Choosing a Perfect Steak - Know Your Steak Cuts

Chefs are taught a lot about steak cooking, but one can still go to a restaurant and have a shocking experience.

At home, the game of serving a consistently tender and tasty steak gets even harder.

I'll follow with an article on cooking the perfect steak, but before we get to that, I'll address the most critical factor of choosing the right cut.

Here are some tips on selecting the right steak. Choosing the grade of meat will follow in a future article.

Choose a great cut

Steak varies a lot in quality.

Firstly you need to select the right cut for your needs, budget and appetite. Here's a quick list of beef cuts that we can that we can definitely classify as 'steak' as well as some common other names.  

Tenderloin (fillet steak, tournedos, eye fillet)

This is the 'premium' cut and the most tender with the least fat.

A good quality grain fed or Wagyu tenderloin will have a lot of fat marbling through the meat, but this cut should be trimmed of all sinew and will have no fat on the outside. This is the most expensive cut and the most tender, but Rib steaks have more flavour.

Tenderloins are usually smaller steaks as well. Probably the smallest of all the cuts.

Restaurant portions average 180-250g and it's boneless and fat free.

A double cut from the head of the tenderloin is called a Chateaubriand..

Seared Tenderloin can be baked in puff pastry, either whole or in individual portions, with mushroom duxelles or pate. This is called "Beef Wellington." 

Rib Eye, Scotch fillet and Prime Rib

Rib steaks are extremely flavoursome and can be very tender.

The rib has a large piece of moist fat running through the center. This is normal. Leave it there as it gives the meat flavour and keeps it moist.

A rib eye is a fillet of rib - cut off the bone. This is also known as Scotch fillet or 'cube roll'

The Prime rib or "O.P. Rib" is a rib-eye with the bone still on it. Like a huge lamb cutlet, but from beef instead.

Cooking on the bone always gives a lot more flavour, but it does take a little longer to cook.

A prime rib is a premium cut. The Prime rib is up there with the Porterhouse as one of the the largest of the steak cuts, and it's definitely the tastiest.

Expect a prime rib to be 450g to 550 grams.

A rib eye steak will be between 250 grams for a tin one, to 300 grams medium or 400g for a thick one. 

Sirloin, Entrecote, striploin, New York strip

This is the 'third best' cut, and the best value.

It is normally sized somewhere between a tenderloin and a rib steak too.

The Striploin or sirloin has thick fat along the top which should be trimmed down to around 1cm thick. It shouldn't be trimmed off totally as it bastes the meat while cooking and keeps it moist.

Sirloin is very tasty and a great cut, but can be tough if not very careful about choosing the brand or grade of meat. A 'standard' portion is 250 grams, with a large steak being 350 to 400 grams.

T-Bone and Porterhouse

These are a 'combination' steak on the bone.

The bone is a "T" shape. One side of the "T" is a fillet steak or tenderloin, the other side is a sirloin. Both are attached to the bone.

these are the same steak, except the Porterhouse is cut from the back of the shortloin where the fillet steak piece is large and meaty.

the front of the shortloin is where the fillet steak starts to get smaller, so these steaks with smaller tenderloin pieces attached are referred to as "T-Bone"

These are great steaks, normally large. A porterhouse cut thick is probably the largest steak of the lot. Expect around 550 grams 

Rump Steak

This is the 'bum' of the animal. A plump buttock with an external layer of fat which can be trimmed down to an acceptable level.

The rump is probably the 'driest' steak, with the least marbling through the meat compared to the other premium cuts above.

The rump can have great texture and flavour.

Often the rump is just sliced across the grain to give a large piece of tasty meat.

This can be a disadvantage because done this way the grain will run in different directions through the different muscles in the rump.

This means that some bits will be tougher than others.

Steak should be cut across the grain of the meat for best results.

One solution to this is 'seam-cutting' or splitting a whole rump into different muscles and then cutting each across the grain into smaller steaks.

A rump will be around 250 grams if seam cut, to 400 or 500 grams cut across all the muscles.

Lesser cuts

Flank steak and Skirt steak

These are cut from the abdomen or belly of the beef and have a very specific texture. They're OK seasoned and seared over high heat, but they don't have the typical 'steak' appeal of the prime cuts above. 

Bad steaks

Any other cut is not a steak.

A lot of leg meat or shoulder cuts are passed off by supermarkets and 'creative' butchers as "steak"

They are not.

Round 'steak' for example, is a dry, tougher piece of meat not well suited to grilling or pan frying. You can break it down mechanically, or tenderise it, but it's not as well suited to barbecuing and will always be tougher.

Chuck steak is not steak. It's stewing beef.

Choosing a great grade of meat may give you an eating experience that is tender enough from an inferior cut, but the steak cuts from thee same animal will always be tastier and a lot more tender.

A steak cut will not always guarantee tender meat either. Some animals just have tough meat. Even the fillet steak.

A steak is the tenderest part of the beef - what we call a 'first class cut' because it is suited to fast cooking methods such as grilling, barbecue or pan frying.

"BBQ steak" "Budget steak" and similar things are tricks. They are based on price, not taste or tenderness.

If that's ok with you, go ahead. But to get the best taste and a tender piece of meat, choose the cuts above. 

My next article will be on choosing the right grade of beef to ensure that your steak will be consistently tender and flavoursome.

Shane Brierly is a professional chef who has been travelling the globe for the last six years cooking, eating and discovering. He prefers the "path less travelled" and is currently living in South-East Asia blogging about food, drinks, cooking and sights from his travels. Shane can be found at http://chef-a-gogo.com and is happy to answer any questions or respond to feedback left in the comments section. He loves teaching people how to cook, and is passionate about fresh food, quickly and simply prepared.

