Cooking: Steak

• Bring to room temperature before cooking
  • we want the heat to easily reach the centre
• Flip frequently
  • every minute
  • cooks faster and more evenly (less overcooking near the surface = less gross grey band = more pink deliciousness inside)
• Pre-salt for at least 45 minutes.
  • if you don’t have 45 minutes, salt immediately before cooking. You need to allow ample time for the moisture to absorb back into the meat, otherwise all that juice will evaporate away in the pan
  • ideally, salt after returning from the grocery store
  • use coarse salt when seasoning (goes for other meat as well) as its larger grains distribute more easily and cling well to meat’s surface
• Dry the steak.
  • if you don’t, the first few seconds in the pan (when it’s the hottest) will be wasted evaporating the surface moisture instead of developing a delicious crust.
  • alternatively, you could leave the steak uncovered in the fridge (the cold, less humid air promotes water evaporation).
• Remove from the pan 5–10 degrees prior to desired doneness
  • it will continue to cook. Remember, medium is ~140 degrees and medium-rare is 130-135.
• Let it rest!
  • when cooked, the proteins contract and squeeze out water. Resting allows the proteins to relax and provides time for some reabsorption.
  • raw beef is about 75% water (rest is fat & protein). When cooked, the proteins contract and squeeze out some of the bound water. Resting meat allows the proteins to relax and some of the expelled moisture reabsorbs into the spaces of now-dissolved proteins.
• Cut against the grain.
  • this shortens the muscle fibres thus making it easier to chew.
• Finish with Maldon salt, lemon juice, and olive oil.
• I’ve seen one chef douse the steak in olive oil after cooking while it rests.
  
• Additional Info:
  • Don’t use a non-stick pan! Cast iron, carbon steel, or stainless steal can reach (and retain) much higher heats; high heat will damage the non-stick coating over time. If you plan to make a sauce, stainless steal is a great option since you’ll be left with a beautiful layer of sucs/fond, an irreplaceable source of flavour.
  • Never, ever — ever, cook a steak well done.
  • If cooking in a pan, baste the steak with butter, garlic, and herbs like rosemary and sage.
  • To reduce oil splatter/smoke, rub the oil directly on the steak instead of adding it to the pan.
  • Try the reverse sear. Slow cooking = even cooking. Less time in pan = less overcooking.
  • the Maillard reaction
  • you could also use extra fat from the meat to oil the pan.
  • velveting
    • sprinkle with baking soda. This is a Chinese technique called “velveting”. The baking soda forms a barrier to help prevent moisture loss when heat is added. Additionally, the alkalinity denatures the meat proteins.
  • searing meat does NOT seal in the juices
    • heating meat will always squeeze out the juices and that’s okay because that’s what allows for delicious browning. “Juiciness” of steak is instead determined by fat content and the final internal temperature.