Interested in learning about the techniques chefs use to produce a plate of steak that looks and tastes perfect? Read this article for more tips! In short, all sides of the steak need to be fried first in the pan to give it a crispier texture. After that, the steak can be directly baked in the oven until it reaches the desired level of doneness. Trust me, producing steaks with a crisp surface and the right level of doneness is one piece of art that you can easily and quickly make yourself at home!
Ingredients
- 1 piece of meat with a thickness of about 2.5 cm
- 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 2 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. black pepper
Step
Part 1 of 3: Preparing the Steak
Step 1. Lightly pat the surface of the meat with a paper towel
Remove the meat from the container or packaging, then use a few sheets of kitchen paper to dry the entire surface of the meat. Remember, the meat must be completely dry in order to produce a crunchy texture when fried.
Any residual moisture will evaporate when the meat is cooked. As a result, the level of maturity will not be evenly distributed
Step 2. Season the entire surface of the meat with the salt and pepper mixture
Sprinkle about 1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper evenly on one surface of the meat; please add the measure, if you want. Then, flip the meat over and season the other surface in the same way.
Simply season the steak with salt if the meat will cook right away, or if you can afford to wait 40 minutes before cooking the meat. Be careful, adding salt at the wrong time can prevent the surface texture of the meat from being perfectly crisp
Step 3. Season the meat with a variety of herbs and spices to enhance the taste, if desired
Mix various types of herbs and spices to spread over the surface of the meat or make a marinade solution. A mixture of garlic and onion powder is a classic and delicious combination to combine with salt and pepper. Spread the dry seasoning mixture all over the meat, or coat the entire surface with the marinade using a special meat brush.
- Montreal-style steak seasoning can be made by mixing salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chopped dried red chilies, thyme, dill, and cilantro.
- Tex-Mex seasoning can be made by mixing black peppercorns, ancho chili powder, cumin, paprika, mustard, coriander, oregano, and grated lime zest.
- Combine Hoisin sauce, sriracha, toasted sesame oil, garlic, onions and white vinegar for a spicy marinade typical of Asian cooking spices.
Step 4. Rest the meat for 30 minutes or until it reaches room temperature
Do this so that the texture of the meat feels rougher and the temperature warms up. As a result, the level of doneness and brown color on the surface of the meat will be more evenly distributed, like the steak products you usually find in restaurants. If the meat has been seasoned with salt, try letting it sit for about 40 minutes so the salt can absorb any excess liquid that is oozing out of the meat fibers.
If the meat feels wet or runny after resting, lightly pat the surface with a paper towel before frying the meat. Basically, this can happen if the meat doesn't have enough time to absorb the salt
Part 2 of 3: Frying Steaks in a Frying Pan
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius
Turn on the oven to heat it up while the steak is prepping. If you want the steak to cook faster, please preheat the oven to 230 degrees Celsius.
If you want, the pan that will be used can also be heated in the oven, then transferred to the stove when it will be used for frying meat
Step 2. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium to high heat
Pour the oil into an oven-safe skillet, such as a cast-iron skillet. When the oil looks a little smoky, a sign that the temperature is hot enough, immediately add the meat before the oil starts to burn.
- If you wish, the meat can also be fried in butter. However, because butter has a lower smoke point than olive oil, keep an eye on the process so that the butter doesn't burn!
- Another way that can be used is to coat or spray the entire surface of the meat with oil before frying it on a very hot skillet.
- Grill handles that are safe for use in the oven should not be coated with rubber or non-stick coating. If you don't have it, please fry the meat in a regular skillet, then transfer it to a baking sheet to bake in the oven.
Step 3. Fry each surface of the meat for 2 minutes until the color is brown and the texture is crisp
Most cuts of steak can brown very quickly. Therefore, always hold the tongs with your dominant hand so that the steak can be turned over as soon as the surface begins to brown. Once one surface of the meat has browned, immediately flip the meat over to fry the other surface. The actual duration of frying the meat really depends on the size of the meat.
- Cuts of 6 cm thick and weighing about 700 grams generally need to be fried for 4 minutes on each side. If the meat is thinner, don't fry it this long so it doesn't end up getting tough. Keep monitoring the process of frying the steak, ok!
- The temperature of the pan, the temperature of the stove, and the humidity level of the meat can also affect the frying time.