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How to Cook and Serve the Perfect Steak

Buying Your Steak
When you are shopping buy the best quality cut of meat you can afford and buy it from a reputable butcher who you can trust to source the finest meat possible. You should become familiar with all the different types of steak available whether it is filet mignon, sirloin, ribeye or T-bone and now what to look for when making your purchase.

A great steak should have a degree of marbling which is basically fat within the tissue of the meat. Do not buy bright red steak, the colour should be a darker red which indicates that the steak has matured correctly. The ideal thickness for a steak is 1'' - 1.5" which will ensure that the steak does not dry out during the cooking process.

Preparation
Let your steak reach room temperature before you start to cook it. Take the steak out of the refrigerator anything from 30 minutes to one hour prior to cooking. This will allow for the steak to cook as evenly as possible because the internal temperature will have been raised before exposing the outside surface to a hot pan.

Lightly pat the steak with kitchen towel to ensure that it is completely dry, this will ensure that the steak grills and not steams. Additionally, do not salt the steak before cooking as this will induce moisture on its surface and it will be steamed.

Cooking Your Steaks
Using dry heat is probably the best way to cook a steak and for me this entails using a specially designed steak or ridged grill pan over a high heat. This will cause the outside of the steak to brown nicely and give it that distinctive flavour. Make sure that the pan is extremely hot before putting the steak into it, in fact the pan should be smoking a little bit.

Cook the steaks on each side for 5 minutes for rare, 7 minutes for medium and 10 minutes for well done. Be aware that cooking times can vary depending on the thickness of your steak and how hot the pan is, the above are general guidelines so you may need to experiment a little bit until you find how to cook the steak to your exact liking.

Turn your steaks using tongs and give them a nudge now and again with the tongs to ensure they do not stick to the pan. Halfway through the cooking time per side turn your steaks trough 90 degrees, this will give nice diamond pattern grill marks.

Serving Your Steaks
Once the steaks are cooked to your liking, whether that means nice and pink on the inside for rare or burnt to a crisp for the well done faction, remove them from the pan and place on a plate and loosely cover with aluminum foil, the steaks will continue to cook on the inside. The majority of cooks ignore this very important part of the process. Let the steak rest for about five minutes prior to serving.

I prefer to eat my steak accompanied by real home made chunky french fries with salt and vinegar, some lightly steamed green beans or roasted asparagus and a nice fresh salad made with lettuce, onions and tomatoes covered in homemade french dressing. Mmmm, bon apetit!

Peter S. Kelly is passionate about good food and drink, cooking on his ceramic hob and all things kitchen related. For more information please visit http://www.electriccookersceramichob.com

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Marinating and Grilling the Perfect Steak for Yourself

Grilling a steak can make for a tasty dinner but if done incorrectly, you can end up with a charred, dry piece of charcoal and that's not good for anyone. Perfectly grilling a steak can be considered an art form. There are several components that should be considered when grilling out.

The first detail that should be considered before the meat even hits the grill is seasoning or marinade. Seasoning can be anything from just sea salt to a dry steak rub or a wet marinade. I would recommend using this steak marinade and letting the steak sit for about an hour in the refrigerator soaking up the marinade.

Steak Marinade:
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup olive oil
4 ½ T honey
6 large garlic cloves, minced
3 T chopped fresh rosemary
ground pepper
sea salt

Next you want to determine how you want your steak cooked. Do you want rare, medium, well? (Rare=red, medium=warm pink, well=cooked through) After you determine this, follow these cooking times, 4-5 mins per side for rare, 5-7 mins per side for medium and 7-8 mins a side for well. These also depend on thickness of the cut of meat.

Depending on whether you are using charcoal or gas to grill, you will have to manage the heat differently. By keeping the temperature of the grill high, you will achieve an nice sear and seal in the juiciness of the steak. When you throw your steak on the grill you want to hear a nice sizzle. The sugar in the honey will caramelize and make a nice crust on the outside of the steak.

After you have cooked your steak to the desired temperature, pull the steak off and let the meat rest for 10 minutes. Allowing the meat to rest will allow the juices to redistribute throughout and make for an extra juicy steak. By keeping these tips in mind, you will create a tasty, delicious, perfectly cooked piece of meat.

If you burn your steak and need to go out to get one try this Dallas steakhouse or even go for some lobster and the best Addison seafood

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preparation the perfect Steak Dry Rub

A dry rub is a compound of discrete spices that enhance the natural flavors of the meat they are placed on. The also serve as an easy way to add texture and depth to the meat as well by sealing the natural juices in. The key to using this technique is to leave the rub on long adequate to literally bring out the flavor but not too long as to wholly dry the meat out either. Rubs that consist of salt and sugar often have this effect. For a perfect steak about 30 minutes is adequate adequate to get the flavor you are seeking without production the meat dry.

There are hundreds of distinct spice rub recipes you can try, but a few are far great than others and truly create a unique flavor unlike whatever else you have ever tasted. Rubs like the barbecue rub, Cajun rub and the fennel or Asian rubs tend to be very favorite for their definite flavor potentials. Everyone's favorite comes down to a matter of taste preferences. Some prefer spicier rubs while others would much rather have something more mild and sweeter.

Cook Steak

The barbecue rub includes such ingredients as salt, garlic, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, paprika, celery seed and black pepper. This is a more classical coming and is reminiscent of the pit Bbq you can get in Texas. Many people pick this one for cookouts because it is considered by most to be the perfect blend of spices for a steak. It also works literally well on vegetables too so that is something you might think as a side dish option.

