Few things are more delicious than a perfectly cooked steak, but actually achieving the perfect sear and flavor relies on knowing those tiny tweaks that will bring out the flavor and texture of the meat. Because fall and winter find us all entertaining more often than ever -which often means feeding your friends and family their favorite meals- I’ve put together a quick reference guide to pin and keep handy. Try these simple tips and tricks the next time you fire up your skillet.
5 Secrets to Cooking the Perfect Steak
1. Temperature – Begin with a steak that isn’t cold from the refrigerator. Allow it to reach room temperature on the counter before cooking.
2. Low moisture – Pat down the steak with a paper towel to remove excess moisture that can potentially ruin the sear on the outside of your steak.
3. Seasoning – Brush some oil (olive oil is nice) on the meat and season with a coarse salt. Don’t add any pepper yet.
4. Searing – Start with a pan or skillet on high heat and allow to sear on all sides (the edges as well). Bring the heat down to low to achieve desired internal temperature (rare, medium-rare, medium, well-done).
5. Butter – Remove from heat (duration of time will depend on the thickness of the steak and the desired interior temperature), add ground pepper to taste (or other steak seasonings), and top with a thick pat of butter.
Here’s a handy steak temperature guide to use as a reference:
