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!

No man will refuse a properly cooked pork steak. This is a delicious hearty dish that will be a worthy decoration even for a holiday table. And you can diversify it with all kinds of marinades and sauces.

Pork steaks come in different degrees of doneness:

1. The meat is only covered with a golden brown crust on the outside, but inside it is almost completely raw.
2. Medium done with a little blood.
3. Lightly cooked without blood.
4. Medium done.
5. Well done steak.
6. Deeply cooked.

Medium rare is considered optimal for a juicy steak.

In this case, the meat remains soft, but there is no longer any blood in it. For this option, the pieces of pork are first fried for 3–4 minutes over high heat, and then another 5–7 minutes over medium heat. You can first fry them for a minute on each side, and then put them in the oven for 17 - 20 minutes.

Pork steak in a frying pan - classic recipe

Ingredients: 630 g pork tenderloin, onion, 40 g sweet thick mustard, 2 large spoons of refined oil, fine salt, a pinch of ground red and black pepper.

1. Meat tenderloin is washed in cool water, dried, and cut into pieces. Their optimal thickness is from one and a half to two centimeters. The slices are lightly beaten and rubbed with a mixture of salt and pepper. It's best to use the non-toothed side of the mallet to prevent the pork pieces from tearing.
2. The meat is smeared with mustard and left to marinate right on the table for about an hour.
3. Next, the pork is transferred to a frying pan with well-heated oil. Each piece must be fried on both sides until a golden, appetizing crust appears. Usually 3 – 4 minutes is enough for each side of the slice.
4. The thinnest onion rings are laid out with the ready-made steaks.
5. The products are simmered together for another 5 - 6 minutes over low heat under a tightly closed lid.

The resulting pork steaks in a frying pan are delicious served with canned green peas without liquid as a side dish.

How to cook juicy meat in the oven?

Ingredients: about 1 kg pork neck, 3 large spoons of soy sauce (Worcestershire is best), freshly ground black pepper to taste, salt, olive oil.

1. The meat is removed from the refrigerator in advance. By the time it is cooked it should be at room temperature.
2. A piece of pork is cut into thick steaks (about 2 cm thick). Each resulting slice is pierced in several places with a fork. No need to pound the meat.
3. The preparations are sprinkled with Worcestershire sauce. Instead, you can use regular soy vinegar without additives or even balsamic vinegar.
4. The meat pieces are rubbed with a mixture of salt and pepper on top, and then left to marinate. It’s great if you can let them “rest” all night. But 1 hour will be enough.
5. The steaks are placed close to each other on an oiled baking sheet.
6. The pieces are sent to a preheated oven, closer to the heating part. It's best to go to the grill. If there is no such function, then you will need to set the oven temperature to 300 degrees.
7. First, the steaks are fried in the oven on one side, then on the other. The total cooking time using the grill is 14 – 16 minutes.

The cooked meat is served with spicy sauces and any side dishes.

Tender pork steak in a slow cooker

Ingredients: 2 large pork steaks (on the bone, about 2 cm thick), 1 large spoon of refined oil, ½ tsp. fine salt, 3 pinches of freshly ground black pepper, 1 tsp. lime juice, 2 pinches of sweet paprika. Let’s look at how to cook a tasty and soft steak in a slow cooker in more detail.

1. Pieces of meat are washed well with running ice water and dried with paper towels.
2. In a small bowl, mix sweet paprika, salt, freshly ground black pepper, lime (or lemon) juice, and oil. You can add any other favorite spices to this mixture to taste.
3. Rub the resulting mixture onto the pork and leave to marinate for 20 minutes.
4. Oil is poured into the bowl of the “smart pan”. The “Baking” mode is turned on. The “Frying” option is also suitable.
5. When the oil is hot enough, you can put the steaks in it. Each piece of meat is fried for 12–14 minutes, first on one side and then on the other.

