The most common questions asked in back yards across the world is “How do you want your steak cooked?”. Living up to someone’s idea of cooking their “perfect steak” is a daunting task.
This is the year to wow family and friends with zesty new flavors and great tasting beef. Don’t hold back — master the grill with bold new twists and confidence. Below are a few tips to show you how to stay cool this summer over the barbecue!
A Few Tips Before You Start
Remove the steak out of the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking – grilling cold beef will stop the heat from penetrating to the middle as efficiently. You also need to make sure your pan, griddle or barbecue is super hot before you begin – this will help to caramelize the meat, essential for a delicious steak.
Rub the steak all over with a good lug of grapeseed oil or extra-virgin olive oil and season well with sea salt and cracked black pepper.
Cooking the Steak
1. During cooking you can rub the steaks with butter, garlic, thyme or rosemary for added flavour.
2. Use your fingers to prod the steak when it is cooked to your liking. When the beef is rare it will feel soft, medium-rare will be lightly bouncy, and well-done will be much firmer. This technique will become easier the more you practise this method.
3. All steak should be rested at least 5 minutes before serving to retain juices and the flavour, leaving a moist and tender finish to your steak.
4. Everyone has their favourite ways to eat steak – top with compound butters, horseradish, mustard or an array of speciality sauces from your local supermarket.
Cooking Guide For The Perfect Steak
The amount of time steak cooks is dependent on size, shape and cooking method and is always based on personal preference. Shorter cooking times resulting in a juicier steak and longer cooking time resulting in tougher meat.
Below is a guide used by most professional chefs.
Raw – Uncooked completely used for dishes such as carpaccio, or steak tartar.
Blue – Seared very quickly; the inside cool and bright red.
Rare – Cooked to 125°F or 52°C, Seared outside with a bright red centre that is slightly warmed.
Medium Rare – 135°F or 57°C with a reddish warm centre this is the standard degree that most steaks are cooked at by most chefs unless otherwise specified.
Medium – At 145°F or 63 °C, the middle of the steak is pink and warm with a brown crust.
Medium Well – Slightly pink in the centre, the core temperature is usually at 150°F or 66°C.
Well Done – Brown throughout and into the centre, the cut is at a core temperature of 160°F or 71°C, with the outside charred.