Step 4. Fry each side of the meat for 2 minutes
Pinch the meat with food tongs and fry each side of the meat until it turns brown. Keep flipping and frying the meat until all sides are crispy and perfectly browned.
The smaller side may brown faster than you think. Therefore, if the surface of the meat has browned before 2 minutes, turn it over immediately
Part 3 of 3: Grilling Steaks
Step 1. Put the pan in the oven
At this point, the oven should be really hot. If the meat is frying on a frying pan that is safe for use in the oven, immediately place the pan in the oven. If not, transfer the steaks and juices to a heatproof baking sheet, like the one used for baking cakes.
Step 2. Bake the steaks for 5-15 minutes, or until the desired level of doneness is reached
Basically, grilling steaks is quite complicated, especially since there is no specific baking time for all types of steaks. Therefore, don't forget to check the condition of the steaks periodically to make sure they are done to your liking.
- If you prefer a tender, juicy steak, try grilling it for close to 5 minutes. However, if you prefer a drier, chewier texture to your steak, feel free to bake it for 10-15 minutes.
- The roasting time of the steak is highly dependent on the oven temperature setting and the size of the meat. Be careful when cooking smaller steaks so they don't end up overcooking.
Step 3. Use a thermometer to check the internal temperature of the steak
Open the oven door and insert a kitchen thermometer into the center of the steak to check the internal temperature. Remove the steak when it is 15 degrees lower than the final desired temperature, especially since the remaining heat will continue to cook the steak even after removing it from the oven.
- For a rare doneness, remove the steak from the oven when the internal temperature is around 50 degrees Celsius.
- For medium rare maturity, remove the cuttings from the oven when the internal temperature is around 55 degrees Celsius.
- For medium doneness, remove the steak from the oven when the internal temperature is around 60 degrees Celsius.
- For a medium well done, remove the steak from the oven when the internal temperature is around 65 degrees Celsius.
- To achieve a well done level of doneness, remove the steak from the oven when the internal temperature is around 70 degrees Celsius.
Step 4. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board with the help of tongs
Don't forget to wear heat-resistant gloves when handling the handle of a hot pan! Then, place the steaks on a cutting board or serving plate, and let them cool for a while.
Step 5. Rest the steak for 5 minutes
Once cooked, let the steak rest for a few minutes before cutting. If the steak is cut immediately after it is cooked, the juices of the meat will flow out and make the steak texture dry when eaten. That's why, steaks need to be rested first so that the delicious juices are trapped and spread evenly over every fiber of the meat. As a result, the steak will feel more tender and delicious when eaten afterwards.
- If desired, you can cover the steak with a sheet of aluminum foil while resting to keep it warm. This step is not mandatory, and some people are reluctant to do it because it can make the surface of the steak less crisp.
- To enrich the flavor of the steak, coat the surface with 1 tbsp. butter and salt, if the meat has not previously been salted.
Step 6. Cut the meat against the grain before serving
Observe the direction of the fibers, which generally look like diagonal lines across the surface of the meat. Instead of cutting the meat along the grain, try cutting it across or against the grain.
Remember, the way you cut the meat will actually affect the taste of the steak. In particular, steaks will taste much tastier if they are cut against the fibers. Since you've come this far, it's best not to skip this step to perfect the taste of the meat
Step 7. Store leftover steaks for up to 3 days in the refrigerator
To prevent bacteria from multiplying in the meat, immediately store the steak in an airtight container, up to 2 hours after cooking. If you don't have an airtight container, wrap the steak in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Finish off the remaining steak before the meat is slimy or smells bad.
Leftover steaks can be placed in an airtight container and stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. It's best to finish the steak before that deadline because after 3 months, the quality of the meat will decline
Tips
- New York strips (derived from beef in the loin area) and ribeye (derived from meat around the ribs or beef ribs) are two types of cuts that are popular for roasting in the oven. However, you can also use T-bone meat or other cuts, if you prefer.
- Grilling times for steaks vary widely, depending on the thickness of the meat and the temperature setting used. Most importantly, make sure the steak doesn't overcook so it doesn't dry out.
- Steaks with a rare or medium rare level of doneness will indeed taste soft and runny, but the truth is, there are some people who prefer steaks with a more chewy texture, such as those cooked with medium well or well done. For the most balanced texture, try cooking the steaks on medium doneness.
- Most cooks and recipes recommend that steaks should be cooked medium rare or medium, but of course you don't need to follow these recommendations if you prefer a different doneness.
