Thursday Tips
On bringing steak to room temperature:
Allowing the meat to come to room temperature allows for a more even cook all the way through. If your meat is cold when it hits the pan, it can cause the muscle fibres to tense up.
Get your steak out ahead of time – about 30-40 minutes is usually ample for a 500g steak. Time and patience are your best friend when cooking steak (or most meat, for that matter).
On cooking methods:
In the restaurant we char grill all of our meat. This gives it a smokeyness that you can only achieve on a char grill, and that perfect caramelization that everyone wants on a steak.
For the perfect home cooked steak you need a quality, heavy based pan. Cast iron is best. The one mistake most people make when cooking meat at home is a light, flimsy pan – it just won’t hold the heat. Drizzle a little oil on your seasoned steak and rub it in with your hands. Get your pan nice and hot, and place the steak in the pan. You should hear a good sizzle! Remember, cooking times are subjective and really do depend on how thick your steak is, but for a 2 inch rib eye you want to cook it for about 4 minutes on each side. If you have a meat thermometer, you’re looking for a temperature of 52°C / 125°F. Add butter or herbs to the pan and use a spoon to baste the juices over your steak during the last minute.
On letting your steak rest:
Rest, rest rest – the most crucial step that is ignored by so many. Any chef will stress this to you. Before you begin cooking, turn your oven onto the lowest setting – most ovens will run at 50°C / 122°F – and put a plate inside to warm up. After your steak is cooked, put the steak on the plate, cover it loosely with foil and pop it back in the oven. This way your steak won’t go cold while resting, and will give the muscle fibres a chance to relax and reabsorb any moisture. Your steak will be beautifully tender and won’t bleed out onto the plate.
Source : web/steakschool.com