The key to the best steak rub, however, is a willingness to experiment. Don't be afraid to add new flavors and create your own blends. Take the flavor elements that you and your house enjoy and add them together to see what creation you come up with. Even if you start with a formula as a base you can still build upon it by adding new things, taking away some thing or even just adjusting the measurements of each spice. This is how you truly make it your own.

preparation the perfect Steak Dry Rub

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The Real Secrets for Cooking Perfect Steak that Chefs won't tell You

Cooking perfect steak might mean different things to different people, but by using the same - very simple procedure, everyone can achieve their own personal definition of perfection right on their BBQ grill. The process begins with choosing and preparing a whole beef tenderloin and ends with knowing exactly when that steak has finished cooking to the doneness that you want it to be. And all of this happens without disrupting the steak's beauty with knife gashing and checking that center for "pinkness." Intrigued? Give me 10 minutes and I'll give you my formula for cooking perfect steak on your outdoor grill tonight!

Chef Todd Mohr is a classically trained chef, entrepreneur, cooking educator and founder of WebCookingClasses.  You can experience his unique approach to no-recipe cooking with his FREE online cooking classes.  The 7 minute class will change the way you think about cooking forever.

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BBQ Tips: How to host the perfect BBQ from Giftlab.co.uk

Here in the UK the sun pops out from behind a cloud for five minutes and everyone's changing into their shorts and t-shirts (while the Prof just takes all his clothes off so he's naked under his lab coat – it isn't a pretty sight). It's no surprise then, that after a week of constant sunshine, BBQ season has officially begun. As you know, here at giftlab.co.uk we like to make ourselves useful so with the first whiffs of a BBQ (We smelt the first one on Mother's Day... can anyone beat that? Comment below if you can and you might win a prize!) we were already leafing through cook books, searching the web, and trying out our own styles of cooking so that we could give you our Top Ten Tips on how to host the perfect BBQ and a range of recipes guaranteed to win over your guests. So, without further ado here's how you can impress all your friends and family with your outdoor cooking skills:

Giftlab is a UK based retailer of cool gifts and gadgets. Our motto - Give Genius Gifts!

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Marinating and Grilling the Perfect Steak for Yourself

Grilling a steak can make for a tasty dinner but if done incorrectly, you can end up with a charred, dry piece of charcoal and that's not good for anyone. Perfectly grilling a steak can be considered an art form. There are several components that should be considered when grilling out.

The first detail that should be considered before the meat even hits the grill is seasoning or marinade. Seasoning can be anything from just sea salt to a dry steak rub or a wet marinade. I would recommend using this steak marinade and letting the steak sit for about an hour in the refrigerator soaking up the marinade.

Cook Steak

Steak Marinade:
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup olive oil
4 ½ T honey
6 large garlic cloves, minced
3 T chopped fresh rosemary
ground pepper
sea salt

Next you want to determine how you want your steak cooked. Do you want rare, medium, well? (Rare=red, medium=warm pink, well=cooked through) After you determine this, follow these cooking times, 4-5 mins per side for rare, 5-7 mins per side for medium and 7-8 mins a side for well. These also depend on thickness of the cut of meat.

Depending on whether you are using charcoal or gas to grill, you will have to manage the heat differently. By keeping the temperature of the grill high, you will achieve an nice sear and seal in the juiciness of the steak. When you throw your steak on the grill you want to hear a nice sizzle. The sugar in the honey will caramelize and make a nice crust on the outside of the steak.

After you have cooked your steak to the desired temperature, pull the steak off and let the meat rest for 10 minutes. Allowing the meat to rest will allow the juices to redistribute throughout and make for an extra juicy steak. By keeping these tips in mind, you will create a tasty, delicious, perfectly cooked piece of meat.

Marinating and Grilling the Perfect Steak for Yourself

If you burn your steak and need to go out to get one try this Dallas steakhouse or even go for some lobster and the best Addison seafood

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Three Steps to Cooking Perfect Steak on Your Outdoor BBQ Grill

If you're like me, When you crank up that BBQ grill for the season it's all about cooking perfect steak. I love all kinds of foods cooked on an outside bbq grill, but none says summer quite like that sweet smell of steak on the grill. For me, the results are always predictable and always pretty close to perfect. This is because I use the same process every time and I start with the end result in mind. So that's my first tip: cooking perfect steak starts with identifying what that means to you and then learning about the basic cooking method so that you can navigate to that desired point. You'll have to decide on the definition of perfection for yourself - that's the fun part. But the next few paragraphs should help with the second part - learning the process and the basic cooking method that helps get you to your perfection.

It All Starts BEFORE Cooking Tenderloin!

Cook Steak

For most carnivores, the beginning of the process towards steak nirvana is when you actually start cooking tenderloin. Unfortunately, this approach leaves out one of my best secrets for cooking perfect steak: start with the whole tenderloin. There are so many advantages to buying a whole tenderloin and breaking it down yourself. You can definitely save some money learning how to do this, and it is a lot easier than you think. When you buy the whole tenderloin, the first thing you have to do before cooking tenderloin is to remove the "chain". The chain is the side muscle; it contains a lot of the fat and is great for use later in stews, chilis or even my favorite treat: Tenderloin Philly cheese steak. But that's a whole other way for cooking tenderloin and beyond the scope of this article! Once you've removed the chain, you must remove the thick top end of the tenderloin - "the head". This, too can be set aside and used later. What you are left with is a long tenderloin from which to cut your steaks. The most important thing to remember is to try to cut the steaks of consistent size by weight. Consistent size equals consistent cooking, which equals reliable cooking! Use a scale and aim for a consistent size somewhere between 3 and 5 oz per steak, depending on who you're cooking for.

Do you Really Know How to Grill Beef?

If you believe most people, grilling takes no skill at all. It's so much easier than cooking and anyone can do this with little advance planning or common knowledge. Right? This is actually one of my favorite cooking myths! Knowing correctly how to grill beef (or anything else) is essential to outdoor cooking success. Grilling is direct source conductive heat. Cooking is to grilling as driving is to flying a rocket ship. Everything happens quickly and intensely with grilling and that includes mistakes. So, let's begin with the simple process:

First, get the grill as hot as possible. Keep the lid down while heating the grill, but open when cooking. This is another common grilling mistake. If you close the lid while cooking, the method you are applying is similar to that of oven cooking. Why bother doing it outside on the grill? Brush the steak with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. You can use any other kind of seasoning or rub here, but I find that the true steak flavor comes from a good cut of meat and you don't need anything else. You might have a different opinion so season as you see fit. Place the steak on the hot grill "show side" down - meaning the side you'd want to display on the plate goes down on the grill first. Now observe for signs of done-ness. When the steak is 75% done on one side, flip it over and cook the rest of the way.

