Want some delicious steak but don't have a grill? No need to worry! In fact, a plate of warm steak can be easily made with just a frying pan, you know! Most importantly, make sure the meat used is at least 2.5 cm thick for best results. After that, bake each side of the steak for 3-6 minutes and cook the steak with butter and various spices for a richer taste. If you want, you can eat steak with a variety of side dishes such as mashed potatoes, broccoli, and fresh lettuce. Don't forget to prepare a glass of fermented red wine for a more luxurious dining experience, OK!
Ingredients
- Steaks with a minimum thickness of 2.5 cm
- Salt
- Pepper
- Herbs (optional)
- Vegetable oil or canola oil
- Butter
Step
Part 1 of 3: Preparing the Meat and Frying Pan
Step 1. Use boneless cuts of meat that are 2.5 cm thick
To maximize flavor, choose thinner cuts of meat so that they cook more evenly. Also, steaks taste best when they are made from fresh meat, although you can still use frozen meat that has been tenderized beforehand.
If the texture of the meat is very moist or wet, lightly pat the surface with a paper towel to dry it before cooking
Step 2. Marinate the steaks in the marinade to enhance the taste (optional)
Place the meat in a glass or plastic container, then pour your favorite marinade solution over it. Close the container tightly and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- Use about 120 ml of marinade for 450 grams of meat.
- For best results, soak the steaks in the marinade overnight.
- If the marinade you are using contains acids, alcohol, or salt, do not let it sit for more than 4 hours to prevent the meat's natural taste and texture from changing.
- If the marinade you use contains citrus juices such as lime or lemon, don't let it sit for more than 2 hours. Be careful, the acidic marinade can change the color of the meat if you let it sit too long!
Step 3. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of kosher salt on each side of the steak
The salt helps bring out the steak's natural flavor and helps brown each side of the steak more evenly.
- If you're not in a hurry, let the salted steak sit overnight to maximize its flavor.
- If you have limited time, at least let the salted steak rest for 40 minutes before cooking.
- If the steak needs to be cooked immediately, it's a good idea to sprinkle some salt just before the steak is cooked. This method is effective in enriching the taste of the steak even though the texture will not be as tender when the steak is left overnight.
Step 4. Let the steaks come to room temperature before cooking
Remove the meat from the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before cooking. Only in this way, the steak can be cooked evenly and perfectly to the inside.
This step is especially necessary if the pieces of meat used are thick enough
Step 5. Pour a little vegetable oil to coat the bottom of the pan, then heat the oil for 1 minute
Make sure the oil is completely coated in the bottom of the pan so that the steak doesn't burn on the surface while cooking. Heat the oil over high heat and wait until the surface looks smoky.
Cast iron skillets and heavy-bottomed pans hold heat well. As a result, both are best suited for cooking steaks
Part 2 of 3: Cooking Steak
Step 1. Place the steak in the center of the pan when the oil is hot and smoking
When the oil starts to look smoky, it means it's hot enough to work with. Therefore, immediately place the steak in the center of the pan using your hands or food tongs.
If the steak is placed unaided, be careful not to burn your hands
Step 2. Cook one side of the steak for 3-6 minutes
In fact, the cooking time really depends on the final temperature you want to reach and the type of steak cut. However, in general, each side of the steak should be cooked for 5 minutes until it turns brown.
- If you want the steak to look lighter in color, cook each side of the meat for a shorter amount of time.
- To produce a steak that is well done, make sure the surface of the steak is browned and has traces of grilling before turning it over.
- Alternatively, you can flip the steak every 30 seconds to speed up the cooking process.
Step 3. Flip the steak once, then cook the other side for 3-6 minutes
Once the cooked side is browned, flip the steak over with the help of tongs or a spatula. Remember, the steak should only be turned once to maintain the color and essence of the meat inside, especially if you want to produce a rare or medium rare doneness that is still pink inside and rich in meat juices.
Step 4. Use a kitchen thermometer to check the internal temperature of the steak
Insert the tip of the thermometer into the center of the steak and wait until the internal temperature of the steak is 5° lower than your desired temperature before draining it. Remember, don't wait for the steak to reach the desired temperature, as the cooking process will continue after the meat has been drained.
- 489°C = Rare
- 54°C = Medium rare
- 60°C = Medium
- 65°C = Medium well
- 71°C = Well done
Step 5. Check the steak for doneness with your fingers if you don't have a kitchen thermometer
First, press the fleshy part under the thumb of the dominant hand with the middle finger of the same hand. After that, use the same finger to press the surface of the steak to compare the sensations. If the sensation is similar, it means that the steak is medium rare! To feel the sensations of different levels of doneness, use the following fingers:
- Rare: press the fleshy part under the thumb with your index finger.
- Medium: press the fleshy part under the thumb with your ring finger.
- Well done: press the fleshy part under the thumb with your little finger.
Part 3 of 3: Cutting and Serving the Steak
Step 1. Drain the steaks from the pan and let them rest for 5-15 minutes to maximize the flavor
Resting the steak is key to trapping the juices. In addition, the steak ripening process will continue at that time. As a result, the steak will be moist and cooked perfectly when eaten afterwards.
To keep the steak warm while eating, try covering the surface with a sheet of aluminum foil or placing the steak in the oven on the lowest possible setting
Step 2. Thinly slice the steak across the fibers
First, find the direction or shape of the arrangement of the muscle fibers on the surface of the meat. Then, use a very sharp knife to slice the meat across, rather than parallel, in the direction of the grain.
Slice the steak 1-2 cm thick if you want a thinner cut
Step 3. Serve the wine-fermented steak and a delicious side dish
In general, a delicious steak is served with side dishes such as mashed potatoes, broccoli, garlic bread and lettuce. To maximize the deliciousness of the steak and its health benefits, try serving steak with 1 to 3 side dishes at a time. Also serve steaks along with sumptuous and delectable fermented wines such as cabernet sauvignon.
