How long to fry a beef steak on a grill pan. The Perfect Steak: How to cook the best steak of your life. Steak with butter

Steak does not tolerate compromises. Therefore, in order to cook it correctly (fragrant, soft and moderately fried), you should follow the basic rules. Let's talk about this in this article.

The photo shows a cooked medium rare steak.


The content of the article:

Steak was first invented in ancient Roman times. Thousands of years later, in the 15th century, it became famous in Great Britain, and was published by a book publisher in 1460. Well, then, the technology for its preparation began to spread throughout Europe. Currently, steak has been popularized and elevated to the rank of a national dish by Americans. Although it is consumed and loved in all countries of the world.

Now many people mistakenly call a steak a whole fried piece of meat. In fact, a real steak is a whole algorithm of actions that allows you to truly enjoy the original meat dish. This is a piece of meat that is cut across the grain and fried on a grill or frying pan. Steak meat is suitable for those areas of the carcass where the muscles were not actively used to move the animal. Of a whole animal carcass, no more than 10% is suitable for preparing steaks, and this is the main reason for the high cost of the dish.


Today, in the culinary world, steaks are prepared from fish, veal, pork and other types of meat, but beef is still considered a classic dish. A perfectly cooked steak can be a difficult task even for an experienced chef, as sometimes the meat comes out dry and tough, burning on the outside before the inside has had time to cook. To prevent this from happening, and to ensure that the dish turns out correct and truly tasty, you should know some subtleties.
  • For steak, you should choose beef tenderloin from a mature animal, but not old or young. The meat should be red or dark red in color, but not pink or burgundy. It is advisable to choose parts of the carcass that have less tendons and powerful muscles, with fat evenly distributed throughout the piece.
  • You can determine the softness of a steak with your finger by pressing on the raw meat - the finger easily sinks, leaving a deep hole, which, after pressing, returns to its original position. If this happens, it means the meat is good. If the hole does not straighten out, the meat is not fresh enough, and if it is difficult to press on it, the steak will be tough.
  • For a tasty steak, the meat should be properly prepared - remove the film and the upper tendons. Cut the piece not too thin, and at least 7 cm long. Otherwise, the meat will lose moisture, shrink and become dry. Then, in the center of the piece of the side where the fibers are located along, an incision is made to the middle of the thickness, and the meat is opened “butterfly”.
  • The steak is marinated for 12 to 48 hours, and before going to the fire, it is well dried with a paper towel. The traditional marinade mixture is: vegetable oil, soy sauce, wine vinegar, salt and seasonings.
  • The frozen stack is defrosted in the refrigerator for 12–14 hours. Afterwards, wipe it dry and leave it for 20 minutes before marinating, so that it warms up to room temperature. It is not recommended to defrost steak in the microwave. Since the top layers of meat are already starting to cook in defrost mode, the middle remains cold. Subsequently, it will be difficult to obtain uniform roasting. Also, it is not recommended to defrost meat at room temperature and in warm water.
  • Meat is fried exclusively in a well-heated heavy frying pan or grill pan. At the same time, the pan should not smoke, otherwise the steak will burn on the outside, but the inside will not have time to cook, which will make it tough. During frying, the protein quickly coagulates on the surface of the piece and prevents the liquid from escaping, so the steak is first fried over high heat for 1 minute on each side. This will “seal” the fibers and the meat will retain its juices, which means the steak will be juicy and soft. Next, the dish is brought to the desired degree of frying at a lower temperature.
  • The finished meat should be left to sit for a while. During this time, the juice will be distributed inside the piece, the temperature inside and outside will equalize, and the steak will become warm, tender and juicy everywhere.
  • Serve the steak on warm plates so that it does not cool down so quickly. To use, you will need sharp knives without serrations so that you can cut the meat evenly.

How to fry beef steak?


Making the perfect steak is not difficult, if, of course, you know some rules and follow certain subtleties.
  • When buying meat in a supermarket, pay attention not only to the date of packaging, but also to the date of slaughter; it should always be indicated. Count 20–25 days from there, which will be the date from which you can start frying the steak.
  • It is advisable not to wash the steaks, but to wipe them with a paper towel until completely dry.
  • Do not place more than 2 pieces in one frying pan, otherwise the temperature of the frying pan will drop sharply. The meat will begin to secrete juice, in which it will stew, and then the golden brown crust will not turn out.
  • Use meat tongs rather than a fork to turn the steaks, otherwise the juices will leak out.
  • If the meat cannot be turned over, and it does not lag behind the pan, then a crust has not formed. Then the steak needs to fry a little more time.
  • Another important tip: do not beat steak meat, otherwise it will lose all its juices and structure.

How long to fry a beef steak?