Knowing how to grill beef is a simple process, but most people still go into it blindly. By following the steps, you will always be working towards cooking the perfect steak, rather than just cooking a steak until it has reached a safe to eat temperature and texture. The fine line of difference between acceptable and perfection make all of the difference, and with perfection so reliably reachable, why not aim high?

How Long Should the Meat Cook? Until It's Done!

So, here we are. We always arrive at the same question. In travel, it's: are we there yet?; and in cooking, it's: how long should the meat cook?. Well, I have one answer to all of the how long questions: until it's done. Yes, it really is that simple. Let the meat cook until it's done. And now we get into the more interesting question: how do I know when it's done? I often say that cooking is a journey - so you are a tourist, an observer on that journey. As you observe what happens to the steak during the cooking process, you will notice some predictable things happen. First, at 165 degrees, proteins coagulate. What you will see when this happens is that the steak will stiffen and shrink. You will see the sides of the tenderloin start to get brownish gray. At 320 degrees, the sugars caramelize. If you lift a side of the steak up slightly and look underneath, you will see the formation of grill marks to indicate this is happening. You will also begin to smell that nice, sweet, smell - telling you that you are cooking perfect steak and all is happening as it should. When the steak is 50-75% cooked on one side, it reaches what is termed in French culinary as "a point". You will observe the juices start to bubble up to the red top. This indicates it is time to flip the steak, allowing it to finish its cooking on the other side. The last observation you will make to determine done-ness is the most quantitative because you will use a thermometer. Don't cut open your steak to peer into the middle! Don't stab at it with a fork! Both of these activities will release all of the juiciness you just worked so hard to achieve! 125-135 degrees is rare; 145-150 is medium and 160-165 is well done. So pick your temperature and remove the steak from the grill. But before serving it, let it rest for 5-10 minutes so that the juices can redistribute and run off onto the non-serving plate.

Just by understanding these simple facts about grilling, cooking perfect steak is almost a guaranteed result. Go ahead and get your own whole tenderloin today and get ready for some great outdoor eating!

Three Steps to Cooking Perfect Steak on Your Outdoor BBQ Grill

Chef Todd Mohr is a classically trained chef, entrepreneur, cooking educator and founder of WebCookingClasses. You CAN learn to cook without written recipes by taking his FREE cooking class that will change the way you think about cooking forever!

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How to BBQ a Perfect Steak on a Gas Grill

A nice, tender and juicy steak makes everyone's mouth drool. However, getting that perfect steak on the backyard gas BBQ grill is not always as easy. However, you can learn how to make a great steak every time by applying a few basic tips.

Start with the Grill

Cook Steak

How the person wants the steak will determine the settings on the grill. Change the settings for the steak and watch them come out perfect.

Rare - The ultimate way to cook a steak. You need to turn the grill up to full blast on both sides. You need it to sear the steak on the outside quickly and keep the inside nice and cool. Medium Rare to Medium - Turn one side of the grill to medium and the other side to hot. Well - This is the death of the juicy steak but if you must cook it well done, then turn both sides to medium.

Don't Grill Cold Meat

Don't ever take your steak from the fridge and throw it out on the grill. Steaks need to be cooked at room temperature. Plus, this gives you time to properly season your steak. That is, if you are using a dry rub. If you use a marinade, then you will need to set out the steak ahead of time so it can warm up.

Testing for Doneness

You can do the finger method or you can (gasp) cut the meat to check it. However, the only 100% foolproof way of testing for doneness and maintaining the integrity of the steak is with an instant read thermometer.

Rare - 140 Medium Rare - 150 Medium - 150 Medium Well - 165 Well Done - (shiver at the thought) 180

The real trick is taking the steak off 5 degrees lower than the doneness scale. This is because you want your steak to sit a few minutes before cutting it open. If you don't then all the nice juices will run out. In this time, your meat will cook the extra five degrees.

Adding Perfect Grill Marks

Picture your steak like a yield sign, which is how many are shaped. The bottom point should be placed on the grill in the 1 o'clock position for 90 seconds. Then you turn your steak to the 5 o'clock position and wait for it to show signs of turning (blood will start seeping up). Flip it over one time and cook it the rest of the way.

How to BBQ a Perfect Steak on a Gas Grill

Sherri has been writing articles for nearly 2 years. Come visit her latest website over at http://charbroilgrillpartsreview.com which helps people find the best Char Broil Grill Parts: Covers

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Steakhouse Bar Specials in New York Offers the Perfect Dinning Experience

Enjoyable surroundings, best food court and the perfect drinks sums up the bet evening one can ever dream of. Everybody loves to enjoy delicious lunch or dinner in a steakhouse. Steakhouse is considered as the ideal place for having an excellent dinning experience. Are you really crazy about good food and tasty wine or rum? After all, you will be fulfilling all your temptations at this place. Isn't it? People residing in New York have an active night life and they love eating out in a steakhouse.



There is a variety of Steakhouse that offer full-time bar along with the dinning experience. Ambience of the bar has to match the looks of the entire restaurant. The restaurant owner has to see that the type of furniture in the steakhouse has to be classy. Even the sitting arrangement of the bar has to be ample in number, so that numerous dinners can adjust. Apart from this, the lighting system of the steakhouse that gives bar specials to customers has to be proper. Bright lights should be avoided. Everything has to be sober and sophisticated.



