Many people are fond of eating steak simply because this kind of roasted meat is certainly tasty, delicious, and mouth-watering. More often than not, top performing restaurants cut their meat, normally beef, perpendicularly on the muscle formation in order to maximize the meat’s tenderness. In your case, if you are still wondering how to go about preparing good steaks then, here are the steps on how to cook steaks.

While the less tender slices coming from the chuck area can be tenderized mechanically and can be prepared with moistened heat, the more tender slices coming from the rib and lion areas can be prepared easily with mere dry heat. Don’t fear, even if you are an inexperienced cook, you can do it. Here we go.

1. The thickness of your meat cuts is important. On the assumption that you are using beef for your steak, the thickness of your meat cuts is the very first thing you need to consider. Logically, a top sirloin that is at least ½ inch thick is to be cooked differently from the chuck portion that is 1 ½ inches thick.

   While cutting your beef, notice that almost all cuts have the so-called marbling character, which refers to the white fat spread all over the meat. A slice that evenly contains marbling is much better to eat compared to other cuts that have higher concentrations of white fats, like the rib eye area.

2. Remove your steak from the refrigerator at least 45 to 60 minutes before cooking it. The underlying idea of this item is not hard to understand. If the steak is a lot colder, it will take more time to finish the cooking job either by pan searing, grilling or oven cooking. Of course, the given 45 to 60 minutes time approximation can still be altered depending on the prevalent temperature in your kitchen.

3. Observe the ideal cooking method. Generally speaking, there is no hard and fast rule pertaining to the right way of cooking steak because every cook has his own cooking style, which can either be grilling or broiling. For instance, your 1 ½ inch thick chuck portion can be cooked either by grilling it over an open flame or pan-searing it and later completing the cooking process by using a hot oven.

   In case you opt to cook your cuts using an open flame, know when to transfer it to the oven. The transfer should take place when the steak’s outside area appears to have been seared already. If you like to just pan-sear your steak, the outer area of the meat will likely resemble a tasty brown-crust appearance. After that, the evenly spread heat of the oven will not, in any way, burn the steak until it is fully cooked.

4. Avoid touching the steak with your fork while cooking. The only possible movement you can apply while cooking is only to turn your steak. Poking the steak may ruin the texture.

   One important factor to remember in cooking is to allow the steak to undergo the so-called maillard reaction, which means the process of encouraging the steak’s outer surface to brown. This is achievable by allowing the steak to be free from any disturbing factor for a considerable length of time. After that, get your spatula and turn the steak, then allow it again to experience another maillard reaction process.

5. You can use your favorite seasoning to make the steak tastier. Any beef cut is inherently tasty, but you can do better than its natural flavor by adding an amount of salt like Kosher to taste, plus a little fresh pepper. You can also mask the steak using some amount of cheese.

6. Know when your steak is completely cooked. You don’t have to sample the steak to determine if it’s cooked. Instead, you can simply touch it by gently pressing a finger on it. If you notice that the steak is bouncing back a little, then it is cooked. If it does not, then it is not cooked yet. Remember, there is no definite time limit in determining whether or not your steak is completely cooked. Use your judgment on this aspect.

7. Cut your steak and serve. On the assumption that your steak is able to rest for a while after cooking it, cut it down just across the meat’s grain to make it easier to chew. This style of cutting keeps the fibers of the meat unbroken, which makes every bite gentler and delicious.

Just a friendly reminder, in case you are so conscious about your diet in terms of animal fat, then you should avoid steaks once and for all. At any rate, you can still familiarize yourself on how to cook steaks, and then treat your family and friends to the most flavorful steak ever. Happy cooking!