This is a simple method that anyone taking care of their own meals at home can try.
Preparing a steak dinner at home can be a challenge. It demands some skill, specifically to achieve a good crispy crust on the outside while cooking the inside to your desired level of doneness. Many things can go awry, and it’s easy to feel frustrated after several unsuccessful tries.
It’s a good idea to let the steak rest for a little while after cooking to keep it nice and juicy. But every time I cook a steak, I still feel like I’m missing a few things.
I got in touch with professional steak enthusiasts to help me elevate my steak game. With a wealth of information available online, it was a welcome relief to get advice directly from people who cook steak for a living. To my surprise, they all shared the same opinion.
I asked three butchers how to choose the best steak—and they all agreed on one key piece of advice.
The Steak Connoisseurs I Spoke To
- Porterhouse Party
- : Author of
- ZouZous
- The Genesee Store
The Reverse Sear
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To do a reverse sear, first cook your steak in the oven at a low temperature, then finish it quickly with a high-heat sear on the stovetop. This approach lets you precisely control the internal temperature of the steak and cooks it more evenly.
To season the steak, Chef Nate suggests placing it on a cold baking sheet and putting it in the oven at a low temperature, between 175°F to 195°F. Most household ovens can be set as low as 200°F, so you can use that setting. Let the steak cook for 20 to 40 minutes, depending on your preferred level of doneness. To check if it’s done, it’s best to use an instant-read thermometer to read the internal temperature of the steak: 125°F for a rare steak and 130°F for a medium-rare steak.
Just before the steaks come out of the oven, heat a cast iron skillet on the stovetop over high heat with a small amount of oil until it becomes extremely hot and gives off smoke. Next, sear the steaks for 30 to 40 seconds on each side.
According to Matt, if you cook steaks using the reverse sear, they “will not need to be rested, and it will be cooked edge to edge to the desired temperature.”
Cut of Meat Showdown: Sirloin vs. Ribeye
Pull the steaks out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you plan to start grilling them. This will allow the internal temperature to reach a safe level to prevent foodborne illness.
Matt says the biggest mistake a cook can make is not taking steaks out of the fridge before cooking. He recommends, “Take out any large steaks from the fridge at least 30 minutes, or up to a few hours ahead of time.”
It removes the chill from the steaks. The objective is to reach an internal temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit, but even just 30 minutes on the kitchen counter can make a difference.
Chef Jimmy agrees: “You always want to remove your meat from the refrigerator a little in advance… the closer it is to being at room temperature, the more evenly it will cook.”
Joe suggests rubbing the steak with a coarse salt to remove excess moisture and make the meat even more tender as it comes to room temperature.