Eating and drinking are the two things that draw them to a steakhouse. The joy of eating at a steakhouse doubles with the kinds of drinks that are available there. You can opt from a wide variety of cocktails, which are a part of the bar specials in a steakhouse. After all, you spend your hard earned money to take pleasure in some of the most precious delicacies of your area. When the matter of spending comes, then everything has to be the best.



The food court at steakhouse is considered as the crowd puller for these restaurants. Usually, you can order for a variety of beef products and sea food that comes with the side dishes. The beef products include the dishes prepared from buffalo or cow meet. The taste of these dishes is incomparable to anything else. This is mainly due to the method of their preparation. There are two methods of preparation, half cooked and fully cooked. Generally, the half cooked steak is juicier than the full cooked one. The full cooked beef dish is slightly drier, but tastes quite well.



The menu card for sea food includes delicious lobsters, tasty fishes and various other things. The availability of drinks with sea food or steak adds an extra layer of enjoyment in your dinning experience. The drinks are meant for those diners, who enjoy drinking one or two pegs with their food. Do you have a liking for drinks along with the steak? Steakhouses in New York that have bar specials are meant to suit the preferences of customers who love their drink. One thing to be taken care in the steakhouse is that the quality and promptness of service should be just flawless. If this thing is not proper, then the customers will never return to your steakhouse. You need to have everything immaculately arranged for your customers.

Neil Folley holds a Masters Degree in Hotel Management. He loves good food and arranging private parties. He is working for Markjosephsteakhouse. Enjoy perfect dining experience and wines in Steakhouse Bar Specials New York. Also enjoy for good food and best soups visit www.markjosephsteakhouse.com

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Cooking the Perfect Steak the Way You Like It, Every Time, for the Home Cook

Go out to eat and chances are that all but the least competent chef, cook or grill person will prepare your steak in the way you have asked; rare, medium, well done etc. It can be frustrating, then, when your home-cooked version doesn't quite turn out the way you expect. Follow this simple guide, and you, too, will be able to cook your perfect steak, your way, every time.

Of course, you will use good steak. A cheap, stringy cut more suitable for stewing or for ground beef will never produce a good, tasty, tender steak, however skilled the cook. Good cooking starts at the market. Good steak is a luxury, so be prepared to have a really good one once in a while, rather than trying to have a mediocre one more often. Use rump, fillet, porterhouse, T-bone or any other cut that you like, and make sure it has been hung for as long as possible - at least 21 days, preferably more. Don't chose a piece that is too lean - the fat adds flavour, lubrication and juiciness. A fat-free steak is a contradiction in terms.

Cook Steak

There is no one cooking method to produce the perfect steak: pan-frying, pan-frying and oven-finishing, griddle-pan-frying (oil the steak, not the pan), grilling/broiling and barbequing are all potentially excellent techniques. Use which ever suits you and is most convenient.

Season the steak well on both sides with good salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat your pan or grill until very hot, add a minimum of oil, then put your steak on - it should sizzle. After a minute or two, turn it over - there should be lovely patches of golden brown colouring, and the aroma will already be fabulous. Whatever you have heard, you are not "sealing" the steak, but you are creating the so-called "browning flavours" which are so important to the finished steak. If you like your steak blue or very rare, it will probably be ready now, after a minute or two on each side. Otherwise, turn the heat down by at least half, and continue to cook, testing your steak as follows.

The simple way to get the steak cooked the way you like it is to prod it with your finger: yes, I know it's hot, so be careful. Here's the method. Using your first (index) finger, press down on the ball of flesh at the base of your thumb on the same hand. That is what a rare steak feels like when you prod it. Now do the same with your second (middle) finger - that feels like a medium steak. Finally, your third (ring) finger will give you well-done. Clever, huh? Obviously, you have to use a bit of judgement if your steak is particularly thick or thin, but you will be surprised at how accurate this method is.

If you like rarer finishes, but still enjoy having the fat crispy, you will have to hold the steak in tongs with the fat edge on to the pan for a few minutes, then continue to cook the steak as above. Protect your hand and arm from heat and spitting fat by wearing oven gloves.

Finally, once the steak is cooked to your liking, let it rest in a warm place for at least five minutes - it won't go cold in this time, but it will relax and allow the juices to flow back through the meat, giving a wonderfully tender and flavoursome finish.

Cooking the Perfect Steak the Way You Like It, Every Time, for the Home Cook

Brent Nelson writes The Guerilla Griller, one of Europe's top 500 food blogs. On a mission to demystify food and cooking, with clear step-by-step recipes, and here for the newbie and experienced cook alike. Find The Guerilla Griller at: http://guerillagriller.blogspot.com/

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5 Steps to the Perfect Steak

Who doesn't love a good steak besides vegetarians that is? Yet it's surprising how many of us panic about cooking one and end up getting it wrong. If the steak on your plate rarely turns out as you want it to, then read on.

Certain considerations must be taken into account as they can affect the end result.

Cook Steak

For example,
How old is the steak and how long was it hanging for?
How cold is the steak?
What cut of meat are you using?
How dense or loose is the steak and how much fat contents runs through it.

The best way to tell when your steak is cooked to perfection is to either stick a thermometer into it, which isn't ideal as it doesn't always give a true reading when stuck in a small piece of meat such as a steak. Or better still learn by touch when a steak is cooked to your liking. Feel it just like chefs do. (see the poke test below)

5 Steps To The Perfect Steak

1. Always bring the meat up to room temperature before cooking it.

2. Place a dry frying pan over a high heat until it's searing hot. You want to hear a 'sizzle' when the steak makes contact with the pan. If it doesn't the pan isn't hot enough.

3. Rub steaks with a little oil and season with a grinding of sea salt and black pepper.

4. Cook steaks in a dry pan without oil or butter - the steak will cook in the oil rubbed on them and your kitchen won't get smokey!