The degree of frying of steaks can be varied to suit your taste, increasing or decreasing their cooking time. According to the American classification system, there are 5 degrees of doneness. Here are examples of the approximate cooking time for a steak 2.5 cm thick. For pieces of greater thickness, the cooking time must be increased, and vice versa.
  • Very rare (raw) - a piece can only be simmered on each side for 10–15 seconds.
  • Rare (with blood) - cooked on each side for 1–2 minutes, then allowed to rest for 6–8 minutes.
  • Medium rare (low-done) - cook on each side for 2–2.5 minutes, rest for 5 minutes.
  • Medium (medium rare) - cook on each side for 3 minutes, rest for 4 minutes.
  • Well done (done) - cook on each side for 4.5–5 minutes, rest for 1 minute.
It will also be helpful to sear the edges of the steak by briefly holding them on the sides when you first turn them over. This can be done conveniently with special tongs designed for meat. Also, different degrees of doneness require certain types of meat. To fry from medium rare to medium well, you need fatty steaks, from rare to medium - with a low fat content (for example, filet mignon).

It is worth noting that the most accurate way to determine the degree of roasting of meat is to use a thermometer, which will allow you to achieve the ideal consistency and taste of the steak. An electronic thermometer will pierce the surface slightly and indicate the meat's doneness temperature.

  • Rare (with blood) = 120° F (48.8° C)
  • Medium rare =130° F (54.4° C)
  • Medium = 140° F (60° C)
  • Medium well (almost done) = 150°F (65.5°C)
  • Well done = 160° F (71.1° C)

4 Beef Steak Recipes

And now that we are familiar with all the cooking rules, let's cook a delicious steak at home.

1. Beef steak recipe in a frying pan

  • Calorie content per 100 g - 190 kcal.
  • Number of servings - 2
  • Cooking time - 15 minutes

Ingredients:

  • Selected beef steak - 2 pcs.
  • Salt and pepper - to taste
  • Spices “French herbs” - 1 tsp. and at will

Preparation:

  1. Coat the perimeter of the meat with medium-ground pepper and moderately salt.

  • Generously coat the steaks with the spices using your hands and rub them into the meat using patting movements.
  • Grease the prepared steak on both sides with vegetable oil.
  • Pour oil into a cast iron skillet and heat well.
  • Place the steak in the pan and cook for 1 minute, then quickly turn over and cook for another 1 minute.
  • Then, turn the piece over again and fry until desired doneness.
  • 2. Recipe for cooking steak on a ribbed grill pan


    Well, now, let's cook a steak with a beautiful “mesh” at home on a ribbed grill pan.

    Ingredients:

    • Beef steak (portioned pieces without bone, 3–5 cm thick) - 2 pcs.
    • Salt and pepper - to taste

    Step-by-step preparation:
    1. Rub the steak pieces on both sides with a mixture of salt and pepper.
    2. Heat a cast iron ribbed grill pan until lightly smoking without adding oil.
    3. Place the steaks in the pan and fry for 1.5 minutes. Then turn 90 degrees clockwise and fry for another 30 seconds.
    4. Then turn it over to the other side and do the same procedure.
    5. Place the fried steaks in a baking container, wrap them in foil and place in an oven preheated to 190°C for 10–12 minutes. If you want them to be more cooked, let them sit for 15 minutes.
    6. After this time, remove the steaks from the oven and, without removing the foil, leave them on? minutes.

    3. How to cook beef steak?


    Contrary to loud ridicule from the mouths of “professional” chefs: they say that it is impossible to cook a tasty and tender beef steak in a frying pan at home - we will prove the opposite.

    Ingredients:

    • Steak 2.5 cm - 1 pc.
    • Salt, pepper - to taste
    • Kitchen fat - for frying
    • Butter - 2 tbsp.

    Preparation:
    1. Salt the steaks and leave for 40 minutes to bring them to room temperature. The salt will draw moisture to the surface, where it will settle in puddles. During this time, the salt will soften the meat, break up the protein, and the salt will begin to be absorbed back into the steak. This technique will make the meat tender and juicy.
    2. Place cooking fat in a well-heated frying pan and let it smoke a little.
    3. Place the steak, fry it on both sides for 1 minute and season with pepper.
    4. Afterwards, bring it to the degree you want to get.
    5. 1 minute before the end of cooking, place 2 tbsp in the pan. butter, it will infuse the steak with a rich flavor.
    6. Once the pan is 2°C short of the desired temperature, remove the pan from the heat and allow the steak to rest. During this time it will reach the desired temperature, because... will continue to cook with the hot pan turned off.

    4. How to make juicy beef steak


    Despite the popular belief that frying a steak is a very difficult task that requires some skill, it’s not that scary. You can make it quite tasty, you just need a good recipe.

