How to cook a steak properly - quick help please!

Zascar

The other day I bought two of those "21 Day Mature Peppercorn Sirloin Steaks". I cooked one of them and although it as really nice, I don;t think I cooked it properly.

I like my steak Medium - light pink all the way through. I can get this in restaurants but I can;t seem to do it at home. It always seems to be well done on the outside and more rare in the middle than I would like.

What am I doing wrong, how should I be cooking this?
Any tips appreciated
Thanks

dh0661

It really depends on the thickness of the meat, I suppose it's really trail and error until you get it exactly the way you like it.
I cook mine in a pan on low heat for about 5 minuets each side, when I think that it's cooked enough, I cut a little bit in the middle and see how pink it is.
If there is too much pink I pop it back in the pan, if there is not enough pink, my hubby prefers his well done.
I think that low heat is the secret, too much heat will only burn the outside and not cook the middle

Zascar

Sorry I should have said it is pretty thick, like the shape of your fist...

See others have told me a hot pan will cook the inside quicker and so cooking on a hot pan will get an even colour throughout...

Any thoughts?

Possum66

Hi

Do this way: Take your steak out of the fridge half an hour before cooking. Lightly oil it on both sides with olive oil, and season it generously with cracked black pepper. NO SALT - otherwise you'll end up with lots of yucky liquid under your steak during cooking.

Heat a heavy frying pan on high heat. Put your steak in, start frying it and turn it after every minute. 4-5 mins gives you a nice juicy steak, still pink inside. This method works best when your steak is an inch thick.

6-7 mins gives you a medium done steak.

Possum66

Zascar wrote: »

Sorry I should have said it is pretty thick, like the shape of your fist...

See others have told me a hot pan will cook the inside quicker and so cooking on a hot pan will get an even colour throughout...

Any thoughts?

Oops, just saw your last post...

Well, I still would fry the steak the same way, on high heat.

But I have never tried to cook such a big lump of meat... Sorry!

mags16

I think you should cook it on a high heat first, on both sides. Then turn the heat down a bit. A wee test is to compare the firmness of the steak with the fleshy part at the base of your thumb. Prod the cooking steak with your finger. The firmer it feels, the more cooked it is. With one hand, join the tip of your thumb with your little finger tip. The base of your thumb feels quite hard, doesn't it? That is how a well done steak should feel. Join the thumb tip with the ring finger tip. The base of the thumb feels slightly softer. That is how a medium steak should feel. The next finger is med rare and the last finger is rare.

Zascar

So if steak is 2" to 2.5" thick, does this make a difference?
I was always told only tirn a steak once. What difference does it make if you turn often?
Thanks

mags16

The reason for not turning the steak is that the heat gets reduced a bit every time you turn it. Also the slightly crusty burnt bits on the outside are delicious.

With such a thick steak, I would pan fry for a few mins each side on a high heat and then put into a hotish oven for another 5 - 10 minutes. Don't let it overcook though or it will be like the sole of your shoe. Rest the steak for another few mins in a warm place before serving.

Possum66

I think it does. If I use the same cooking method with a thinner steak, the cooking time for medium is much shorter. That is why I go for the inch-thick meat.

My guess is, if you turn it in every minute, it cooks more evenly. To be honest, I read this method on the back of a pack of a steak (Kettyle pre-packed steaks), and it works for me.

I love mags16's checking method :-) I read about this method in a magazine, very clever. I think it works with a thicker piece of steak.

Happy experimenting!

Sparks

Possum66 wrote: »

Take your steak out of the fridge half an hour before cooking.

I think that might be what the OP was doing wrong - if the steak's chilled going into the pan, then by the time the outside is nice and seared, the inside will only just be warming up.

Take it out well ahead of time and the moment you take it out of the fridge, oil it, and add salt and pepper.

NO SALT - otherwise you'll end up with lots of yucky liquid under your steak during cooking.

Steak without salt? BURN THE INFIDEL!
*ahem*
Seriously, you can't have steak without salt - the point of the salt and the time is to draw liquid-soluble proteins to the surface of the steak where they make for a nicer crust (can't tell I've been listening to Alton at all, can ye?).

Heat a cast iron frying pan (I use a griddle pan, but only because I don't have a flat cast iron skillet) until it's absolutely piping (don't add oil), then using tongs, pick up the steak from the plate it's been resting on and put it right on the pan. It'll sizzle and spit and so on, but do not touch it for at least two minutes. You need that long for the sear. Myself I leave it for three or four depending on how thick the steak is - I'll pick up a corner of the meat with the tongs every thirty seconds or so after the first two minutes to check on it and then when I think it's blackened enough, I flip it, and again, leave for two minutes. After those two minutes, I kill the heat to the pan and move the pan to another hob (I have solid hobs so if you turn them off, you don't really kill the heat, they've loads stored up still). If I give it another minute or two in the pan, I just kill the heat, give it the time and then move it. At this point, the sear's done, but the inside is probably still a bit rare. So, if it's a thin steak, it's moved off the pan and into a double layer of foil and left rest for as long as it was cooking for. At the end of that, it'll be done through. If it's a really thick steak, I'll stash the foil wrapped steaks in the oven and let them cook for a few minutes there, and then take them out and rest them.

Then plate and sauce and serve.

Oh, except for striploin or sirloin steaks, you don't do them on the pan, too easy to take them past medium rare and into boot leather. Those you bring to room temp, coat in oil and salt and pepper and put directly under the grill. Don't use a grill pan, make a foil tray to catch the juices and sit that on the floor of the top oven or on one of the shelves set in the middle if it's a single hotbox; and put the steak itself right up under the grill on the other shelf. Literally an inch to two inches from the bars/burners. Three minutes on full on one side, three minutes on the other, then drop the shelf to about five to six inches from the bars and three minutes on either side again, and then let rest for about six minutes and then serve.

Possum66

Steak without salt? BURN THE INFIDEL!
*ahem*
Seriously, you can't have steak without salt - the point of the salt and the time is to draw liquid-soluble proteins to the surface of the steak where they make for a nicer crust (can't tell I've been listening to Alton at all, can ye?).

Next time I just hop in the pan beside the steak, deal?

Sorry, nicer crust or not, I prefer without salt.

Sparks

Wierdo
Well, each to their own, but if you don't salt the meat, you will get a lot of water in the steak, which isn't the same as a juicy steak - more a diluted one (which is why dry-aged steak is so much nicer tasting).

Possum66

Sparks wrote: »

Wierdo
Well, each to their own, but if you don't salt the meat, you will get a lot of water in the steak, which isn't the same as a juicy steak - more a diluted one (which is why dry-aged steak is so much nicer tasting).

OK, next time I will give a try, promise. I will salt mine and leave hubby's unsalted. I will be back with my and his opinion!

But now I have to go and feed him... Not with steak this time, though...

And btw greetings from Bray

muckety

If I had a big piece of steak as described I would cook on griddle pan for 5 mins a side the remove to oven for 10 mins (depending on size) to cook a little further. I like this size steak - 1 large one will serve 2 people served in slices.

Sparks

From the best cooking show series ever made...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiQ0VOJmCbg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXNJyhqb5qgp

Possum66

I am rather busy (baking) at the moment, but watch them later. I am sure I will learn a lot.

Checked one of my favourite cookery book last night (A. Nielsen The Ultimate recipe book - 50 classic dishes and the stories behind them) and low and behold - found a steak recipe. Yes, I was doing it wrong. Apologies. I admit, you are right, your steak cooking method IS the right one.

But now back to work!

Sparks

When watching, start with the second one - Alton didn't hit his stride until the third episode in season one.