Simon Gault’s tips for achieving beautifully cooked steak at home.
Craving a steak that’s tender, flavorful, and cooked to perfection? Our step-by-step guide will walk you through the art of pan-cooking a steak to achieve that restaurant-quality result.
Choosing Your Cut
Selecting the right cut of steak is paramount. Ribeye offers rich marbling, tenderloin provides ultimate tenderness, and a New York strip brings a satisfying chew. Choose a cut that suits both your taste and the occasion.
Preparing the Steak
Always allow your steak to approach room-temperature prior to cooking. This ensures even cooking and helps prevent the steak from becoming tough.
Seasoning the Steak
Season your steaks with salt and pepper just before cooking to prevent them from beginning to cure and losing their natural tasty juices.
Searing the Steak
It is very important when you are cooking meat that you sear all sides of the meat. Sear your eye fillet steaks on a medium-high hot skillet, pan, or grill before (ideally) transferring to your pre-heated oven at 195°C (385°F). If you don’t have an oven available, cover with foil.
Cooking to Perfection
Test the doneness of your steak with your fingertip or a temperature thermometer. For perfect doneness, I suggest you use a Digital Thermometer.
Understanding Doneness
The eye fillet is an excellent source of protein, vitamin B12, zinc, and iron.
Steak internal temperatures in celsius to aim for:
- BLUE: 38°C (100°F) – Feels soft and squishy
- RARE: 60°C (140°F) – Soft to touch. Rare steak temperature is reached quickly.
- MEDIUM RARE: 65°C (150°F) – Yields only slightly to the touch, beginning to firm up
- MEDIUM: 65°-70°C (150°F-158°F) – Yields only slightly to the touch, beginning to firm up
- MEDIUM WELL DONE: 70°C (158°F) – Firm to touch
- WELL DONE: 75°C (167°F) – Firm to hard to touch
Remember, the steak will continue to cook after it’s removed from the oven, and the internal temperature will rise about 5 to 8 degrees Celsius.
Resting Your Steak
After cooking, always rest your meat in a warm place for at least five minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more succulent steak.
The Perfect Steak Top Tips
- Allow your steak to reach room temperature before cooking.
- Brush both sides of your steak with Extra Virgin Olive Oil before cooking.
- After oiling, season with salt and pepper just prior to cooking.
- Rest your meat in a warm place for at least five minutes before serving.
Tools of the Trade
Utilize quality cookware like a Pre-Season Cast Iron Ribbed Square Skillet or a Simon Gault Stainless Steel Frypan. Enhance your dish’s flavour and texture with Murray River Salt Flakes.
Conclusion
Mastering the perfect steak is all about technique and timing. Use these tips and tools, and you’ll impress at the table every time.
Discover more culinary tips and recipes, like my Creamed Spinach recipe, and elevate your home dining experience.
More resources from Simon
My favorite Butcher
For perfect doneness I suggest you use a Super-Fast Thermapen
This is the cooking tray I use
Pre-Season Cast Iron Ribbed Square Skillet
Simon Gault Stainless Steel Frypan
Murray River Salt Flakes are very soft and fragile and create superior texture to your dish. Enjoyed by food connoisseurs the world over. Place in a small finger bowl and sprinkle over meals prior to eating.
