How to Prepare Steak

A perfectly cooked steak offers a deep, savory taste that is both flavorful and irresistible, making it suitable for a large feast or a cozy intimate meal. There are various ways to prepare steak, including grilling, broiling, pan-searing, and even baking. Additionally, everyone has their own preference when it comes to steak. Some like their steak with a beautifully browned exterior and a slightly rare interior, while others prefer it well-done. Below are several steak preparation methods you can choose from and adjust based on your personal taste.

Selecting the Steak. When it comes to steak, not all cuts of meat are suitable. However, you can select your steak based on your preference, desired tenderness, and budget. Here are a few popular options:

• T-Bone Steak: A T-bone steak consists of two fillet portions separated by a bone in the shape of the letter 'T'. This steak is highly favored, but because it comes from the tenderloin (a very soft part of the cow), it is generally more expensive.
• Porterhouse Steak: This cut includes both the tenderloin and the flavorful strip steak, separated by a thin bone. It is similar to the T-bone and is usually priced around the same.
• Rib-eye Steak: Rib-eye comes from the rib section of the cow and is the most well-known cut when it comes to steak. This cut has beautiful marbling (thin layers of fat throughout the meat), giving it a smooth texture and rich flavor.
• New York Strip Steak: Sourced from the shoulder area, this cut is relatively tender due to the lack of muscle use in this part of the cow. While not as tender as rib-eye, it still has appealing marbling.
• Sirloin Steak: Sirloin can come from the upper or lower back and is located near the T-bone and Porterhouse cuts. The top sirloin is slightly more expensive, but both options provide a flavorful, lean cut.

Buy a steak that’s around 4-5 cm thick. Why does a thicker steak taste better? The reason is that a thin steak is difficult to cook properly – it’s hard to achieve a perfectly crispy brown crust and a juicy, medium-rare interior. A thicker steak, on the other hand, is easier to cook. Plus, sharing a large steak (about 340g – 450g) with two or more people is more enjoyable than eating a smaller one alone.

Season with either a sauce or dry rub. Many people prefer to keep it simple with just salt and pepper to let the natural flavor of the steak shine. However, you can also marinate your steak with these two simple options:

• Marinade: 1/3 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/3 cup lemon juice, 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/2 cup chopped basil, 1/4 cup celery. Marinate for 4-24 hours before cooking.
• Dry rub: 4 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt, 2 teaspoons black pepper, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 2 teaspoons Egyptian dill powder.

Bring the steak to room temperature. If the steak has been marinated and stored in the fridge, it’s essential to take it out and let it sit at room temperature before grilling. The reasons for this are:

• It speeds up the cooking process. A steak at room temperature cooks much faster.
• It helps achieve even cooking. If the steak has been refrigerated for a day, the internal temperature will take longer to rise. This results in the outside getting overcooked while the inside remains underdone.

Sprinkle salt on the steak if it hasn't been marinated with sauce or dry seasoning. The larger the steak, the more salt it needs. For example, a 450g T-bone steak contains twice the amount of meat as a rib-eye, so it requires more salt.

• Salt the steak first. While some prefer to salt it up to 4 days in advance, salting it for just 40 minutes and allowing it to come to room temperature is sufficient.
• Why avoid pepper in the marinade? Unlike salt, pepper can burn during cooking, making the steak taste unpleasant. Therefore, it’s better to add pepper after cooking.

Hardwood charcoal is the best option. If you don't have hardwood charcoal like pine wood, you can use charcoal briquettes. However, hardwood charcoal burns faster and hotter, providing a better cooking experience for your steak. Alternatively, you could use a gas grill, but keep in mind that the flavor of the steak will differ slightly from one cooked over charcoal.

• Don’t use kerosene to start the fire. Kerosene will leave an unpleasant smell on the steak. It’s best to use a dedicated fire starter tool instead.

Arrange all the hot charcoal on one side of the grill. The other side should remain cooler for searing the meat. The hotter side will be used for finishing the steak to perfection. This method allows for more even cooking and a better result.

Cook the steak on the cooler side of the grill (without charcoal). Close the grill lid and let the steak cook slowly from indirect heat. In practice, this follows the general theory that many people want to sear the steak to "seal in the flavor."

• Starting on the cooler side allows the entire steak (not just the outer surface) enough time to reach the right temperature. Also, the steak will have time to develop a crispy crust on the outside before finishing on the hot side of the grill.

Flip the steak frequently to achieve a crispy crust on both sides. Use tongs to turn the steak every few minutes while it cooks on the cooler side of the grill. Many believe that flipping the steak only once is ideal, but in reality, turning it regularly over indirect heat results in a more evenly cooked and juicier steak. Also, be sure to close the grill lid when you’re not flipping the steak.

Use a thermometer to check the doneness of the steak. Checking with a thermometer is far more reliable and scientific than guessing. Below is a temperature chart that corresponds to the internal doneness of the steak:

• 50°C = Rare
• 55°C = Medium-rare
• 60°C = Medium
• 65°C = Well-done
• 70°C = Well-done +

If you don't have a thermometer, you can still use your hand to check the steak. To assess the doneness of the meat, touch the thick part of your palm (below your thumb). First, extend your hand and relax your palm. After each of the following steps, use your other hand to touch the inside of your palm:

• Fingers not touching (palm open): The meat will feel like this when it’s raw.
• Thumb touching index finger: The meat will feel like this when it’s rare.
• Thumb touching middle finger: The meat will feel like this when it’s medium-rare.
• Thumb touching ring finger: The meat will feel like this when it’s medium.
• Thumb touching pinky finger: The meat will feel like this when it’s well-done.

