Help! How do I cook the PERFECT steak??

[TWOCHOICEStom]

Ok, I love a good fillet steak from a restaurant. But getting that same taste at home is proving impossible!

Should I fry it? Grill it? Beat it up? Season it?? I just don't know what the hell I'm doing wrong.

Good people of NSC. I need your help. Give me a step by step guide to cooking the PERFECT steak...


Oh and before an argument starts, medium/rare is the ONLY way to eat steak.

 

[auschr]

get whatever you want to use very hot, grill, skillet, etc. 3 minutes on both sides. enjoy

 

[pishhead]

don't oil the pan lightly oil the steak itself.

 

[Stoo82]

Grill or pan grill.


If you want to know what its all suposed to feel like..

If you touch your cheak....thats rare.
If you touch your nose.....thats medium
If you touch your forehead....thats well done.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

All correct above. Plus:

- oil the steak not the pan (as above)
- restaurants season their steaks well, more than you typically would at home.
- add salt and pepper before you cook it.
- let the steak rest for a good couple of minutes to relax - cover it in foil if needs be. this makes it more tender and there is less blood on the plate.

I use a griddle that fits on top of the gas burners - but a good thick (dry) pan would be almost as good.

 

[GNF on Tour]

I season heavily on both sides (cracked pepper and sea salt) and rub in olive oil (tenderly), I'll also give the steak and a few whacks to flatten. My method of choice is a barbie or skillett. Once applied only turn once and then you will get the nice stripey effect. I may oil and season further if required.

For me the biggie is leaving the steak to drain / leak juices for 10 mins after cooking. You get a dryer steak and plate and you can use the juices for sauces / gravy etc if ya like.

Don't scrimp on quality. One of my main easons for moving down under was the quality and cheapness of a decent steak.

I'm no chef, but it works for me.

 

[skipper734]

Mike has the correct answer. IMO. He appears to be in Texas, so he should have plenty of experience in cooking steak properly.

 

[defrocked priest]

ok, i love a good fillet steak from a restaurant. But getting that same taste at home is proving impossible!

Should i fry it? Grill it? Beat it up? Season it?? I just don't know what the hell i'm doing wrong.

Good people of nsc. I need your help. Give me a step by step guide to cooking the perfect steak...


Oh and before an argument starts, medium/rare is the only way to eat steak.

pm asap!!

 

[chez]

I always flash fry it for about 2.5 minutes per side depending on the thickness. Then while still in the frying pan bung it in the oven for 5 minutes. Take it out drop a knob of butter onto it and leave it to rest for 5 minutes.

Absolutely fcuking lovely!!

 

[defrocked priest]

I always flash fry it for about 2.5 minutes per side depending on the thickness. Then while still in the frying pan bung it in the oven for 5 minutes. Take it out drop a knob of butter onto it and leave it to rest for 5 minutes.

Absolutely f***ing lovely!!

Fook me you saw that on Ramsey.

You want a perfect steak,PM me I guarantee results!

 

[OzMike]

Barbecue University

 

[Weezle]

Ok. First buy Scotch Fillet on the bone (Rib Eye). It always tastes the best.

Leave the steak out half an hour before you cook it to let it get to room temperature. The meat will relax and cook better.

Rub olive oil over the steak both sides and add salt or pepper to taste.

Fry the steak on both sides for three minutes and then put it in a preheated 180 degree oven for four minutes.

Once you take the steak out of the oven rest it on its side for five minutes.

While the steak is resting melt some butter in the pan you used to fry the steak and add some garlic and thyme. This only needs to be done over a low/medium heat.

Once the butter has melted and has mixed sufficiently with the garlic and thyme, add you steak back to the pan and spoon the butter sauce over the steak both sides. This will add flavour and heat your steak back up.

Serve.

Enjoy.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Having run pubs and having spent years cooking in the trade the main ingredient to success is the quality of the meat. Most good pubs/restaurants use good well hung meat not the crap you get in supermarkets. This gives you the flavour and tenderness, therefore more importantly than anything else source a good butchers. Lastly to cook a steak as you have indicated use a griddle or heavy pan and make sure its hot before putting the steak in it. Plus a little more info most chefs do not cook rare/medium or medium/welldone etc. They cook to 4 variations blue, rare, medium or f***ed. Therefore asking for a med/rare you'll get medium, rare/med you'll get rare and so on. Also another tip though not something I would do for steaks but for joints of meat, if you buy a cheap cut fresh, freeze and then defrost it prior to cooking. The process of freezing it breaks down the meat thus tenderising it.

 

[Notters]

Can't believe noones said it yet, but I'd say the most important thing is getting the pan very hot... Then you can get the meat nice and seared on the outside but rare inside. Season with peppe but never salt, which will draw out the moisture. Generally a good rump or ribeye will actually taste a lot better than fillet.

 

[Notters]

PS I've always found that freezing roasting joints fucks them and makes them really chewy, unlike what is said above.

 

[itszamora]

Can't believe noones said it yet, but I'd say the most important thing is getting the pan very hot... Then you can get the meat nice and seared on the outside but rare inside. Season with peppe but never salt, which will draw out the moisture. Generally a good rump or ribeye will actually taste a lot better than fillet.

This is good advice, especially the last bit. Ribeye is the KING of steaks.

 

[seagullwedgee]

NEVER put salt on before you cook it - all that will do is draw th natural juices out of the steak and see it go up in smoke in your hot pan.

Yes, fresh milled black pepper, then cook the steak once each side for x minutes, then now that it is sealed, a light dust of milled sea salt and 20 seconds either side, rest it, then serve.

Cooking time for a fillet: measure the thickness in millimetres. (a good one should be at least 40mm, about 1.5 inches).

Rare - 1 min each side per 10mm.
Medium rare - 1.5 min each side per 10mm.
Medium/Well done - don't go there, buy a beef jerky or a packet of biscuits instead.

 

[Northstander]

First mistake commonly made is buying steak from the supermarket!

Its crap and cheap!

Use your local butcher, look for steak that has the vein effect (fat) as this adds to flavour and ask for meat that has been hung.

Once you've done this, then follow instructions in earlier replies, do a nice side salad to go with it and some english mustard in the mix and you have a perfect meal!

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

NEVER put salt on before you cook it - all that will do is draw th natural juices out of the steak and see it go up in smoke in your hot pan.

Not true in my experience. You are correct that in most types of meat cooking adding sald will make it tough but for steaks, chefs season the meat before cooking. The heat of the pan sears the outside to give you that lovely crust and the salt helps this process.

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

This could actually be a LIFE CHANGING thread.

May the good lord bless you all..