How many times have you gone to a restaurant and ordered a steak that was cooked to perfection? There are several things to take into consideration when duplicating that great tasting steak at home. The Grade of Beef Insures a Great Tasting Steak
In the United States beef is graded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). If you really want a fantastic tasting steak, don’t settle for anything else than USDA Prime that has been aged for a sufficient length of time. If you can’t afford, or simply don’t want to spend that much, then you should purchase USDA Choice. Under no circumstances, should you purchase any other grade of beef if you want to feast on a marvelous steak.
The taste of USDA Choice can be greatly enhanced if it is aged properly. Your best bet is to find a meat market that has enough locker space where they can age beef for approximately four weeks. Twenty-eight days seems to be the magic number for aging any type or grade of beef. Even though USDA Prime is considerably better than USDA Choice, make sure it has been aged for a reasonable period of time.
The Type of Steak to Prepare
There are a lot of different types of steaks on the market, but which one should you consider preparing for that special dinner? Many top chefs throughout the country recommend a USDA Prime Ribeye Steak that has been aged between twenty-six and twenty-eight days. The marbling (streaks of fat) that run through a Ribeye greatly enhance the flavor and juiciness of the steak making it one of the best steaks that you can prepare. Grain-fed beef will always have the most marbling.
Other steaks that are available include Porterhouse, T-Bones, New York Strips, and Filet Mignons. Regardless of the steak that you prefer, remember that you should always try to buy young beef that has been grain-fed and aged which will provide the best overall flavor. That is the magic combination.
The Three Basic Steps of Cooking a Great Steak
• The steak should always be at room temperature before cooking.
• The steak should only be turned over only one time while it is being cooked.
• The steak should always rest for approximately 5-6 minutes before serving.
The Various Levels of Doneness
• Rare: The temperature of the meat will be slightly warm (125° - 130°). You will find that the steak will be red in the middle and also red near the edges.
• Medium Rare: The temperature of the meat will be warm (130° - 135°). You will find that the steak will be red in the middle and pink near the edges.
• Medium: The temperature of the meat will be warm to hot (135° - 145°). You will find that the steak will be pink in the middle and also pink near the edges.
• Medium Well: The temperature of the meat will be hot (145° - 155°). You will find that the steak will be pink in the middle and gray near the edges.
• Well Done: The temperature of the meat will be very hot (155° - 165°). You will find that the steak will be gray in the middle and also gray near the edges.
How to Cook a Steak to Perfection
Many exclusive restaurants do not prepare a steak on a grill, although some still do. They will generally cook a steak using intense heat from an infrared broiler. You can accomplish the same basic results by using a large cast iron skillet. Since there will be a considerable amount of smoke and splattering, it is recommended that you prepare your steaks outside. The side burner on a gas grill is ideal for this purpose.
You will need to brush your steak on both sides with oil. Make sure that your steak is well-coated on both sides. Since you will be using a very high cooking temperature, utilize an oil that has a high smoke point. Peanut oil seems to be one of the most popular oils for this purpose since it will not smoke until it reaches 450 degrees.
Before cooking your steak, you will need to season it. Every cook seems to have their own preference as to the type and the amount of seasoning to use. The majority of chefs seem to agree on using coarsely ground black pepper and a coarse sea or Kosher salt to season their steaks. The amount used is open for discussion. The oil that you brushed on the steak will hold the seasoning in place while it is being cooked.
You will now need to preheat your cast iron skillet to approximately 500 degrees. Do not add any oil or cooking spray to your skillet (only use a clean, dry pan). As previously stated, this process will create a lot of smoke due to the intense heat being utilized. Use one drop of water to check if your skillet is hot enough. You will be ready to cook your steak if the drop of water dances around for a second before it’s vaporized.
Make sure that you are thoroughly prepared by the time your skillet is hot enough. You will need to have your steak oiled and seasoned and ready for the pan. You will need a oven mitt to protect yourself, a clean platter to place the steak on when it’s done, a pat of butter that will be used latter in the cooking process and a meat thermometer to check the doneness of the steak. After you preheat your oven or gas grill to 400 degrees you will be ready to start cooking your steak.
Place the steak in the center of the hot skillet. Make sure that you are wearing a heavy oven mitt while doing this to protect yourself from violent splatters. Do not move the steak for exactly two minutes (120 seconds). Make sure that you check the time when you place the steak in the skillet. Don’t worry about the steak burning. It may smoke a lot, but it won’t burn. After two minutes, turn the steak over and place it back in the center of the pan. Let the steak cook on the other side for an additional two minutes.
The steak should now be taken off of the heat. Your steak should be rare at this time. If you prefer to cook your steak longer, drop the pat of butter on the center of the steak and place the skillet into the preheated oven or grill. Always check your steak with a meat thermometer to check for the desired doneness. Remove you steak when the temperature is 5 degrees less than needed because the steak will continue to cook after it has been removed from the heat.
When you steak has reached the desired temperature, place the steak on a clean platter and gently cover with a piece of aluminum foil. Let the steak rest for approximately 5-6 minutes at which time you can sit down and enjoy one of the best steaks you have ever eaten.
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Contributor's Note
Please stop by my website if you would like to print a steak cooking chart.
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