Cooking steak tonight and I always get it wrong

[BigGully]

Yes, yes, there's literally no one on the internet recommending you do it that way. Far better to set a watch and pray.

https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sour...v=2&ie=UTF-8#q=how to test for steak doneness

Just make sure you dont do a steak night, thats all ................

 

[severnside gull]

Resting after cooking is the key to a good steak but make sure it is out of the pan or it will keep cooking .
As it rests and cools slightly the connective tissue in the meat relaxes making it more tender. 5 minutes absolute minimum

 

[Goldstone1976]

Yes, yes, there's literally no one on the internet recommending you do it that way. Far better to set a watch and pray.

https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sour...v=2&ie=UTF-8#q=how to test for steak doneness

The problem I've found with the thumb and forefinger trick (other than finding a willing recipient, of course) is that if you cook the steak to the "optimum" (for you) tenderness, then it will continue to cook during the resting phase and you'll end up with a steak that is cooked one "notch" too much. So, if I want medium rare, I cook to rare on the thumb test and find it's medium rare after resting.

 

[MattBackHome]

Smoking hot pan.
Season just before
I use groundnut oil as it's got a higher burning point.
Oil steak not pan - not much oil needed.
Max 3 mins, depending on thickness - don't touch it.
Turn then add butter (and maybe garlic etc).
Less than a minute on this side.
Rest before eating..

 

[Eggmundo]

Go to the Sussex Potter in Lancing, order the Chateau Briand, medium rare and a large glass of malbec.
Perfect.

 

[skipper734]

My personal method. Hot pan, throw in steak, ( good meat needs nothing added) 2 minutes each side, plus or minus, turn if you want to. Rest for a bit, just remember whilst it is resting it's still cooking. The major thing is, don't overcook it. Steak that has no shade of pink inside it is just wrong, and tough on your teeth.

 

[Blackadder]

Interesting comments here. I alway turn just once.

I have always oiled the pan. Looking at the recommendations here I must just try oiling the steak.

Mind you, I am probably in the minority here. I prefer rump to sirloin.

Cheers.

 

[mreprice]

Two most important things:
Season
Rest

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Allow steak to come up to room temperature. .

Don't forget this.

 

[Uncle C]

I've never figured out why women do most of the cooking in the kitchen, but men think they know best on the barbecue.

 

[BigGully]

To be honest I think anything that we cook in a pan we tend to think we need stir fry everything on the highest heat.

Although searing the steak requires a very hot pan, it doesnt necessarily need to be cooked on the highest heat throughout the cooking time, perhaps unless you like it rare or blue.

You can sear each side then reduce the heat to medium hot add butter and baste, this will give time for it to cook through to medium or well done whilst still retaining the charred outer crust whilst maintaining a juicy cooked inside without burning the butter and juices.

Rest it, for the reabsorbtion but for me I prefer my food not hot from the pan, just a personal preference.

 

[Guinness Boy]

The problem I've found with the thumb and forefinger trick (other than finding a willing recipient, of course) is that if you cook the steak to the "optimum" (for you) tenderness, then it will continue to cook during the resting phase and you'll end up with a steak that is cooked one "notch" too much. So, if I want medium rare, I cook to rare on the thumb test and find it's medium rare after resting.

Not a bad point tbf. I take mine off early rather than late as I like them rare or medium rare depending on cut.

However, if you get your steak from the butcher (and you really should) then they will almost certainly be different thicknesses to a supermarket steak. In fact when I get mine (and Canhams and Wickies both do good ones) both will cut my wife a thinner piece of the same cut than me.

That immediately nullifies a standard timing. The timing also determines how long you should rest for. I rest for as long as I cooked it or five minutes, whichever is the longer BEFORE I even start adding chips, mushrooms and sauce to the plates, giving an overall rest time of around 7 - 8 minutes. Thicker steak or one cooked to more doneness? Rest longer (then throw it out if you've cooked it to more doneness).

 

[Bring back Bryan wade!!]

Buy a josper grill

 

[Guinness Boy]

To be honest I think anything that we cook in a pan we tend to think we need stir fry everything on the highest heat.

Although searing the steak requires a very hot pan, it doesnt necessarily need to be cooked on the highest heat throughout the cooking time, perhaps unless you like it rare or blue.

You can sear each side then reduce the heat to medium hot add butter and baste, this will give time for it to cook through to medium or well done whilst still retaining the charred outer crust whilst maintaining a juicy cooked inside without burning the butter and juices.

Rest it, for the reabsorbtion but for me I prefer my food not hot from the pan, just a personal preference.

Don't do a steak night

 

[Martlet]

Agree with Guinness above - also the point that's been missing is make sure you buy a decent, well-hung, dry-aged steak. Supermarket 'sat-in-its-juice' meat will never come out like you want it to - the fat won't break down and caramelize, and the water will leach out, and prevent it frying properly. Properly hung steaks, on the other hand, will come out brilliantly every time, and will be a lot more forgiving, even if they aren't quite cooked to perfection.

Resting's spot on - make sure on a warmed plate though.

Good luck!

 

[BigGully]

Don't do a steak night

I agree, but unless you want it blue or perhaps rare the inside needs some heat, no good giving it fiery heat throughout the cooking process in the hope it will end up medium rare, it wont, it will either end up burnt on outside blue/very rare on the inside or just overcooked throughout.

Baste it on a gentlier heat for a minute or two Guiness Boy baste it ...........

 

[John Bumlick]

Only thing I've learnt from this thread is that I don't ever want biggully to cook me a steak.

 

[Stat Brother]

Thanks chaps

Hot pan, which panicked me into cooking a rare steak instead of medium rare.
Oiled steak.
2 turns.
just over 2 1/2 mins cooking.
Plenty of rest.

As said there's still plenty of room for improvement but compared to usual abomination I dish up a solid 'C' grade.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Agree with Guinness above - also the point that's been missing is make sure you buy a decent, well-hung, dry-aged steak. Supermarket 'sat-in-its-juice' meat will never come out like you want it to - the fat won't break down and caramelize, and the water will leach out, and prevent it frying properly. Properly hung steaks, on the other hand, will come out brilliantly every time, and will be a lot more forgiving, even if they aren't quite cooked to perfection.

Resting's spot on - make sure on a warmed plate though.

Good luck!

Very good point, the amount of times I've seen people whack a steak straight on a cold plate or chopping board

 

[seagull_in_malaysia]

What is wrong with having a steak medium-well? Yummy