Cooking a steak is one of the most basic skills a cook should learn. Everyone has their favorite cut, and whether you're ordering your steak and having someone else prepare it, or you're cooking your own steak, there are a few things to consider. And today we're going to talk about the ins and outs and what you should know when talking steak!
The best and most expensive cuts of steak come from the short loin, tenderloin, and ribs. These are towards the top of the animal. These areas aren't exercised much which makes the meat more tender:
• Tenderloin. The label will read filet mignon or Chateaubriand. It comes from the short loin or sirloin just beneath the ribs. Filet mignon is a bit narrow, while Chateaubriand is wider. Its smooth buttery taste comes out best when cooked in an oven.
• Top sirloin. Alias New York Strip, this steak comes from behind the ribs. It’s a wide cut of meat, marbled, and with some fat around the sides. It tastes beefy and is best cooked on the grill.
• T-Bone. Also called porterhouse, this cut comes from the short loin. One side of the T-shaped bone is tenderloin and the other is top sirloin because it comes from the cross-cut of the rib. The buttery taste of the tenderloin and the beefy taste of the strip have to be cooked very carefully to prevent overcooking the thicker side.
• Delmonico. More commonly called rib-eye, this cut of steak is pared down from prime rib or rib roast. It’s typically round with good marbling and a good fat layer around the outside. This intensely beefy-flavored steak should be cooked over high heat.
• London broil. Also called flank steak, it comes from the animal’s loin and sirloin flanking the abdomen, hence the name. It’s lean and fibrous, so cut it against the grain to get maximum tenderness. Cook it in high heat.
• Don’t use a fork. Turning your steak at the proper time makes or breaks a steak. Using tongs to turn it results in a better steak. Using a fork pierces the meat, allowing necessary juices to leak out.
• Always grill a steak if you have the ability to. The heat more evenly cooks the meat, and the slow cooking time allows the meat to hold its flavor and juices much better.
• Salt a steak before cooking. Salt your steak 45 minutes before cooking. This allows a crust to form on the steak that seals in the juices. The salt will cook off during grilling.
• Cook thicker cuts on slow heat. This is a general rule of cooking: low and slow. A thicker cut of steak cooked on high heat will burn on the outside and be raw inside, so cooking it slower allows the whole cut of steak to cook properly.
• Let the steak stay stuck. When grilling your steak, if you go to turn it and the meat is glued to the grill, let it remain there. It means the meat isn’t through cooking on that side. Hang around and it will be.
• Room temperature. Letting the steak come to room temperature for 30 minutes makes the internal temperature of the meat accurate.
• Use salt. A coarse-grained salt won’t over-season a steak the way table salt will.
• Flip the steak. Move it around on the grill to cook it evenly, and flip it with tongs.
• Let it rest. When it’s cooking, take the steak off the grill five minutes before it reaches its ideal internal temperature. Let the meat rest on a plate for five minutes before serving. The meat will continue to cook in those five minutes, so when serving, slice it against the grain for optimal flavor.
Put the steak on the grill for five minutes. Flip it, and move it to another spot. Leave it there for three minutes. The internal temperature should read 125 degrees. Let it rest for three minutes, during which time it will continue cooking, and then serve it.
Place the steak on the grill for four minutes. Flip it, and move it to another spot on the grill for four more minutes. Move it to another spot on the grill for two minutes. The internal temperature should be 135 degrees. Let it rest on a plate for five minutes, then bon apetit!
Place the steak on the grill for four minutes. Flip it, and move it to another spot on the grill for four more minutes. Move it to another place on the grill for four more minutes. The internal temperature should be 150 degrees. As it rests for five minutes, it will cook to its optimal temperature of 155 degrees. Slice it and serve.
Cast iron pans go from stovetop to oven without a problem. They distribute heat evenly. They have to be seasoned regularly, though, so they require a bit of upkeep. Inexpensive cast iron pans or stove-top grills can be found in major department stores or online.
Carbon steel pans are much like cast iron in that they also distribute heat evenly. They’re much lighter, too. Choose one with no Teflon coating, as this will break down at high heat and infect the food you’re cooking. Choose one instead with a ceramic coating, and you can’t go wrong.
What You Should Know About Steak
Knowing which cuts of beef make up your steak is important. You’ll know by the cut the set of muscles from which the steak came. This will tell you how tender the cut will be!The best and most expensive cuts of steak come from the short loin, tenderloin, and ribs. These are towards the top of the animal. These areas aren't exercised much which makes the meat more tender:
• Tenderloin. The label will read filet mignon or Chateaubriand. It comes from the short loin or sirloin just beneath the ribs. Filet mignon is a bit narrow, while Chateaubriand is wider. Its smooth buttery taste comes out best when cooked in an oven.
• Top sirloin. Alias New York Strip, this steak comes from behind the ribs. It’s a wide cut of meat, marbled, and with some fat around the sides. It tastes beefy and is best cooked on the grill.