The resulting dish can be served immediately for lunch with any side dish of your choice. You can simply add any pickled vegetables and hot sauce to the meat.

Delicious meat marinated in soy sauce

Ingredients: a kilo of pork pulp, half a cup of cane (brown) sugar, 2 tbsp. spoons of olive oil, 3 - 4 garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon of chopped fresh ginger root.

1. The main thing in the dish under discussion is the steak marinade. To prepare it, mix cane sugar, butter, sauce, chopped ginger and crushed garlic. All ingredients are mixed well. It is convenient to use a whisk for this purpose.
2. The whole piece of meat is placed in a bag and filled with marinade. The structure is tied tightly and sent to the refrigerator for the whole night.
3. The next day, the meat is cut into suitable pieces and fried on both sides in well-heated oil.

Steaks are served with spicy ketchup and boiled potatoes.

On a grill pan

Ingredients: 2 large pork steaks, refined oil, coarse table salt, freshly ground black pepper, any aromatic herbs to taste.

1. The frying pan should be immediately heated over high heat. By the time the meat is placed, intense heat should emanate from it. You can check the readiness of the cookware for frying pork with a drop of water. If, upon reaching the surface of the frying pan, it immediately boils, then you can begin the main stage of cooking steaks.
2. While the pan is heating up, beat the meat slices with a special hammer (the side without the cloves). There is no need to be too zealous in this matter.
3. The top of the steaks is rubbed with a mixture of salt, spices, and selected aromatic herbs.
4. Pieces of meat are first fried over very high heat for 3 - 4 minutes on each side, then the process continues with the stove on medium heat for another 5 - 6 minutes on each side.
5. If the meat is not fatty enough, you can add a small amount of refined oil to the container during cooking.

Pork steak on a grill pan should be completely cooked. If, when cutting a piece, clear juice free of blood is released, then the meat can be tasted.

Option with spicy Provençal herbs

Ingredients: 1.3 kg carbonate without ribs, 90 g butter, 140 ml sparkling mineral water, juice from two medium lemons, 2/3 packet of Provençal herbs, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of table mustard, 2 onions, a mixture of peppers, fine salt.

1. A piece of pork chop is cut crosswise. The thickness of each piece should be about 2.5 cm.
2. Lemon juice is poured into the melted butter. Salt, peppers, mustard, and Provençal herbs are also sent there. The ingredients are mixed.
3. The meat is placed in a tightly closed container. The marinade prepared in the previous step is poured on top. Finely chopped onions are also poured in there.
4. Pork with such additives is marinated for about 2 hours. Periodically turn the meat pieces over so that the marinade is distributed correctly.
5. The frying pan heats up well without oil. Marinated pork is laid out on it. On each side, the steaks are fried for 3 - 4 minutes. You can scrape most of the herbs off the pieces with a knife to prevent them from burning.

The remaining marinade is brought to a boil and cooked for a couple of minutes. As a result, the saucepan ends up with a sauce that is ideal for the meat.

With creamy sauce

Ingredients: 1.5 kilos of pork tenderloin, large tomato, pinch of dried basil, 1 tbsp. l. olive oil, 280 ml heavy cream, 1 tsp. Pesto sauce, spices to taste, salt.

1. The meat is cut into steaks and rubbed with a mixture of selected spices and salt. Next, it is fried in a minimal amount of heated olive oil until a crispy, appetizing crust appears.
2. Tomatoes with skins are cut into slices. They need to be sprinkled with dried basil. Then the vegetable pieces are lightly fried in the same frying pan and quickly transferred to a separate plate.
3. Cream is poured into the same container, Pesto sauce, salt and spices are added to taste. The mass is heated over medium heat for 3 – 4 minutes.

When serving the dish, steaks are placed on a flat plate. Slices of tomatoes are laid out on top and creamy sauce is poured. The treat is served with boiled rice or baked potatoes.

