How to Cook Steak

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Categories: Food | Meat | Food & Drink | How Tos

  • Cooking steak on the stove is a good alternative when you can't use the grill. This page will walk you through the process so you can learn how to cook steak.

  • Step 1: Pick a Steak

    1. Cut and quality. First things first: you'll need to choose the cut of meat you'll be cooking.
      • Types of steak include tenderloin/filet (a top choice), sirloin strip, and rib eye.
      • USDA meat grades go from Prime (top quality, mostly found in restaurants), to Choice (typically the highest grade you'll find at the butcher), to Select (leaner and more easily dried out). There are lower grades, but you'll want to avoid them.
      • Aged steak is less commonly found. It has a distinct flavor and the aging process can only be applied to the very best cuts of meat.
    2. Marbling is your friend. The more marbled the meat, the better.
      • The marbling look comes from small flecks of fat that will mostly melt and keep the meat moist.
    3. Thin is in. Thinner steaks are more easy to manage than thick ones.
      • About 1½" thick is the ideal size (but anywhere from 1 - 2 inches should be fine).
      • Filet mignon tends to be on the thicker side.
      • If you can't find what you're looking for pre-packaged, simply ask the butcher to cut the meat to your liking.
    4. Marinate if desired. Marinating can help tenderize tougher cuts of meat.
    5. Thaw it out. You don't want to try cooking a frozen steak.
      • For the best results, you'll want your steak to be about room temperature when you throw it on the grill.
    6. Trim the fat. If desired, you may cut some of the large strips of fat from the edges of the steak.
      • Ideally, fat strips should be no more than 1/4" thick.
    7. Season to taste. Before cooking, season the steak with salt, pepper, and/or garlic.
      • You'll also want to put some olive oil on each side before it hits the frying pan.
      • Seasoning comes down to personal preference, as you can add as much or as little as you desire. Some people prefer not to put anything at all on their steak.
    8. Don't poke holes! At no point in the process of cooking do you want to poke holes in your steak. This will only dry it out and make it lose flavor.

  • Step 2: Throw It on the Skillet

    2. Grab yourself a heavy duty cast-iron, non-stick skillet and put a tablespoon of oil or butter in it.
    3. Turn your stove on high and heat the skillet until it's piping hot. You'll probably need to turn on the fan so your kitchen doesn't fill up with smoke.
    4. Put the steak in the skillet and leave it for about 3 minutes or so. The less you fidget with your steak during the cooking process, the better.
    5. Flip it over using tongs (or a spatula, which isn't quite as easy). Never use a fork to flip... Remember that we don't want any holes poked in the meat.
    6. If the steak is particularly thick, you may want to use the tongs to pick it up and sear the edges for up to a minute. Then place it back on the skillet on the side that needs more searing.
    7. After a minute or two, you should have a rare to medium rare steak, which most people prefer. However, to determine exactly how done it is, move on to the next step.

  • Testing for Doneness

    • You're now about ready to start testing the steak for doneness. This is the hardest part of cooking steak, and one that you'll need to practice a few times before you really master it. There are a few different methods you can use:
    1. Cut it open. This is the least desirable option, since you want to serve your steaks fully intact, and any extra cooking you do after cutting the meat will dry it out more. However, it is a very simple way to see if the steak is cooked the way you'd like.
    2. Use a meat thermometer. If you have one handy, stick it in the thickest part of the steak and use the temperature to determine how done it is. Keep in mind, piercing the meat will lose some of those juices.
      • The FDA has these rules for meat temperatures:
      • Medium Rare: 145°
      • Medium: 160°
      • Well Done: 170°
    3. The touch method. This is the trickiest to master, but the only real way to preserve all of the flavor and precious juices. By pressing your finger (or a spoon) on the meat and feeling how firm it is, you can learn to determine how done the meat is without cutting it.
      • The meat is hot! Don't burn your finger.
      • The firmer the meat, the more it has been cooked.
      • Compare the toughness of the meat to the fleshy part on the palm of your hand between the thumb and index finger. By touching your thumb to the tips of each of your fingers, you can achieve comparative toughness on your palm:
      1. Thumb and index finger: Rare
      2. Thumb and middle finger: Medium Rare
      3. Thumb and ring finger: Medium
      4. Thumb and pinky finger: Well Done

  • When They're Ready

    • Now that you've cooked your steak to perfection, the time has come for the finishing touches.
    1. Remove the steak from the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes, covering with aluminum foil if you prefer. This locks in the juices that make it tender.
    2. Use this time to set the table or finish any side dishes you've been working on. Asparagus and potatoes both go well with steak!
    3. Now to ask the final question: to flavor or not to flavor? Some people enjoy putting steak sauce, horseradish sauce, or other seasonings on their steak. Others simply prefer the juicy flavor of the steak itself. It's all up to you!
    • Now there's only one thing left to do: enjoy the fruits (or meats) of your labor! If this one didn't come out quite how you wanted, keep trying. With a little practice, you'll wonder why you ever thought it was hard!


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