The Perfect Steak: Tips for Cooking the Best Steak You’ve Ever Had

Preparing and cooking a steak is an art form that can often take a few trial and error until pulling off the perfect one. Luckily for you, we’ve compiled a collection of easy tips you can use to cook that perfect steak every time. Be warned – your newfound steak cooking skills will instantly be covered by friends and family, but don’t worry, we encourage you to take all the credit.

Start with the Ribeye

While most people tend to choose leaner steaks due to the fact that there will be more meat to eat, leaner steaks often result in a drier steak. With the ribeye, you’ll get a nice marbling with a little extra fat, which will make your steak much juicier.

Season accordingly

There all kinds of different seasoning you can add to your steak to really bring out the flavor, but there are three absolutely essential ingredients you need to include – garlic, salt, and pepper. Garlic makes for a quick and delicious steak rub and is easy to prepare. Slice up a few garlic cloves and rub the entire steak, then place them on the top of the steak. Get your sea salt crystals and whole peppercorns and grind out a generous amount to add to the side of the steak to form a light crust.

Use the right cooking fat

Butter should be your go-to when cooking a steak. Butter has a lower smoke point than most oils, so it’s important to be careful. I recommend using Irish butter for a delicious flavor that will give the steak a tinge of sweetness.

Use the Restaurant Method

While grilling can be a fun way to cook your steak, using the Restaurant Method will result in perfectly cooked meat. The Restaurant Method is done doing the following:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Preheat a pan on medium-high heat and add your butter, letting it melt to completely coat the pan.
3. Sear each side of the steak for 2-5 minutes depending on the thickness of the steak. You’ll know it’s properly done when the steak is browned.
4. If you like your steak rare to medium rare, then you’re good to go. If you prefer it medium to well done, place your steak in the oven on a rack lined with tin foil to roast for another 5-15 minutes.

Be sure to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of your steak. Here is a chart to use to know when your steak is done.

Rare 120 F – 125 F
Medium-Rare  130 F – 135 F
Medium 140 F – 145 F
Medium Well 150 F – 155 F
Well done 160 F and above

Use rosemary to add some extra flavor

All those juices swirling around in the pan used to cook your steak are packed with flavor. To get some of the extra flavors, grab a sprig of rosemary and dip it in the juices, then pat the steak all over with it.

Final preparations before digging in

Warm up some plates by placing them in a low temp oven for a few minutes then place your steaks on them. This ensures that the meat doesn’t lose any heat before eating it. It also give the meat some time to rest and lets the juices continue to evenly distribute throughout the steak.

Enjoy your yummy steak!