Under a spicy marinade

Ingredients: kilo of pork neck, 1 tbsp. l. lime juice, the same amount of olive oil and soy sauce, 1 tsp each. freshly ground red and black pepper, a pinch of ground paprika, salt, 5 - 7 teeth. fresh garlic, a pinch of basil.

1. The washed and dried meat is cut into steaks. You can beat them off a little.
2. All other components stated in the recipe are combined for the marinade. The garlic is first passed through a press. The amount of spicy ingredients is adjusted to the taste of the cook. You need to be especially careful with salt - it is important not to forget that it is already in soy sauce.
3. The prepared marinade is carefully rubbed into each steak from all sides. After this, the meat is left to “rest” for 20 minutes.

All that remains is to fry the pork in well-heated oil on both sides, cool slightly and serve for lunch. Regular sweet ketchup will perfectly complement such steaks.

Pork steak on the bone with cheese

Ingredients: 2 large pork loin steaks on the bone, 3 large chicken eggs, 70 g cheese (hard), 3 - 4 large spoons of sifted quality flour, coarse table salt to taste, a mixture of peppers, 40 ml refined oil.

1. Meat steaks are washed well and dried with paper towels. Next, they are carefully beaten with a special kitchen hammer. Neither the meat pulp nor the bones should be damaged in the process.
2. The prepared meat is sprinkled with a mixture of peppers and salt. It is advisable to rub the pieces with your hands so that the seasoning is well absorbed into them.
3. Raw eggs are beaten well with a whisk, finely grated cheese is added to them. The ingredients are mixed. If the cheese is not salty enough, you can lightly add salt to taste.
4. Each pork steak is dredged in flour and then dipped in the egg and cheese mixture. The latter should cover the pieces completely on all sides.
5. Refined oil is poured into a heated frying pan. When it is hot enough, you can start frying the meat steaks - a golden brown crust should appear on both sides of the pieces. Frying for 4 - 6 minutes on top and bottom is enough.

The treat is served hot with any side dish.

Juicy meat with plum-ginger sauce

Ingredients: 750 g pork pulp, 3 tbsp. l. soy sauce, the same amount of liquid honey, 1 tsp. ground ginger, dried Provençal herbs and dried barberry, 4 tbsp. l. lemon juice, 1 tbsp. l. Dijon mustard, 320 g plums, a glass of sugar (brown), a clove of garlic, a pinch of cinnamon, salt.

1. Mix half the citrus juice, mustard, honey, dried barberry, soy sauce, and Provençal herbs into a small bowl. The resulting mixture is rubbed on all sides of the pork, cut into steaks.
2. The meat pieces are stacked on top of each other, wrapped in cling film and refrigerated overnight.
3. To make the sauce, put all the remaining ingredients into a blender, except sugar and garlic. They turn into a homogeneous mass.
4. The mixture from the previous step is poured into a saucepan. All the sugar is added to it at once.
5. The mass is cooked over medium heat for 8 - 9 minutes until thickened. After this, chopped garlic is poured into it. Boil the sauce for a couple more minutes and remove from heat. When it cools down a little, you need to strain the mass through a large sieve.
6. Prepared steaks are fried on both sides in hot oil until deliciously browned.

Place the meat hot on a plate and pour over the sauce from step five.

Recipe for cooking in foil in the oven

Ingredients: 370 g pork, salt, mixture of peppers, refined oil, spices for meat.

Pork steaks can always be cooked very tasty in foil in the oven. They turn out juicy and tender.

To do this, not completely defrosted meat is cut into medium pieces.

1. Next, the pork is lightly pounded, rubbed with spices, salt, and a mixture of peppers.
2. The meat is sprinkled with oil on both sides and left for half an hour to “rest.”
3. Each prepared future steak is wrapped in foil.
4. The preparations are laid out on a baking sheet and put into a preheated oven for 35 minutes.