    Ingredients:

    • Beef pulp - 500 g
    • Vegetable oil - for frying
    • Salt and black pepper - to taste

    Step-by-step preparation of a juicy steak:
    1. Prepare the beef - strip it of film, wash it and pat dry with a paper towel.
    2. Cut the meat into steaks across the grain, 2–3 cm thick.
    3. Rub the pieces with pepper, coat with vegetable oil and leave for an hour.
    4. Heat a frying pan over high heat and add the meat.
    5. Fry the steaks for 30 seconds on one side, then on the other. Next, turn the meat over again, turn the temperature to medium and fry for another 4 minutes. Then flip again and fry for the same amount of time.
    6. Remove the pan from the stove, cover with a lid and leave for 10 minutes.
    Video recipes and principles of cooking beef steak with Chef Lazerson:

    Gradually, our original Russian dishes are fading into the background, and overseas treats with their exquisite and unusual names are coming into fashion.

    But this also has its own plus - euphony; you will agree that the phrase “how to cook a steak” sounds much tastier than the one familiar to us all - “how to fry meat on a grill pan.” Although, in essence, no matter what you call the dish, the cooking principle is the same, if everything is done correctly (and we will help you with this), then the taste of the snack will be amazing in any case.

    Alas, it is not always possible to get out into nature and cook juicy, tender meat on the grill. But this is not a problem at all; if you have a special frying pan, you can do everything at home.

    Fried meat on a grill pan: classic recipe

    Ingredients

    • — 800 g + -
    • - 1 tbsp. + -
    • 1-2 pinches (or to taste) + -
    • Rosemary - to taste + -
    • - taste + -
    • Thyme - to taste + -

    Classic cooking of steak on a grill pan

    The advantage of grilling meat is that it comes out with a unique flavor, like grilling it over charcoal, and all thanks to the special coating that the grill pan has.

    1. Cut the beef into pieces. Each of them should be no more than 2-3 cm thick.
    2. Grease each piece with butter and rub with seasonings.
    3. Heat the frying pan and place the meat in it. Fry on each side (over high heat) until a brown crust appears. This will take about 4 minutes.
    4. Transfer the finished meat steaks to a regular plate for a couple of minutes.
    5. After 4 minutes, the juice will release from the steak and it can be transferred to a portioned dish and served together with grilled vegetables.

    How to grill striploin steak on a grill pan

    This type of steak (“premium class”) has a very pronounced taste of beef. It has thick but delicate fibers. It is obtained from the sirloin of beef with a thick layer of fat. The marbling is slightly noticeable. All over the world, striploin is recognized as a truly “masculine” steak.

    Ingredients

    • Beef fillet - 700-800 g (or as much as you want to fry);
    • Mixture of coarse peppers - 2-3 pinches (or to taste);
    • Salt - to taste;
    • Sunflower or olive oil - 2-3 tbsp. (more is possible);
    • Seasoning "Provencal herbs" - to taste.

    Step-by-step recipe for grilled steak

    If the meat is frozen, then first you need to defrost it. It is better not to use a microwave for this, because while the middle of the piece is defrosting, the top will already begin to cook.

    The ideal and quick way to defrost is to place the bag of meat in cold water for an hour.

    • Roll the pieces of meat around the perimeter in pepper. For convenience, we can use mills. They give us the grind size we need.
    • Salt the steaks. At this stage, the main thing is to be careful with the salt. If it seems to you that there is not enough salt, then you can correct the situation on your plate when you taste the meat dish.
    • Without skimping, rub the French seasoning on both sides of the piece of meat.
    • Lubricate it with any oil. Choose for yourself what you like best - olive or vegetable oil.
    • Heat up the frying pan. Place the meat in it and fry it over high heat for 2.5 minutes, fry each side twice.

    Juicy striploin can be served with asparagus or mashed potatoes. Although many men prefer to eat it as an independent dish.

    How to fry meat in a grill pan correctly and for how long

    How to cook meat in a grill pan - we have more or less figured it out, but one more question remains: how long to fry meat in a grill pan?

    And the time depends mainly on the desired degree of doneness of the steak - rare, medium rare and deep fried.

    1. The highest class is considered medium roast. For a medium-rare steak, 3 cm thick, it takes 10 minutes.
    2. Rare steak cooks in 3 minutes. But this method of preparation is not for everyone.
    3. Deep frying is achieved by cooking for 15 minutes. First, 3 minutes on both sides, then another 4 minutes on each side. But such frying has one drawback - it makes the steak too fried, which means that, having given up all its juice, it becomes tough.