5. Turn down the heat slightly if necessary.

Guide To Cooking Times
The times given below are a guide only and refer to a sirloin steak approximately 1" thick. Thicker steaks will require a longer cooking time and thinner steaks less time.

1" Thick steak

Cooking Time (per side)
Resting Time
Total CookingTime

Rare
2 minutes
4 minutes
8 minutes

Medium
3 minutes
4 minutes
10 minutes

Well Done
4 minutes
2 minutes
10 minutes

The "poke test" is the best way to tell when a steak is cooked.

A good cook or chef, can tell whether meat is cooked or not just by pressing it. If you'd like to know how they do this, follow the guide below as it provides a quick gauge for doneness. Start off by feeling the base of your thumb on your upturned palm and press it with your other thumb and fingers as it produces the same ' feel' as steak during the various cooking stages.

Rare: Place your thumb and index finger either side of your other thumb and gently press the base of your thumb. This is how rare meat feels.
Medium: Bring your thumb and middle finger together gently and press the base of your thumb. This is how medium cooked meat feels.
Well-done: Bring your thumb and little finger together and press the base of your thumb. This is how well cooked meat feels.
Always rest steak after cooking, it relaxes the meat fibres and locks in the juices.

5 Steps to the Perfect Steak

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How to Cook and Serve the Perfect Steak

Buying Your Steak
When you are shopping buy the best quality cut of meat you can afford and buy it from a reputable butcher who you can trust to source the finest meat possible. You should become familiar with all the different types of steak available whether it is filet mignon, sirloin, ribeye or T-bone and now what to look for when making your purchase.

A great steak should have a degree of marbling which is basically fat within the tissue of the meat. Do not buy bright red steak, the colour should be a darker red which indicates that the steak has matured correctly. The ideal thickness for a steak is 1'' - 1.5" which will ensure that the steak does not dry out during the cooking process.

Cook Steak

Preparation
Let your steak reach room temperature before you start to cook it. Take the steak out of the refrigerator anything from 30 minutes to one hour prior to cooking. This will allow for the steak to cook as evenly as possible because the internal temperature will have been raised before exposing the outside surface to a hot pan.

Lightly pat the steak with kitchen towel to ensure that it is completely dry, this will ensure that the steak grills and not steams. Additionally, do not salt the steak before cooking as this will induce moisture on its surface and it will be steamed.

Cooking Your Steaks
Using dry heat is probably the best way to cook a steak and for me this entails using a specially designed steak or ridged grill pan over a high heat. This will cause the outside of the steak to brown nicely and give it that distinctive flavour. Make sure that the pan is extremely hot before putting the steak into it, in fact the pan should be smoking a little bit.

Cook the steaks on each side for 5 minutes for rare, 7 minutes for medium and 10 minutes for well done. Be aware that cooking times can vary depending on the thickness of your steak and how hot the pan is, the above are general guidelines so you may need to experiment a little bit until you find how to cook the steak to your exact liking.

Turn your steaks using tongs and give them a nudge now and again with the tongs to ensure they do not stick to the pan. Halfway through the cooking time per side turn your steaks trough 90 degrees, this will give nice diamond pattern grill marks.

Serving Your Steaks
Once the steaks are cooked to your liking, whether that means nice and pink on the inside for rare or burnt to a crisp for the well done faction, remove them from the pan and place on a plate and loosely cover with aluminum foil, the steaks will continue to cook on the inside. The majority of cooks ignore this very important part of the process. Let the steak rest for about five minutes prior to serving.

I prefer to eat my steak accompanied by real home made chunky french fries with salt and vinegar, some lightly steamed green beans or roasted asparagus and a nice fresh salad made with lettuce, onions and tomatoes covered in homemade french dressing. Mmmm, bon apetit!

How to Cook and Serve the Perfect Steak

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Grilling Perfect Steak is Easy If You Get the Temperature of Your Fire Right

When grilling perfect steak, most grilling recipes suggest cooking over high, medium or low heat. Seldom do they require an exact temperature. There are several reasons for this. Grilling is an inexact cooking method and the conditions in and around the grill can change suddenly. So it is best for the recipes to simply mention a range of heat to cook over and remind you to monitor the food very closely.

But how do you know what is considered high, medium or low heat? Do not go by the thermometers in the tops of most grills. They will measure only the air temperatures inside the grill when the cover is closed. This is not a true measure of the actual cooking temperature down close to the fire where your food is. That temperature is much higher. Furthermore, with most meats and fish fillets you will want to build a two zone fire and the cover thermometer is completely worthless if the ends of the grill are at different temperatures.

Cook Steak

The best way to determine the temperature of your fire is to use the traditional hand test. Hold your hand about three inches above the grate and time how long you can leave it there before you are forced to jerk it back:

o 1 to 2 seconds - High Heat - This is the best temperature for your hot zone if you are grilling shrimp or searing a steak. When using the the zone method, use this side first to sear the outside and lock in the juices.

o 2 to 3 seconds - Medium High Range - Good for most fish steaks.

o 4 to 5 seconds - Medium Low Range - Ideal for most chicken and veggies.

o 7 to 8 seconds - Low Heat - Perfect for your warm zone to finish steaks or chops. Also good for grilling soft vegetables and fruit.

o 1 minute - You forgot to light the grill! Put down the beer and go find some matches. (Just kidding)

You can enjoy grilling perfect steak if you build a two zone fire and use the hand method to determine the best temperature for your food.

Grilling Perfect Steak is Easy If You Get the Temperature of Your Fire Right

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How to Grill the Perfect Steak on a Gas Grill For Superb Taste and Flavor

Learning the art of How to Grill the Perfect Steak on a Gas Grill requires patience and practice. Most people tend to either end up with overcooked or undercooked meat when grilling steaks. But once you get around to it, you'll find that it is very easy to do. When you've mastered How to Grill the Perfect Steak on a Gas Grill, you can easily cook one up at home and season it to your liking.

