So, there’s no doubt that I happen to love a good steak. I mean, a really, nice, juicy steak that’s simply seasoned is delicious. Here are my 4 keys to a perfect steak!
1. Choose a cut a meat with a nice marbling of fat. My preference is a nice meaty rib eye. Here’s why: Fat always equals flavor. When the fat heats up, it melts. This melting will naturally tenderize the meat, making it super tender. Then, it’ll cut just like a hot knife through butter.
2. Room Temperature First!
Always let your meat come to room temperature, first. This allows the meat to cook evenly when you place it in a hot skillet. If you place a cold piece of meat in the hot pan, it’ll come out a bit tough and rubbery. Steak is too gentile of a cut to just treat it any ol’ kind of way. So, always let your meat come to room temperature, first!!!
3. Simply Season: A Little Goes A Long Way
Steak is super flavorful. There’s never a need to go overboard. They say, when it’s classic, it speaks for itself. That’s true for the almighty steak. Just put a little Kosher salt, fresh cracked black pepper, and maybe a touch of granulated garlic over the steak on both sides. That’s really all you need. You want to be able to appreciate the beef. If it’s over seasoned, you’ll lose that appreciation. It’s almost like getting all dressed up and putting on way too much perfume. Remember, just a dab will do ya.
4. Hot Pan. Room Temp Oil. Flip Once.
I’m a stickler for technique. Once you learn it, you can just about do anything. Here’s how you do this. Get your cast iron skillet super hot. You want it so hot that it’s almost smoking. Be ready to move quickly. Add a bit of olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. The olive oil should immediately start to waft. You should start to see ripples and if it smokes a little, you’re super ready to roll. Add the steak to the pan and let it sear and get crusty on one side. Then, flip it over and let it finish cooking. Simple. Done!
All in all, don’t over think it! Making the perfect steak is actually super easy and fun to do – right in the comfort of your own home!
What if you don’t have a cast iron frying pan?
Get a cast iron skillet. It’s one of the best investments you can make and they aren’t super expensive. I have an egg sized one my grandmother left me (50+ yrs old), a 12 in my mother left me (it’s 50+ yrs old) and I bought a 16 in about 10 yrs ago and it’s a Lodge cast iron I bought from the hardware store. It was $20.
Thanks Darius! I didn’t know to let the meat get room temp.
Love preparing a good steak like this – room temp meat and a screaming hot skillet are the keys. Received your cookbook over the weekend – YAYYYYYY!!!
I approved this post! There was a big difference in taste when I made my steak in a cast iron skillet. #dhive
Uh, thats raw.
Hey Darius I absolutely love all your recipes that I’ve tried! Oh and I did see you on the Walmart commercial!!! Congratulations from Funsizedfooddiva!!!
What is the total time to leave the steak in the skillet for different wellness steaks (ex. a rare steak, a medium well steak, a well done steak, etc.)? Also, how much time to cook on each side?