    Secrets of frying meat steak on a grill pan

    • If you cut the meat yourself, then you need to do it across the grain.
    • You also need to heat the pan correctly, it should not smoke.
    • The next nuance is that it’s baked. The meat must first be fried at high temperatures, then the “speed” can be reduced a little. This will ensure even cooking.
    • And finally, one more secret. After cooking, let the meat rest for 2-5 minutes, and then transfer it to a slightly warmed plate.

    Properly cooked meat in a grill pan will not leave anyone indifferent. By serving such a dish to the table, you will feed the hungry and add variety to the usual menu. The versatility of the meat snack is that it can be served both at a regular family dinner and at a holiday table.

    Treat yourself and your beloved men to hearty meat fried on a grill pan - after such a meal they will carry you in their arms with pleasure.

    Bon appetit!

    Primitive people, roasting meat over a fire, did not imagine that they were at the origins of the steak culture, because in those days it was the only way to prepare meat. Later, the priests of Ancient Rome offered thick pieces of meat to the gods in the ritual of sacrifice, fried on both sides on a grill right in the temple. However, the first recipe for meat steak, officially published in a cookbook, was born in Great Britain in the 15th century, and soon all of Europe was frying steaks in different versions, depending on the culinary traditions of different countries. After Columbus brought cattle with high-quality meat to America, steaks began to be cooked on the American continent, and in a short time this dish became part of the national cuisine of the New World. It was in America that cooking steaks turned into a real art, and every American chef knows how to deliciously fry a steak. There are certain subtleties that relate to the choice of meat and various culinary techniques of frying, knowledge of which will help in mastering this virtuoso art. So, let's try to cook meat at home!

    What types of steaks are there?

    There are many types of steaks. For example, a thick piece of boneless beef, with a layer of fat, cut from the rib part is a ribeye, and a thin layer of boneless meat from the back is a striploin, which has an almost triangular shape. New York steak is similar to striploin, but has no fat. Portehouse is the largest steak from the lumbar region, and filet mignon is the most expensive, juicy, tender and tasty steak from the only round muscle in the body of a bull. T-bone steak is T-shaped meat on the bone and combines two types of meat - fillet and thin edge. "Angleterre" is prepared from the meat from the inside of the shoulder blade, and "Cafe de Paris" steak is made from a piece of the softest meat from the shoulder blade. Quasimodo steak is cut from the lumbar region of the back, and Montevideo is a rump steak. Roundbone steak is prepared from the upper part of the hip region, club steak is prepared from the thick edge of the back, sirloin is prepared from the thigh part of the carcass, and rum steak is a very thin and well-cut tenderloin. As they say, choose a steak to suit your taste!

    Steak is made only from beef

    The most important cooking rule is the correct choice of meat. Initially, steaks were prepared from beef, so if they say “steak”, they mean a beef dish. For other meats, clarification is required, so in this case they write: pork steak, chicken, salmon, and so on. But true steak connoisseurs say that steaks made from any meat other than beef are not steaks.

    Naturally, the beef needs to be selected - it is believed that for the perfect steak you should take the meat of young bulls, 1–1.5 years old, of the Hereford, Shorthorn, Angus and Longhorn breeds, fed on grass, wheat and corn. Bulls that grew up on grain crops, and not just grazed the grass on the lawn, acquire an unusually tender fat layer, evenly distributed in the piece. This is how elite marbled beef is obtained, from which the best steaks in the world are prepared. It is interesting that for classic steaks they take mainly bull meat, and the same dish prepared from cow meat is called beefsteak.

    How to choose steak meat

    The method of cutting the carcass is also important, since for steaks it is better to take meat fibers cut crosswise, 2.5–4 cm thick. This cutting allows the oil to penetrate the pores of the meat pulp, so the steaks cook quickly and turn out more juicy. By and large, only up to 10% of the carcass is suitable for steaks, so the meat intended for this dish is considered elite and expensive. The back muscles are most suitable for steaks - the fact is that pieces from areas of the body where the muscles are at rest are better cooked and soft. It doesn’t matter whether the meat is on the bone or without it, the main thing is that the piece is complete and you don’t have to cut off unnecessary pieces of fat or sinew from it. And the meat should be fresh, dry, rich dark in color, with a smooth and silky surface. They say that the most delicious steaks come from lightly dried meat. The most important thing is that the meat is not steamed, otherwise the steak will turn out tough, and its taste, which is precisely what fermentation provides, will not be so rich and rich.

    Preparing meat for frying

    About an hour before cooking, remove the meat from the refrigerator to allow it to come to room temperature. This is necessary for even cooking of the steak. If you cook frozen steaks, you should put them out of the freezer in the refrigerator in the evening so that they thaw gradually. But experts say that steaks made from previously frozen meat lose a lot in taste.

