How to Cook the Perfect Steak

You're presented with beautifully-coloured caramelised meat that's deliciously crisp on the outside. With its mouthwatering aroma, you can't help but take a bite. The savory flavours of tender beef soon melts in your mouth, and this is when you realize what a perfect steak really tastes like!

No, the sophisticated table setting won't be at an exclusive hotel. It's neither a reservation at an expensive steakhouse nor a fine dining restaurant. The steak nirvana recipe is bound to be served in your very own kitchen, for a delectable homemade meal any day or weeknight you crave for it!

The Basics of A Perfect Steak

Pay respect to a high-quality cut by learning how to cook steak to perfection, where meat turns out exactly how you want it done.

1. Seasoning The Meat

Beef purists may prefer adding nothing but a few twists of salt and pepper to maintain the steak's unadulterated rich flavour. You can dry-rub your steak with spices, marinate to tenderise the meat and enhance its flavour, or glaze with honey & mustard or balsamic vinegar.

2. Different Cooking Methods

Traditional Ways.

Meat is usually seared first on high heat on a stove, transferred in a hot oven to finish on more subtle heat until done. You might have heard of the reverse sear, and as its name suggests, flips the order it's done. For some, the only way to perfectly cook steak is to allow fat to drip over an open flame as they enjoy the great outdoors. Charcoal grilling is often preferred for the distinct smoky steak flavour it produces.

Slow Cooking - flavours fully saturate the steak while it is slow-cooked for hours on end, thereby resulting to savory and tender meat every time.

Pressure Cooker - Large cuts of steak, including the most stubborn and toughest chewy fibers, which typically require longer cooking times are tenderized in a significantly short time.

Multi Cooker - A contemporary appliance offering the versatility of searing, browning meat, and sauteing ingredients directly in the pot. It's as easy as sprinkling the meat with salt and spices, placing inside the multi cooker and setting the cook time and program to yield the perfect steak.

3. Phases of Cooking

Before: Take the steak out of the fridge, let it sit in room temperature for an hour before cooking. Otherwise, heat cannot efficiently penetrate the middle if the meat is fried from cold. Your pan or griddle must be super hot, which is a crucial aspect of caramelising the meat towards reaching the best color and flavour.

During: Your full attention must be given to cooking your steak. There are only a quick few minutes leeway between the degrees of doneness, depending on how thick your meat is. Turn every minute to ensure a really even cook. Use your fingers to determine if your steak is ready. Rare will feel soft, medium-rare slightly bouncy, and will become firmer when well-done.

After: Rest meat for about 5 minutes after cooking to allow free-running juices to seep in, keep it moist, improve beef texture and tenderness. Rub with some butter or a little extra virgin olive oil for an incredibly succulent steak!

Serve and eat your favorite way, whether with:

• crisp chips;
• baked or mashed potatoes;
• a side of warm vegetables;
• green salad;
• horseradish sauce.

Enjoy perfect steak just the way you like it.