Here are detailed instructions on How to Grill the Perfect Steak on a Gas Grill:

Cook Steak

1. Choose the right kind of steak. Pick a cut of meat that is thick and well marbled. A well-marbled steak has some fat throughout the meat that gives it a richer flavor and makes it juicy. An example of this is the prime steak, which is more expensive but definitely worth it. Popular steaks for grilling are T-Bone, Porterhouse, and Rib eye.

2. Let the steak reach room temperature before putting it on the grill. This will take about 30-60 minutes, depending on the size of the steak.

3. Preheat the grill. A useful tip on How to Grill the Perfect Steak on a Gas Grill is to wrap small wood chips in aluminum foil and put it as close as you can get to the fire. If the grill is between 600 and 700 degrees and you notice that the wood chips are smoking, then the grill is ready.

4. Season one side of your steak with generous amounts of salt and pepper. Using coarse kosher salt and fresh cracked black peppercorns are highly recommended.

5. Oil the grate using a piece of trimmed fat and rub it over the bars of the grill grate.

6. Put the seasoned side of the steak down on the grill over direct heat. This might take about 2-4 minutes before it is nicely seared. Season the top with salt and pepper just as you did the first time and flip it to sear the other side. Use tongs or a spatula. Never use a fork for the holes allow the juices to escape.

7. Move the steak over on indirect heat and lightly brush it with olive oil for a rich glazed surface.

8. Put a lid over the grill and let the steak bring its internal temperature up to your desired doneness. Press the meat with your finger to test for firmness.

9. Remove the steak from the grill and let it rest for about five minutes to allow the juices to redistribute.

10. The final step on How to Grill the Perfect Steak on a Gas Grill is to enjoy!

How to Grill the Perfect Steak on a Gas Grill For Superb Taste and Flavor

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Steps to Cooking the Perfect Steak

There is nothing better than a juicy steak meal for dinner, no matter what the season. There are as many ways to cook steak as there are varieties of this meat. The best ways all use dry heat, because it allows the exterior to caramelize and brown, providing the meat with more flavor.

Before cooking or grilling steak, allow it to come to at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit. This will prevent the steak from contracting when it meets the heat, which causes it to toughen. Rare steaks should be cooked to 120 degrees, medium rare to 125 degrees, and medium to 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Let the steak sit for five to ten minutes before being served so that the juices will redistribute themselves while the meat continues cooking.

Cook Steak

Purists will drop the steak right on the grill at this point, but there are ways to flavor the steak without saturating it in some type of marinade. Dry rubs work wonderfully, as so spice mixtures. By adding just a little bit of extra virgin olive oil to the surface of the steak, the mixture can be rubbed in without having to score the meat. Of course, scoring the meat will enable the spices to penetrate deeper, adding the flavor throughout the steak.

Preheat your grill so it is nice and hot before putting the steak down on top of it. The steak will take about 8-12 minutes to cook, depending upon how well you want the steak done. One key component to cooking the perfect steak is to make sure that it is only turned once. For instance, if you are making it medium rare, it should be cooked for about four minutes and then turned over, another four minutes and removed.

Steak may look intimidating, but it is actually one of the easiest things to cook on the grill. Play around with different combination's of marinades or dry rubs until the combination is found that you really enjoy. Once you find that secret combination, just remember to cook the steak at room temperature and only turn it once. The steak will be cooked evenly and have those beautiful grill marks that make your mouth water.

Steps to Cooking the Perfect Steak

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The Perfect Steak Dinner - 3 Dishes (and One Drink) to Food Nirvana

Here are four items that I think make the perfect steak dinner. Do all four. You won't disagree with me. What are the four?

Spicy Smoked Steak

Cook Steak

Cheese Fries

Seasoned Green Beans

Homemade Milkshake

I'm getting hungry, so let's get started.

Spicy Smoked Steak

2 pounds of steak (round steak works fine)

MSG (sold as Accent in the seasoning section)

1 tablespoon of butter

1/4 cup cider vinegar

2 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 eight ounce can of tomato sauce

1 large can mushrooms

1 banana pepper

2 bell green peppers

2 mid-sized onions

Some salt and pepper

Liquid smoke

Directions:

Tenderize the meat with a mallet and lightly coat the meat with the MSG powder. Take all the other ingredients, except the tomato sauce and put them on the top of the meat. It's important to keep it all on top.

Regarding the liquid smoke vary the amount you use to the amount of smokiness you want (don't overdo it, it's strong stuff). Pour the tomato sauce over the top of everything else.

Cover the steak snugly with foil. Poke holes in the foil. Cook it for half an hour at 400 degrees. It's a good idea to have a cookie sheet under the steak in the oven to catch drippings. Cover the cookie sheet with foil for easy clean up. Reduce heat to 200 degrees and continue cooking for an hour.

Cheesy Fries

3 potatoes (scrubbed and sliced in to French fry shapes)

3 tablespoons of melted butter

1/3 cup parmesan cheese (not fresh-grated)

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

3/4 teaspoon paprika

1/2 chives

Directions:

Coat the fries in the butter. Mix the other ingredients together. Coat the fries in the mixture. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook them uncovered for forty minutes (less if you've thinly sliced them).

Seasoned Green Beans
10 fresh mushrooms

1 yellow onion

4 cups of frozen green beans

1 stick of butter

Mrs. Dash seasoning

Directions:

Chop the mushrooms and onions. Saute them until the onion is translucent. Heat the beans until they are tender. Drain the veggies and place them in a dish. Mix in the mushrooms, onion, butter, and Mrs. Dash.

Homemade Milkshake

4 cups of cold milk

4 cups of vanilla ice cream

Directions: Blend together in at high speed in a blender. Serves 4 to 5.