    Some housewives marinate in lemon juice with salt and spices for softness and juiciness, although the choice of marinade is a matter of taste. Before frying, pieces of meat should be brushed with olive oil and pepper, but when to salt the meat is a controversial issue. Some argue that you need to salt before frying, while others are sure that it is more correct to salt after the golden brown crust appears, and even better - already on the plate. How best to do it is up to you, in accordance with your personal taste preferences.

    What kind of vessel is used to cook steak?

    You can cook a steak quickly and tasty in the oven, Josper charcoal grill oven, on an open grill and in a grill pan, in which the meat does not burn and acquires an appetizing pattern. The fat, flowing into the hollows of the pan, is not absorbed into the meat, and the dish turns out to be dietary. But after the oven, the meat is always juicier and softer, because it is cooked not only thanks to the high temperature emanating from a metal dish or grill, but also thanks to the enveloping heat. If you use a regular frying pan, it should be with a thick bottom, although it is believed that steak should not be cooked in regular frying pans or in a slow cooker - only a grill is suitable for this purpose.

    The grill pan or oven should be as hot as possible before frying begins, and both butter and vegetable oil can be used. However, if you use butter, you shouldn’t get the pan too hot. In this regard, frying in vegetable oil has its advantages, since it has a higher combustion temperature. Some cooks mix the two types of butter for best results, but the ideal option is to cook steaks in ghee, which does not burn and has a mild flavor. By the way, ribeye steak, which is universal, is most suitable for frying in a frying pan. The fat layer in the meat pulp quickly melts, soaking the steak and making it very juicy, tender and tasty.

    How to cook a delicious steak: fry quickly

    The main rule for cooking steak is to first fry it very quickly in a hot frying pan until crusty, and then bring it to readiness over lower heat. The fact is that the protein coagulates under the influence of high temperature and prevents the juice from leaking out of the meat. Before frying, some cooks dry the steak for an hour in the oven at a temperature of 60 ° C, since dried meat instantly gives a dense golden brown crust when fried. If you neglect this rule, the steak will turn out dry and tough. At the same time, do not forget to also fry the side edges of the steak, holding it with meat tongs for convenience. A steak covered on all sides with a thick crust will be perfectly cooked and remain juicy. This is one of the main tricks to cooking steak. Don't overheat the pan to the point where it starts to smoke, because if the steak burns, you won't be able to continue frying and it will turn out raw.

    How long to fry a steak, how to turn it over

    A steak approximately 3 cm thick is fried on each side for 4–5 minutes, and if you have pieces of meat of a different size, then add or subtract one minute for each centimeter. How to cook steak correctly - turn it often or rarely? This is one of the most common questions novice cooks ask. There are two options here - either turn over every 30 seconds (of course, after the initial frying), or change the position of the steak no more than 4 times during the entire time. In the first case, you will get an evenly fried and not overdried steak; in the second case, the steak will turn out very beautiful, with a pattern from the grill pan or grate.

    Cutting pieces across the grain also helps a lot in frying. Heat flows through the meat, continuing to heat it even after the steak is removed from the heat. That is why there is no need to fry the steak for a long time - it will be ready on your plate. However, if you are afraid to serve raw meat, cook the steak for about 15 minutes, but no more, so that the beef does not lose tenderness and juiciness.

    Determining the degree of cooking of the steak

    There are six degrees of doneness, the choice of which depends solely on your personal tastes. When frying blue, the steak comes out with blood, while rar is a very lightly fried steak, but without blood. Medium rare steak - lightly fried meat: there is a crust on the outside, the meat is only heated inside. Medium steak - medium doneness, when the meat is pink in the middle, but still damp. Medium well steak - perfectly cooked, with pinkish meat and well done - a very well done steak, perfectly cooked.

    Experienced chefs can determine the degree of doneness visually, but this method requires a lot of experience and skill. You can do it easier - lightly cut the meat and look at its color inside, or press the piece with your finger - a raw steak is usually soft, and the finished piece becomes hard and dense. If you don’t trust your feelings, you can cook according to time - a rare steak is fried for 2 minutes on each side, for lightly done it takes 2.5 minutes, for medium doneness - 3 minutes, and a perfectly done steak requires 4.5 minutes. each side.

    If you have a culinary thermometer in the form of a needle, the task is easier - just measure the temperature of the steak to understand what stage of readiness the meat is at. Blue steak is ready at a temperature of 46–49 °C, rar - at 52–55 °C, medium rare - at 55–60 °C, medium - at 60–65 °C, medium well - at 65–69 °C, well done - at 71–100 °C. If the meat is heated above 100°C, the steak is overcooked.

