John Myers
For a perfect steak, several factors must be considered when preparing it. The most important thing is the quality of the meat used, but the thickness of the steak, the grilling or roasting time, and the technical equipment also play a role. For the supreme discipline of grilling, it is best to choose a sufficiently large steak that is not too thin, grill it indirectly and check the doneness not by piercing it with a grill fork, but with a finger pressure test or a meat thermometer.
The preparation starts with choosing the right meat. The cut shape such as T-Bone, Porterhouse, Rib-Eye, Entrecôte or Filet is a question of personal taste. However, the meat should be well hung so that it becomes nice and tender. You should also not buy a steak as thin as a schnitzel, otherwise, the meat will dry out quickly. A perfect steak should be at least an inch thick.
If you want to marinate your steak, it is best to leave it covered in a marinade of your choice in the fridge overnight. However, an hour is also sufficient, as described in our T-bone steak recipe. You should then dab them thoroughly before preparing them. The steak should never end up straight from the fridge in the pan or on the grill. Instead, you should let it rest at room temperature, covered, for about an hour so that it is evenly tempered. Otherwise, after cooking, it will be well done on the outside while still cold on the inside.
Ideally, you use a kettle grill to grill the perfect steak. In this device, a steak that is at least two centimeters thick is first grilled directly over the coals for about two minutes on each side. The meat then continues to cook off the coals on the side of the cooking grate, with the lid on, over indirect heat for about 10 minutes until medium. Try our flavorful grilled Tomahawk Steak!
When cooking on the pan, sear the steak on high for about a minute per side, then reduce the heat and continue searing to the desired doneness. After one minute of roasting time per centimeter of meat, the meat is “English”, i.e. still bloody. If you fry it longer, it will become medium and eventually well done. We present the preparation in the oven in the recipe for Rib Eye Steak. Speaking of Rib Eye Steak: Try our juicy Philly Cheesesteak.
A perfect steak should never be checked for doneness by piercing it with a fork. Instead, prefer to press on the meat and compare the pressure point with the fingers of the hand together: if the resistance when pressing on the steak corresponds to the firmness of the thumb pad when you put your thumb on the middle finger, it is “English”. On the other hand, if it is as firm as the ball of the thumb and ring finger touching, the steak is medium. It’s “good through” when you put your little finger on your thumb during the pressure test. With an entrecôte roast and other large cuts of meat, the doneness can be determined with a meat thermometer.
