Anyone who loves a steak knows the feeling of that first bite, which releases a juicy, tender flavour experienced with no other meat.
That is, if it's been cooked properly as a poorly made steak evokes a very different reaction. There are certain steps cooks should take that will keep their steak from turning into a bland, chewy disappointment.
Of course, everyone has their preference when it comes to making steak, from rare to well done. Luckily, Daily Star has combined cooking tips from top chefs to make sure that chew of your next steak dinner is bursting with perfection.
According to the professionals, seasoning, temperatures and when you tuck in all make a vital difference to a steak's final taste. Read below to boost your cooking skills.
Pick the right cut
Michael Carr, head chef of Fenchurch Restaurant, insists it all starts with your choice of meat.
Steak comes in all different shapes and sizes – and it really does come down to personal preference. He said: “I always go to my local butchers in Greenwich to get my steak and the quality is brilliant.
"I think it's super important to go to butchers as they are seriously experts in their craft. They source their meat and care so much about where it comes from, not only are the cows looked after properly, but they are also fed well and grazing on the best places in the UK and that makes for a better taste.
“The best is ribeye in my opinion, as the fat you get in this (especially if you get a good quality cut aged from a good breed of cattle) gives a good fat to meat ratio that gives a lovely flavour."
Get your steak to room temperature
Before tossing your steak into a pan, make sure it's been brought to room temperature to ensure even cooking.
Gordon Ramsay, who has an award-winning steak restaurant in Las Vegas, emphasised the importance of this step. “Take the protein out of the fridge and let it rest to get it up to room temp for at least 10 minutes before you cook it," said the top chef.
Ultimately, if a cold cut of steak hits a searing hot pan, it can make the muscle fibres tense up and leave you with some chewy meat.
Season well
Seasoning is one of the most crucial steps in nearly all forms of cooking, so you should also go all out when it comes to steaks.
Celebrity chef Marcus Wareing said: “Season the meat just before it goes into the pan, only seasoning the side that hits the pan first. If you season it in advance the salt will draw the water out of the meat, which will then spit at you from the pan and make the meat taste a little acrid rather than caramelised, as well as cooling the pan down.”
Turn up the heat
Heat the oil in the pan until it's smoking hot – then add the steak.
Avoid moving it around the pan to create that lovely caramelised texture you get in restaurants. Aim to cook the steak from medium-rare to medium to avoid a tough piece of meat.
Let it rest
Jamie Oliver urges home cooks to let their steak rest properly before cutting into it.
If you fail to do this, you risk letting the meat go dry. Giving the steak some time before cutting into it, allows its juices to redistribute within the cut, giving you a tender, flavourful end result.
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