    "Relaxation" and steak tasting

    An important secret to cooking a steak is to let it “rest” and recover after intense frying. To do this, place a piece of butter on the steak, cover it loosely with foil and leave for 10 minutes. The longer the steak “rests,” the tastier, more aromatic and more tender it will be. Do not rush to taste, because when frying, the meat fibers tense and slightly compress, but gradually they relax, and the juice is evenly distributed inside the steak. In other words, meat that has “rested” after cooking is always softer than meat that has just been removed from the heat. The steak can be served whole or cut into slices, on a warm plate with any sauce, fried vegetables cooked in the same pan, with fried potatoes, vegetable salad and herbs.

    Steak marinated with tequila and lime

    This Latin American steak will add variety to your daily diet and lift your spirits. Make a marinade from 3 tbsp. l. tequila, 3 tbsp. l. olive oil, 2 tbsp. l. lime juice, 2 drops of Tabasco sauce, 4 finely chopped cloves of garlic and 1 small onion. Marinate the beef steaks for 2 hours, after placing the dishes with the marinade in the refrigerator, and after 1 hour the meat should be turned over.

    Half an hour before the start of frying, turn on the grill, remove the steaks from the marinade, dry them well, rub with pepper and salt. Fry the steaks for 3-4 minutes on each side and let them rest for 10 minutes, then cut the pieces across the grain into thin slices.

    Spices from the branded online store “Eat at Home”

    The website “Eat at Home” publishes various recipes for meat steaks with photos and step-by-step instructions. When you master the art of cooking meat steaks, you will learn how to select beef at the market, and determine the degree of doneness of the meat by eye. Of course, there is a lot to learn before this moment, but the simplest recipes can be mastered now, delighting your loved ones with tender and juicy steaks, which make life seem more fun and tastier. Well, from the brand store “Eat at Home” they will add brightness of taste to your dishes!

    - this is a long article about what you need to do to make your steak at home divinely tasty, and not rubber-soled. Veal steak... Steak. There is so much magic in this word! The mouth immediately tastes like a tender piece of veal, releasing its juices when bitten and radiating its aroma throughout the kitchen. Today’s post is definitely not dedicated to vegetarianism, so, vegetarians and vegans, you have nothing to do here today, but soon I will come up with something for you too. In fact, at first I wanted to just write a recipe for ribeye steak, but then I realized that there are many little things that should be taken into account when preparing this seemingly simple dish. And I decided to put them all in a separate article “ Beef steak in a frying pan, or how to cook beef steak", which you are reading now. Well, let's go!

    1. The first thing to do when thinking about cooking steak is: decide which part of the cow it will be made from. That is, with its variety. By the way, yes, the right steak is made from beef or veal, fried pig or chicken meat is no longer a steak, forget about these confusions. I would like to note right away that the most inactive parts of the carcass are used for steak; these are not the shoulder blades or thighs, but exclusively the back, which is also divided into several parts. There are quite a lot of them, I will not describe them all, but will describe only the most famous:

    • medallionstenderloin or sirloin, these muscles in a cow practically do not work, so this part of the beef is the most valuable, expensive, tender, soft and dietary - there is practically no fat in it;

    • ribeye- This thick sirloin edge beef, the meat is not as soft as the previous one, but still so juicy; this steak is the fattest and has a certain “marbling” to a greater extent (tiny fatty streaks that make the meat more juicy) than the others; most often it is eaten by men, perhaps to show that excessive tenderness is not acceptable for them, or maybe they just like to chew :);

    • striplointhin sirloin edge, can be attached to the rib bone, or can be separated from it (which happens much more often); both it and the thick end are often called “steak meat or beef/veal balyk” in the market; striploin has a fat frame around a piece approximately 1 cm thick, if you separate it, you get...
    • NY- the most popular steak in the city of the same name and throughout the United States, where, in general, the wonderful dish “steak” and its cult originated; it is famous for its bright, rich taste of beef; The fibers of New York and striploin steaks are larger than those of ribeye, which makes the meat somewhat softer, but marbling, on the contrary, is less pronounced.

    2. We’ve decided on the right piece, but still, the key to a tasty steak is the right meat. Or, if you can’t find the right one, some life hacks that bring even imperfect meat to that very perfection. In gastronomically developed countries, there are special cows raised exclusively for cutting into steaks; they are even massaged so that the meat remains tender and melts in the mouth during consumption. In my country, unfortunately, the situation with meat for steaks is not very good, but here you can get out:

