about 15 months ago we bought a toaster oven to replace an old dying toaster, and it was great for a while, but lately the smell of burned fats has permeated the thing, and the smoky burned smell gets on every piece of bread I put in there. Is there any way to de-stink this thing or is it kaput? the bottom drip tray is clean, the problem isn't there -- it's just that the fats have atomized and gotten all over every inch of interior surface, and burn and re-burn every time I use it.

What kind of fats? Cheese?

Why not clean the entire inside with a potent degreaser and a scrubbing pad? It can't hurt. Maybe soften things up by "toasting" a bowl of water in there first to add moisture.

You could try heating up a pan of water + white vinegar to see if it kills the smell (will stink up the house, be warned), but I'd go for Laurel's idea of degreaser if possible.

I like the smell of vinegar so that wouldn't bother me, but yeah, I mean, if it's dirty, then, err...clean it.

pan of water with lemon juice in it?

What kind of fats? Cheese?

Butter and occasionally margarine. I'll see if I can clean it out -- from a quick look in there I'm not sure if I can get behind the heating elements, but I'll give it a go.

You could hit it with some Easy-Off or other oven cleaner if the heating elements are a problem.

put a stick of dynamite in there and light it.
get out of the way.
then go get a new one.
unless it's some fancy pants toaster in which case try to take it apart and clean it.

I'd be worried about oven cleaner staying behind and getting baked into everything you put into the oven subsequent, but that's just me

how about just in a toaster

if u hate yr toaster, then yes

the filaments/electrics in the toaster are in the walls so the juices would just fall into the drip tray, but probably some would splatter and short it

if it was just a thin steak (which it would probably have to be to fit neatly) then it might be cooked by then, at least to some degree

drip tray née crumb tray

I lined the tray with foil, rubbed a ribeye in olive oil and seasoning, then put it in the toaster oven for 20 minutes at 240F. Buttered a frying pan and set it on the stove, took out the steak, seared it for about 90 seconds each side in the pan, easily one of the best steaks I’ve had at home. Better than a lot of ribeyes I’ve had out if I’m being honest.

Reverse sear is possibly the best method. I worry that my charcoal grill might hear me.

I tried to do a short rib dish in the toaster oven one (the only) time. It didn't turn out well.

A toaster oven is a (probably convection) oven and can be used in the same way as long as the food fits inside.

I have made foie gras in a toaster oven (very low heat in a water bath) and that was totally fine. I didn't have a terrine so just wrapped it into shape in saran wrap. I love toaster ovens so much.