The Perfect Steak

This is a post I posted back in November and wanted to repost.

Being a steak lover myself I have tested and researched for years how one cooks a perfect steak every time, I want to share these tips with you.

1. Buying the Steak: When it comes to the look of the steak, the meat should be bright red, the fat should be a creamy white, and there should be only thin lines of fat throughout the meat.

The Cow, The Cuts, and the Pros & Cons

Cut: Rib
Steak Name: Rib Steak, Rib Eye
Pro: Tastiest of all steaks, tender & succulent

Cut: Loin
Steak Name: T-Bone, Porterhouse, Strip lion(New York Steak)
Con: Most expensive
Pro: Most tenderest cut


Cut: Sirloin
Steak Name: Sirloin Steak
Pro: Cheaper then Loin cuts
Con: Not as much flavor
Tip: When choosing a sirloin look for one that has a thinner bone. The thinner the bone means the closer it is to the loin.


Cut: Round
Steak Name: Top Round, Bottom Round, Eye of Round
Con: Toughest cut
Pro: Flavorful and cheapest



2. Adding Flavor: Next we want to look at adding flavor to your steak this can be done by either marinading, adding seasonings, or both. Different cuts can benefit from different marinades or seasonings. With a tougher cut of steak you may want to us a marinade to help tenderize it. A more tender steak may just need a brush of mixed spices. Check out these great recipes for marinades and seasonings.

Seasonings
Outback steakhouse's steak seasoning Recipe
Yum-Yum steak seasoning
Montreal Steak Seasoning Recipe
Chili Seasoning Mix Recipe


Marinades
List of Steak Marinades
Global Gourmet Best Ever Steak Marinade
Secret Steak Marinade


3. Cooking the steak: the two most popular ways of cooking steak are grilling and pan fried. Grilling is the best way to cook a tender steak as it only takes a couple minutes and gives the steak a nice grilled look, pan fried is better for tougher steaks. Either method of course can be used for any cut of steak. A very useful tip I learned a long time ago when cooking steak is never cut into the steak to check for doneness, this allows a lot of the steaks flavor to escape, there is a neat trick to test weather the steak is done to your liking without compromising flavor.

Compare the meats elasticity with the meaty part of your hand. This chart was featured on men`s health
Steak Grilling Tips
1. Only flip the steak once during grilling, flipping too much will prevent the steak from searing.
2. Bring the steak to room temperature before grilling. When you grill a cold steak you could overcook the outside and dry it out before the middle is done.
3. Do not use a fork to turn steak, poking holes in the steak will release the steaks juices and you will loose flavor. Instead use a pair of tongs (if the steak has a bone, grip the bone part of the steak when flipping.)
4. Trip the fat off the steak after it is cook, this will help to lock in flavor, trim fat before serving or eating.


4. Great Sides: Steak is good all on its own but can be better with some great side dishes, when I cook steak I like to cut up some mushrooms and onions and mix a little BBQ sauce with it then wrap it in aluminum foil and throw it on the BBQ while the steak is cooking, when the steak is done, I open up the packet and pour it right on top of the steak. Here are some other great sides.

- Baked Potato (you can wrap your baked potato in aluminum foil pierce multiple times with fork and throw on the BBQ around thirty minutes prior to cooking steak)

- Pan Fries (cube potatoes, boil until semi cook but not fully cooked, cool, season, fry in frying pan with 1-2 tsp of oil, flip pan fries when they start to brown, do not flip very often as this will cause fries to break apart)

- Mash Potato`s
- Corn on the Cob
- French Fries
- Salad
- Rice Pilaf
- Potato Salad
- Steamed Veggies