    • cut off supermarkets(if these are not cool supermarkets, but completely ordinary ones), you definitely won’t find what you need there, it’s better to go to the market, where they will show you, cut you off, help you choose, talk to you, sell more than you need;
    • the surest step in buying meat is save to your phone or print a photo of the desired piece; Believe me, this will make your life easier and save many precious minutes;
    • give preference to veal meat- in this way, save yourself the nerves, because if you try very hard during cooking, follow all the rules, and the meat still turns out to be unchewable, you will be very offended; since compatriot cows don’t get massages, or even worse..., an adult’s meat will by definition be tougher, save yourself from stress - buy veal;
    • let the meat mature- leave it in the refrigerator for a week under a paper towel, nothing bad will happen to it; in steakhouses they keep it much longer, but they have specially equipped chambers that maintain the desired temperature, position of the meat and everything else so that it does not go rotten, but reaches perfection; at home there is no such thing, so leave it for 5-7 days; this is done so that the meat becomes even softer, more tender and filled with rich beef flavor;
    • marinate in mineral water with gas- this is another life hack that allows you not to worry about the fact that guests will quietly spit out every piece of chewing meat into their napkin; You don’t have to bother with this point if they are medallions, but domestic ribeye should definitely lie in bubbles, the taste of the meat will not change from the mineral water, it will simply disintegrate into fibers when bitten; let it lie in the magic water for about a day;
    • allow the meat to come to room temperature- this is just before cooking; remove from the refrigerator 2-3 hours before, leave to warm up in a place inaccessible to animals, if any; Beef at room temperature retains its juiciness to a greater extent when fried.

    3. When the meat is selected, purchased, prepared for cooking, it’s time to choose degree of doneness. There are not 3 of them in total, as many people think, but as many as 7:

    • blue, raw or black and blue(“raw”) - a raw piece of meat, fried over very high heat for a few seconds on each side until a very thin crust forms; absolutely cold and bright red inside, does not have a gray rim in the cut;
    • rare(“with blood”) - the meat is red inside, raw, but already quite warm and with a beautiful dark crust, which is further present at each degree of frying, has a very thin gray rim in the cut; fried according to 1 minute from each side;
    • medium rare(average between “with juice” and “with blood”) - pink-red inside, no longer raw, but with a plentiful amount of red juice, in the cut the gray rim is somewhat thicker than that of the previous degree of roasting; fries according to 3 minutes from each side;
    • mediumaverage" or " with juice") - pink inside, when cut, pink juice flows out, the gray rim has increased in size; fry for 5 minutes from each side;
    • medium well(between " medium with juice" And " well done") - almost completely fried meat with a very thin, slightly pinkish strip inside, the rest of the meat is gray, there is practically no juice; fried according to 8 minutes;
    • well donewell done") - fully fried meat, completely gray inside, juice does not flow out, even when cut; fry according to 5 minutes on each side then place in an oven preheated to 250 degrees for 8-10 minutes;
    • very well or strongvery well done") - the maximum degree of frying, the meat turns out to be hard, gray, tough, dry, the juice is not released even when chewed; fried according to 5 minutes on each side, placed in an oven preheated to 250 degrees for another 15-20 minutes.

    For clarity, I will give a visual example of the most common degrees of roasting:

    4. Finally, I'll add one more thing some important tips:

    • Before frying the steak, reheat frying pan very strongly, it should be red-hot; By the way, there is no particular need to buy a grill pan; any one that can withstand high temperatures will do, of course, with a flat bottom;
    • don't pour olive oil oil into the frying pan, and coat the pieces that have already been cut into steaks in advance, then there will be no excess oil left in the frying pan and it will not burn;
    • use different ones spices for flavoring, but do not rub the meat with them, but place them nearby during frying: this can be a sprig of fresh rosemary or a clove of garlic, which can be used to rub the frying pan during the frying process;
    • don't add salt the meat is too strong before frying, it is better to add salt to it already while eating, because a large amount of salt can absorb the juice of the meat itself;
    • dark crust indicates that the steak is cooked correctly, it is not burnt or burnt, it is the way it should be;

    • use foil to give shape to pieces; many people think that it should only be used when frying medallions so that they remain tall and have a round shape, however other cuts of domestic cow do not always look like in the photographs, so feel free to use the same method to prevent the meat from spreading if you not too lucky some time;
    • To accurately determine the degree of doneness, you can buy cooking thermometer, with which you can easily bring the meat to the desired condition;
    • serve steaks with sauces And flavored oils, they will never spoil the taste of beef, but will only complement it; For example, steaks for guests, it’s better to find out in advance what degree of doneness they like, anyway, only a couple of steaks will fit in one frying pan, so there is a chance to please everyone, and if you still want to cook all the steaks the same, choose medium rare, it will please everyone as much as possible : both to a conservative who believes that “bloody juice” in a steak is a universal evil, and to a connoisseur of fashion trends who considers well done frying to be a rubber sole and the death of a quality product.

    Phew... I think I told absolutely everything I know. All about steaks, or how to cook the right steak at home. I admit, in my house this is usually done by my beloved man, in this case I am only an assistant. However, if you follow everything listed above, you will 100% achieve success in this difficult task. Enjoy your meal!

