There is nothing like a tasty and hot piece of steak on your plate. Considered the best dish by many around the globe, preparing it is a sensitive art that requires your full attention and dedication. It’s not necessarily easy but if you put your mind to it, you will have a perfect and delicious meal to serve in front of your guests. And you will be proud of it!
Let’s see what you need to know and what’s required to have a delicious home-cooked stake as the end product on your table.
How to Choose a Perfect Piece of Meat?
It all depends on your budget and your personal preferences. Not all steaks will deliver the same in terms of tenderness and flavor. So, you need to know your meat and how it should be treated before you put it on fire. Now, if you have already decided on what meat to purchase, for example, ribeye, you may buy ribeye online for a hassle-free day.
The least expensive is a rump and if cooked anywhere beyond medium, it will be tough. The same goes for flat-iron which is a piece cut from the shoulder blade of the animal. The fillet is the most expensive with not much fat but it’s less flavored than sirloin which is also considered a member of the prime category. If you get your hands on T-bone, the recommendation is to finish it in the oven. And for those of you with not too deep pockets, you can opt for bavette and flank which are great for barbecuing.
With the consumers becoming more and more interested in the type of food they put in their mouths, you might consider buying meat from the animals nurtured by the highest humane and ethical standards. According to the experts from Cleavers Organic Meat, by purchasing such products you will know it comes from the cattle raised on the free-range and without the use of pesticides, herbicides, GMO’s, and added growth hormones. Furthermore, this will not only increase the quality of the beef but it will also be better for you and your body.
What’s the Right Pan?
If you’re preparing this dish in your home, you can fry it or barbeque it. For the best results, a tick-based frying pan would do the trick. Check Tefal frying pan review to find out more about the advantages. But you can also use a heavy griddle or cast-iron skillet for this. The reason these would be perfect is because of the high temperatures they can achieve, making the meat look and taste just right. Also, it would be better if the pans are a bit roomy. Don’t squeeze stakes together. Either cook them one by one or simply take a thicker piece of beef which you can slice afterwards.
Adding Seasonings
A pinch of salt and a little bit of pepper might be the only thing you need to add if the dish is prepared right. Many steak fans would tell you that adding anything more will spoil the true and rich taste of the meat. However, you can also put it in a marinade to increase the flavor or even herbs such as thyme and rosemary could be a nice addition.
Cooking Time
Several things have to be taken into consideration when deciding on the time needed to come up with a delicious steak. The size, as well as the weight, are important factors but it also depends on the type of beef you have to work with. This dish can be served in one of 5 possible ways: blue, rare, medium-rare, medium, and well-done. If you like your steak blue then around 1 minute on each side would be enough while for a well-done, you will have to leave it 4 to 5 minutes on each side before it’s ready.
Let It Rest
Before you cut into the meat, allow it to rest and breathe. Just leave it on the wooden surface and give it 5 minutes at room temperature. During that time, the running juices will be reabsorbed and you will have a tender steak in front of you.
Serving a perfect steak is not maybe as hard as it might seem on the first look but there are still certain rules you need to follow. Start from finding a perfect piece of meat and if you’re inexperienced, you can always ask your local butcher for advice. Cook it to your taste, you can even use a thermometer, and serve it after resting time with or without any side dishes. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself, try to enjoy the preparing process. Just as with everything in life, the more you do it, the better you’ll be at it.