So there you have the perfect steak dinner. Personally, I think I'll fix this again tomorrow night. Good food is truly my weakness. Enjoy!

The Perfect Steak Dinner - 3 Dishes (and One Drink) to Food Nirvana

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There is More than One Way to Prepare the Perfect Swiss Steak

More than likely your recipe will call for either round or chuck steak, but you
can also use cube steak.

The type of steak you use is entirely up to your palate. Swiss steak
can also be either baked in the oven, cooked in a
slow cooker or crockpot, or even cooked in a large skillet on top
of the stove.

Cook Steak

You will not find many recipes that tell you how you to cook Swiss steak on top
of the stove, but it can be done.

If you decide to try to prepare one on your stove top use any of the recipes
that you find, just cook on the stove top and check often.

These Swiss steak recipes call for them to be baked in the oven, but you can
also prepare them in the above mentioned ways.

For the first recipe you will need the following ingredients:

a covered baking dish, 2 pounds of steak, salt, pepper, garlic powder, 1 onion sliced, 4 ounce can of drained mushrooms, and 1 15 ounce can of tomato sauce.

The first step is to cut your steak into serving sizes, season the steaks
with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Place the steak into a baking dish top with the onion slice.

Now, pour the mushrooms and tomato sauce on top. Kind of level the
ingredients and bake covered for 1 ½ hours at 350 degrees. This recipe can also
be prepared on top of the stove just as easy. Just remember to check on it and
be sure that the liquid is not evaporating.

You can always add just a bit more tomato sauce or even a small amount of water
if needed.

If you like your Swiss Steak a bit spicier, try this one. You will need:

round or chuck steak, (tenderize the steak first), 15 ounce can of tomato sauce, 1 large onion sliced, 2 tablespoons of vinegar, and 8 ounces of your favorite picante sauce or salsa.

Place the steak in the baking dish, add the onion on top and then pour in the
remainder of the ingredients.
Bake at 250 degrees for around 20 minutes.

Serve with salad and (baked) potatoes.

There is More than One Way to Prepare the Perfect Swiss Steak

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5 Steps on How to Cook the Perfect Steak

Even for the best chefs, cooking the perfect juicy steak can be a challenge. Steaks are generally thin pieces of meat that can dry out quickly or cook too quickly making them try, tough and flavourless.

Use a heavy frying pan or griddle pan on a gas hob. With an electric hob or grill you have less control of the heat.

Cook Steak

Buy a good quality steak from your butchers or online, try to stay away from the cheap supermarket meat. The Sirloin steak and Rump steak contain more flavour and have texture. Fillet steak is soft and has less flavour.

Step 1 Prepare your steaks

Take your steaks out of the fridge 30 - 60 minutes before cooking. This allows them to come to room temperature which makes them easier to cook.

If your steaks are frozen, place them in the fridge overnight and then take them out of the fridge before cooking.

Step 2 Pre-heat the pan

Heat the empty pan on the stove until it is hot. Now you can either add a little oil and then add your steaks or if you prefer brush your steaks with oil and place in the pan.

Sunflower, canola or groundnut oil is the best. Avoid olive oil as it can make your steaks bitter.

Lay the steaks in the pan away from you. If you get a nice gentle but not explosive sizzle then the heat of your pan is right.

Season with salt and pepper to your taste.

Step 3 Cook to your desire

For a medium steak, cook the first side for 3 - 4 minutes and then slightly reduce the heat and cook for a further 2 - 3 minutes.

Using a pair of tongs, gently turn the steaks over and cook for a further 5 minutes.

To test how well the steak is done, press with your finger. Rare will be soft, well done will feel firm and medium in between.

Step 4 Rest your cooked steaks

Resting the meat is just as important and cooking the steaks, it allows the juices to be drawn back in and become moist and tender.

Remove your steaks from the pan with the tongs and rest on a rack with foil and leave in a warm place - the oven is best for this. 5 - 10 minutes is enough.

Step 5 Serve and enjoy

Warm your plates up, place the rest of the food on the plates and then the steaks last - you want them to stay hot.

Lay the table with sharp steak knifes which are designed to slice through the meat cleanly.

5 Steps on How to Cook the Perfect Steak

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Cooking Techniques For the Perfect Steak

Once you have mastered the cooking techniques for a perfect steak, you will want to eat one everyday. Cooking the steak in a perfect manner should result in a very juicy and flavorful steak. The perfect steak should never be overcooked and hence, the use of a meat thermometer is an essential part of cooking the perfect steak.

The most convenient ways to cook a perfect steak are grilling, pan searing, and sear roasting. For grilling your steak, apply some non sticky oil onto the grill to prevent your steak from sticking to it. Place the steak on the burning hot grill. Resist from pressing the beef from metal spatula or anything else. Flip your steaks for once. Give them 5-6 minutes to cook each side, season them.

Cook Steak

To check the doneness of the steak, use the meat thermometer. This will give you the indication whether the meat is cooked or not.

Another way of cooking perfect steaks is pan-searing, which consist of the same procedure as in grilling but using a pan. Use non sticky oil before you start cooking. Cook the steaks for 5-6 minutes per side, and again use the meat thermometer to figure out whether the steak is done.

Sear-roasting starts with preheating the oven to 500 F. Then carefully place the steaks into the pan at such high temperature and heat them for 1-2 minutes each side. Again use the meat thermometer as described above.

One important thing common in all these techniques is after using the meat thermometer, take out steaks from the heat source 15 minutes before the serving. This is because once the steaks are removed, you find their temperature rising 5- 10 degrees.

Remember, cooking perfect steaks should cause your steaks to turn brown making the juices concentrated, which gives the meat a rich and delicious flavor.

Cooking Techniques For the Perfect Steak

About Author:
Pauline Go is an online leading expert in cooking. She also offers top quality articles like:
Boil Pork Ribs Tips, Grilling Hamburgers Instructions

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