    Are you planning to treat yourself and fry a marbled beef steak in a frying pan? The first and most important thing that a good steak requires is a tasty piece of marbled beef. Alas, you will have to give up the illusion of impressing someone with a cutout from the butt of a dairy cow. But how beautiful is the Aberdeen Angus beef bull! Thick and thin edge, tenderloin and rump for amazing classic steaks. Shoulder, diaphragm and flank for distinctive alternative steaks. Mmm, a delight for a true gourmet!

    Another important rule: each cut needs its own approach. Don't expect the shank to be soft and tender after seven minutes on the grill: it requires braising or baking in the oven with aromatic herbs.

    And finally: although we have talked about this more than once, let me remind you that “fresh meat” is a myth. Only meat that has undergone high-quality aging for 14 days or more fully reveals its taste and aroma. In our butcher shop we offer to buy wet and dry aged marbled beef meat, which has been in ideal conditions enough to be completely ready for the cook's hand.

    How should beef steak meat be packaged and how long can it be stored?

    Be careful if you buy chilled meat. Carefully inspect the packaging for leaks and tears. It should be tight, without signs of damage - move your nose near the edges and at the junction of the package, do you notice an unpleasant smell? After opening, the package should be stored in a cool and ventilated place. A refrigerator with a temperature of 0 to -1 degrees Celsius is ideal. And it will be better if it is not packed. Shelf life: no more than 5 days. You can read more about meat for beef steak in my notes.

    Do I need to marinate my steak?

    If you have a good piece of marbled beef in front of you, rest assured that it will turn out to be a first-class steak. All that remains is not to spoil it. It is important to understand what and how you are going to cook. It only makes sense to marinate a steak before frying it in a grill pan if you are sure that the marinade will add a special, piquant note of flavor that you exclusively love.

    How to properly prepare marbled meat for frying in a pan?

    It's simple: never put meat in a frying pan or grill that has just recently been chilled in the refrigerator. A raw steak should be warmed to close to room temperature. Otherwise, you will get a delicious crust on the outside, but uneven cooking on the inside. Let’s do the math: a piece of meat weighing 1 kg should “reach” room temperature in about 2 hours. That is why a steak, even the weakest degree of roasting - Blue - takes about half an hour to cook: the meat “warms up” after being refrigerated.

    When to add salt and pepper?

    There is an opinion that salt “pulls” moisture out of the steak, and if you add it in advance, you will have to be content with a dry piece of meat. However, I want to say that this is an exaggerated myth. If you like even salting, sprinkle the meat with salt 40 minutes before putting it in the pan (Osmosis process). If you want a salty crust, but the “pure” taste of marbled meat, sprinkle it 3 minutes before frying, during the process or at the very end. Salt brings out the flavor of the steak and I recommend using it anyway. The amount of moisture that the meat loses is more than compensated by the taste you get as a result. By the way, pay attention to smoked salt - it takes the taste to a whole new level.

    How to fry meat in a frying pan correctly?

    Let me tell you a secret: you can fry a good beef steak on a manhole cover. But ideally, you should use a cast iron frying pan with a thick bottom. It holds heat for a long time, and will not lose it when we start frying two steaks weighing 300 grams at once. A pancake frying pan, alas, will not work. Marbled beef on a grill pan will receive an appetizing, recognizable “grill”.

    What oil should I use?

    I am a supporter of refined olive oil - it copes with its functions better than others. Oil must be a good heat conductor that will allow heat to be evenly distributed throughout the beef steak, and is responsible for an appetizing crust (the Maillard reaction is a chemical reaction between amino acids and sugars that occurs when heated). You can grease the frying pan with oil, or you can grease the steak itself.

    How to determine whether a steak is done?

    There is no better way to determine the doneness of a steak than using a thermometer. Or look at your watch. The frying method is simple: place the steak in a properly heated frying pan and hold for a minute on each side. Then turn every 15 seconds. The total cooking time for a 300 gram ribeye steak is 6 minutes. You definitely won't get raw or overcooked meat - the steak will come out perfect. Everything else is a matter of experience, practice and taste. For classic steaks, I recommend Medium Rare (50 degrees) or Medium (55 degrees) doneness. And please use tongs - do not damage or cut the marbled beef meat during cooking, it will lose all its juiciness.

    Final chord

    Marbled meat experiences a lot of stress when frying in a pan or grill: high pressure and temperature contribute to this. At the same time, it is these two factors that distribute the meat juice throughout all the fibers of the piece. By cutting the steak immediately after cooking, you deprive yourself of the opportunity to enjoy this juice - it will simply flow out onto the plate. Wait until the juice returns to the center of the piece, calms down, and disperses throughout the meat. For a steak weighing 300-350 grams it will take 2-3 minutes. The moments of waiting may be tedious, but the result will pleasantly please you.