How to Make a Steak
Choose fresh thick-cut steaks with lots of marbling., Salt the steak about an hour before cooking., Bring the meat up to room temperature before cooking., Cook steaks over high heat., Take the meat off the heat before it's done., Test for done-ness...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose fresh thick-cut steaks with lots of marbling.
Good steaks should be very pink in color and fresh-looking, with little to no odor about the meat.
Any off-smell or gray color on the meat is a bad sign.
Good steaks will be streaky with white fat.
That's a good sign that means flavor.
Very lean meat can also be cooked to taste delicious, but sometimes you'll need to add some fat to make up for the leanness.
If you're grilling, strip steak or rib eye are great choices.
If you're cooking in a pan, go for a sirloin, New York strip, or a porterhouse.
Most steak cuts can be cooked in basically the same way.
Don't be too intimidated by the different varieties.
Experiment with different cuts and see what you like best. -
Step 2: Salt the steak about an hour before cooking.
Season both sides of a steak with coarse salt, black pepper, and other seasonings or spice rubs you like to use.
Read the last section for some specific ideas about seasonings and marinades.
There's some debate about when to season steak.
Some people think that you shouldn't salt steak until it's about to go on the heat, because it draws out the water on the meat and makes it dry.
Others think the earlier you salt the meat (up to 24 hours before cooking) the more flavor and juiciness in the meat.Both methods are common.
Put salt on the steak ahead of time, but wait on pepper and other spices.
These will burn and taste bitter if you put them into the high-heat skillet.
Don't completely smother the steak in salt, as it can just make the steak super salty.
A light coating on each side (enough for the steak juices to rinse off while cooking) is ideal.
Avoid making it like a sugared donut. , Take your steak out of the refrigerator at least an hour or two before you cook it, giving it time to gently come up to room temperature.
If you throw a cold steak on the grill or stove, the inside will be very cold while the outside gets cooked.
It's very difficult to cook a cold steak properly. , Good flavor comes from the golden-brown crust on the outside of steak.
The only way to do this is to cook it over fairly high heat, then reduce the heat to finish the inside, or finish the steak in the oven, depending on how done you want it.
Cooking steak at a lower temperature will take longer and make the stake quite a bit tougher.If you have a tough cut you want to tenderize, consider braising or otherwise tenderizing the meat before you cook it. , Meat will continue cooking while it rests, which means you should take it off direct heat when it's just under (within 15 degrees or so) of the doneness you're looking for.Use a meat thermometer, or the finger test.
Beef steaks are done at the following temperatures:
Blue-Rare or Very Rare: 110° F (43.3° C) Rare: 120° F (48.8° C) Medium-rare: 130° F (54.4° C) Medium: 140° F (60° C) Medium-well: 150° F (65.5° C) Well Done: 160° F (71.1° C) , Sometimes called the "thumb method," you can test to see how done your steak is by pushing on the meat gently with your finger and seeing how much it gives.
Then, touch your forefinger to the thumb of one hand, and press into the underside of your thumb, the fleshiest part, with your other hand.
This is what a rare steak feels like.
Continue with each of the fingers for progressive levels of doneness:
Rare:
Forefinger Medium-Rare:
Middle Finger Medium:
Ring Finger Well Done:
Little finger , Lots of people get worried that their meat is underdone or overdone.
Some people love a rare steak, while others won't touch meat with any pink in the center.
If you're cooking for a picky eater, or just want to make sure your steak is right, just cut into it and check.
You're not cooking at a restaurant.
It'll still taste great. , Remove the meat to a plate, cover with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting into the meat.
This allows the meat fibers, which contract during cooking, to relax and redistribute the juice throughout the meat.Steak will be juicier and tastier if you let it rest. -
Step 3: Bring the meat up to room temperature before cooking.
-
Step 4: Cook steaks over high heat.
-
Step 5: Take the meat off the heat before it's done.
-
Step 6: Test for done-ness with your finger
-
Step 7: if you don't have a thermometer.
-
Step 8: Cut into the meat if you're concerned about doneness.
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Step 9: Always cover the meat and let it rest.
Detailed Guide
Good steaks should be very pink in color and fresh-looking, with little to no odor about the meat.
Any off-smell or gray color on the meat is a bad sign.
Good steaks will be streaky with white fat.
That's a good sign that means flavor.
Very lean meat can also be cooked to taste delicious, but sometimes you'll need to add some fat to make up for the leanness.
If you're grilling, strip steak or rib eye are great choices.
If you're cooking in a pan, go for a sirloin, New York strip, or a porterhouse.
Most steak cuts can be cooked in basically the same way.
Don't be too intimidated by the different varieties.
Experiment with different cuts and see what you like best.
Season both sides of a steak with coarse salt, black pepper, and other seasonings or spice rubs you like to use.
Read the last section for some specific ideas about seasonings and marinades.
There's some debate about when to season steak.
Some people think that you shouldn't salt steak until it's about to go on the heat, because it draws out the water on the meat and makes it dry.
Others think the earlier you salt the meat (up to 24 hours before cooking) the more flavor and juiciness in the meat.Both methods are common.
Put salt on the steak ahead of time, but wait on pepper and other spices.
These will burn and taste bitter if you put them into the high-heat skillet.
Don't completely smother the steak in salt, as it can just make the steak super salty.
A light coating on each side (enough for the steak juices to rinse off while cooking) is ideal.
Avoid making it like a sugared donut. , Take your steak out of the refrigerator at least an hour or two before you cook it, giving it time to gently come up to room temperature.
If you throw a cold steak on the grill or stove, the inside will be very cold while the outside gets cooked.
It's very difficult to cook a cold steak properly. , Good flavor comes from the golden-brown crust on the outside of steak.
The only way to do this is to cook it over fairly high heat, then reduce the heat to finish the inside, or finish the steak in the oven, depending on how done you want it.
Cooking steak at a lower temperature will take longer and make the stake quite a bit tougher.If you have a tough cut you want to tenderize, consider braising or otherwise tenderizing the meat before you cook it. , Meat will continue cooking while it rests, which means you should take it off direct heat when it's just under (within 15 degrees or so) of the doneness you're looking for.Use a meat thermometer, or the finger test.
Beef steaks are done at the following temperatures:
Blue-Rare or Very Rare: 110° F (43.3° C) Rare: 120° F (48.8° C) Medium-rare: 130° F (54.4° C) Medium: 140° F (60° C) Medium-well: 150° F (65.5° C) Well Done: 160° F (71.1° C) , Sometimes called the "thumb method," you can test to see how done your steak is by pushing on the meat gently with your finger and seeing how much it gives.
Then, touch your forefinger to the thumb of one hand, and press into the underside of your thumb, the fleshiest part, with your other hand.
This is what a rare steak feels like.
Continue with each of the fingers for progressive levels of doneness:
Rare:
Forefinger Medium-Rare:
Middle Finger Medium:
Ring Finger Well Done:
Little finger , Lots of people get worried that their meat is underdone or overdone.
Some people love a rare steak, while others won't touch meat with any pink in the center.
If you're cooking for a picky eater, or just want to make sure your steak is right, just cut into it and check.
You're not cooking at a restaurant.
It'll still taste great. , Remove the meat to a plate, cover with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting into the meat.
This allows the meat fibers, which contract during cooking, to relax and redistribute the juice throughout the meat.Steak will be juicier and tastier if you let it rest.
About the Author
Anna Collins
Anna Collins specializes in lifestyle and practical guides and has been creating helpful content for over 3 years. Anna is committed to helping readers learn new skills and improve their lives.
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