When the steak's temperature is 10°C below the ideal temperature, sear it quickly on both sides to develop a nice color. Once the steak reaches the desired brown color, move it to the cooler side of the grill to allow it to release its juices.

Remove the steak from the grill when its temperature is 15°C lower than the ideal. This is because the steak will continue to rise in temperature by about 15°C after being taken off the grill.

Sprinkle pepper and let the steak rest for at least 5 minutes. During grilling, the juices in the steak get concentrated in the center as the muscle fibers contract. If you cut into the steak immediately after removing it from the grill, the juices will spill out. Therefore, it’s best to wait at least 5 minutes for the fibers to relax and the juices to redistribute evenly throughout the steak.

Enjoy. Savor the grilled steak with thinly sliced roasted potatoes and garlic sautéed spinach (spinach leaves).

Position the grill rack 10-15 cm from the top of the oven. This is the perfect distance for grilling steaks to a medium-rare or medium doneness. For a slightly rarer steak, position the rack 15 cm away from the top. On the other hand, if you prefer your steak more cooked, set the rack 10 cm from the top heating element.

Set the oven to Broiler mode and place a large cast-iron skillet inside the oven. Cast iron is ideal for broiling as it retains and distributes heat efficiently. If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, a specialized grill pan can also work. Preheat the oven for 15-20 minutes until the skillet is sufficiently hot.

Once the skillet is hot, place the steak in and broil for 3 minutes. If using a grill pan with raised parallel ridges, position the steak diagonally to achieve attractive grill marks. Both sides of the steak should sizzle when the oven reaches the right temperature.

Flip the steak and broil for another 3 minutes. Use tongs to flip the steak; avoid using a fork to prevent the juices from leaking out too soon.

Grill the steak according to the cooking times and thickness chart. When grilling the steak at 260°C, you can adjust the cooking time based on the thickness of the meat using the following table:

• Rare (50-55°C)
  
  • 2.5 cm — 0-1 minute
  • 3 cm — 2-3 minutes
  • 4.5 cm — 4-5 minutes
• Medium (60-65°C)
  
  • 2.5 cm — 2-3 minutes
  • 3 cm — 4-5 minutes
  • 4.5 cm — 6-7 minutes
• Well-done (65-70°C)
  
  • 2.5 cm — 4-5 minutes
  • 3 cm — 6-7 minutes
  • 4.5 cm — 8-9 minutes

Sprinkle pepper and let the steak rest for at least 5 minutes. During the grilling process, the meat’s juices are drawn into the center as the muscle fibers contract. If you cut the steak immediately after removing it from the grill, the juices will spill out. Therefore, allow the steak to rest for a minimum of 5 minutes to let the fibers relax and redistribute the juices evenly throughout the steak.

Enjoy your meal. Savor the perfectly grilled steak alongside green beans and oven-roasted potatoes.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a cast-iron pan over high heat until the oil begins to smoke. Cast iron pans are excellent at conducting heat, ensuring the surface is evenly heated.

• For searing steak, use a neutral oil such as canola or other vegetable oils. Olive oil is better suited for pasta and eggplant dishes.

Place the steak in the pan and position it diagonally across the raised lines of the pan.

Flip the steak regularly, approximately every few minutes, and sear it for 6-12 minutes until the internal temperature reaches your desired level of doneness. It's best to use a thermometer to check the internal temperature. Below is a temperature chart you can refer to for different steak doneness levels:

• 50°C = Rare
• 55°C = Medium-rare
• 60°C = Medium
• 65°C = Medium-well
• 70°C = Well-done

Before the steak reaches the perfect doneness, add 2 tablespoons of butter and fresh herbs to the pan. You can use the following herbs for searing steak:

• Rosemary
• Bay leaves
• Thyme
• Garlic
• Sage

After the steak is done cooking (the steak will continue to cook after removing it from the heat), let it rest for at least 5 minutes. During cooking, the meat’s juices are drawn into the fibers as they contract. If you cut the steak immediately after removing it from the pan, the juices will escape. Therefore, it’s best to wait at least 5 minutes for the fibers to relax and distribute the juices evenly throughout the steak.

Enjoy your meal. Relish a perfectly grilled steak paired with a traditional German potato salad and Brussels sprouts.

• Always use a clean grill when cooking meat. It will cook faster and taste better when placed on a clean grill.
• Beef tends to taste better when aged. Unlike vegetables that should be bought fresh, beef improves in flavor and tenderness with age. Therefore, you can save money by purchasing discounted steaks (near or past their expiration date).
• Always marinate your steak. A well-seasoned steak cooked properly won't need any additional sauce.
• Consistently apply non-stick spray.
• You can make a small cut in the steak to check the doneness, but make sure the cut side faces down when placing the steak on the plate.

• Never touch the hot grill.
• Non-stick spray can cause flames to flare up. Therefore, keep any flammable objects away from the grill when using non-stick spray.