• T-Bone. Also called porterhouse, this cut comes from the short loin. One side of the T-shaped bone is tenderloin and the other is top sirloin because it comes from the cross-cut of the rib. The buttery taste of the tenderloin and the beefy taste of the strip have to be cooked very carefully to prevent overcooking the thicker side.
• Delmonico. More commonly called rib-eye, this cut of steak is pared down from prime rib or rib roast. It’s typically round with good marbling and a good fat layer around the outside. This intensely beefy-flavored steak should be cooked over high heat.
• London broil. Also called flank steak, it comes from the animal’s loin and sirloin flanking the abdomen, hence the name. It’s lean and fibrous, so cut it against the grain to get maximum tenderness. Cook it in high heat.
Other Things To Know About Steak
Knowing all the facts about a steak before you cook it nets you the most tender, deeply beefy flavor, and most satisfying cut of steak you can buy. So, to know how to cook a steak properly, know these things:• Don’t use a fork. Turning your steak at the proper time makes or breaks a steak. Using tongs to turn it results in a better steak. Using a fork pierces the meat, allowing necessary juices to leak out.
• Always grill a steak if you have the ability to. The heat more evenly cooks the meat, and the slow cooking time allows the meat to hold its flavor and juices much better.
• Salt a steak before cooking. Salt your steak 45 minutes before cooking. This allows a crust to form on the steak that seals in the juices. The salt will cook off during grilling.
• Cook thicker cuts on slow heat. This is a general rule of cooking: low and slow. A thicker cut of steak cooked on high heat will burn on the outside and be raw inside, so cooking it slower allows the whole cut of steak to cook properly.
• Let the steak stay stuck. When grilling your steak, if you go to turn it and the meat is glued to the grill, let it remain there. It means the meat isn’t through cooking on that side. Hang around and it will be.
How To Cook A Steak: Rare, Medium, And Well Done
Before you toss a steak on the grill, do this first:• Room temperature. Letting the steak come to room temperature for 30 minutes makes the internal temperature of the meat accurate.
• Use salt. A coarse-grained salt won’t over-season a steak the way table salt will.
• Flip the steak. Move it around on the grill to cook it evenly, and flip it with tongs.
• Let it rest. When it’s cooking, take the steak off the grill five minutes before it reaches its ideal internal temperature. Let the meat rest on a plate for five minutes before serving. The meat will continue to cook in those five minutes, so when serving, slice it against the grain for optimal flavor.
Cooking A Rare Steak
A rare steak is brown on the outside and mooing on the inside. The inside will be a deep, glowing red color and extremely juicy.Put the steak on the grill for five minutes. Flip it, and move it to another spot. Leave it there for three minutes. The internal temperature should read 125 degrees. Let it rest for three minutes, during which time it will continue cooking, and then serve it.
Nutrients In A Rare Steak
While there’s a long list of nutrients in rare steak, some of the most important are Omega-3 fatty acids (lowers cholesterol,) iron and phosphorus (eliminates fatigue,) zinc and proteins (boosts the immune system and builds bone,) and vitamin B12 (boosts collagen production.)Cooking A Medium Steak
A medium steak is brown on the outside and just pink enough on the inside to not be raw.Place the steak on the grill for four minutes. Flip it, and move it to another spot on the grill for four more minutes. Move it to another spot on the grill for two minutes. The internal temperature should be 135 degrees. Let it rest on a plate for five minutes, then bon apetit!
Nutrients In A Medium Steak
The cut of steak you choose contains the same nutrients however it’s cooked. The vitamins and proteins in steak help to prevent heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and other serious health concerns. Moderation in all things is the golden rule, though, so don’t go overboard on red meat, and you’ll stay healthy.Cooking A Well Done Steak
A well-done steak is brown all the way through, with perhaps a touch of pink. It will have a nice char on the outside.Place the steak on the grill for four minutes. Flip it, and move it to another spot on the grill for four more minutes. Move it to another place on the grill for four more minutes. The internal temperature should be 150 degrees. As it rests for five minutes, it will cook to its optimal temperature of 155 degrees. Slice it and serve.
Nutrients In Well Done Steak
Cooking most meats and vegetables leaches the nutrients into the water or other cooking medium. Cooking steak too long, for instance, decreases the vitamin content. Cooking all the juices out of it makes it tough to chew. Alternatively, zinc and iron levels increase with cooking the steak longer. It’s basically a draw, however, the doneness of a steak is a personal preference.Implements In Which To Cook A Steak
Many people can’t cook steak on a grill in apartment complexes or in manufactured home communities, for instance. That doesn’t mean they can’t have a fabulous steak, though!Cast iron pans go from stovetop to oven without a problem. They distribute heat evenly. They have to be seasoned regularly, though, so they require a bit of upkeep. Inexpensive cast iron pans or stove-top grills can be found in major department stores or online.
Carbon steel pans are much like cast iron in that they also distribute heat evenly. They’re much lighter, too. Choose one with no Teflon coating, as this will break down at high heat and infect the food you’re cooking. Choose one instead with a ceramic coating, and you can’t go wrong.