Pork steaks with cheese, tomatoes and onions

Ingredients: half a kilo of pork tenderloin, 70 g of cheese, half an onion and a large tomato, 2 tsp each. sweet mustard, vegetable oil, pomegranate juice, dry garlic, salt.

1. A piece of pork is cut into two identical slices, which are beaten with a special hammer. The meat should not be too lean.
2. To make the sauce, mix all the other ingredients stated in the recipe, except vegetables and cheese. It is spread over chopped pieces of pork and left to marinate for a while.
3. Next, the steaks are fried until golden brown and cooked through on each side.
4. The finished meat is transferred to a heat-resistant form covered with foil. On top of it are small pieces of onion and slices of tomatoes, grated cheese. The foil is wrapped and the steaks are baked in a well-heated oven for 45 minutes.

Without coating, the meat is cooked for another 8 - 9 minutes, after which it is immediately served for lunch.

Cooking on an electric grill

Ingredients: a kilo of pork, 5 onions, 5 tomatoes, 1 tsp. salt, pepper mixture, 1 tsp. dry basil.

1. Onions and tomatoes (without skin) are coarsely chopped. Next, the vegetables are pureed in a blender. Salt and all the spices are added to them.
2. The pork is cut into steaks, poured over the resulting vegetable mixture and left for at least 4 hours.
3. Pieces of meat are laid out on the grill of the device, installed with the legs up.
4. Steaks are baked on an electric grill for 10 - 12 minutes at 250 degrees on each side.

Steaks are now made from pork, fish, and sometimes even vegetables. But all this is from the evil one: a classic steak is a decent piece of fried beef.

Until recently, it was preferred to call only pieces from premium cuts steaks, but now so-called alternative steaks from cheaper parts of the carcass are gaining more and more popularity.

We have compiled a guide to 18 steaks, classic and alternative - their psychological portraits, characteristics, as well as tips on how best to handle them: using a frying pan, a charcoal grill - and a contact grill (using the example of Tefal Optigrill+).

The general rules for cooking steaks are the same. First of all, you need to take the meat out of the refrigerator and wait until it warms up to room temperature - this will take from half an hour (for portioned pieces) to two hours (if we are talking about a whole cut). It is also necessary to dry the steaks with paper or cloth towels: excess moisture will prevent the meat from frying and getting a golden brown crust. After frying, you need to let the steak rest in the warmth for about five minutes - so that the meat juices, forced out by the compressed proteins into the center of the piece, disperse evenly throughout it. Is it possible to cook a steak in the oven after a quick sear? Yes, sure. When should you salt your steak - before or after cooking? Opinions on this matter vary, so the answer is this: try both ways - and choose the end result that you personally liked.

Many people in our country still do not trust lightly cooked meat - as they say, with blood. So, there is no blood in steaks; almost all of it comes out of the carcass after slaughter before cutting at a meat processing plant. If you like well done, fry it like this; but remember: all recommendations for optimal roasting are based on many years of experience of chefs and butchers - and there are steaks that, if cooked to the point of well done, turn into real sole.

The difference between degrees of doneness is determined by the temperature at the very center of the steak. Blue (very lightly done) - 46–49 degrees, rare (low done) - 50–55 degrees, medium rare (medium-low done) - 55–60 degrees, medium (medium done) - 60–65 degrees, medium well (medium-deep roast) - 65–70 degrees, well done (full roast) - above 71 degrees. These are average values. Meticulous chefs insist on narrower ranges and believe that, for example, medium rare is 54 degrees (plus or minus a degree), medium is 56 degrees, medium well is 60 degrees, and a steak is already fully cooked at 64 degrees.

It is important to remember that it is best to remove the steak from the heat at the moment when it does not reach two degrees to the required temperature: it will reach the required degree of frying during rest.

Here's how to properly grill steaks on a contact grill, a convenient modern device that makes frying large pieces of meat extremely simple. Chef Konstantin Ivlev talks, using the Tefal Optigrill as an example. This device, in the “Red Meat” mode, automatically measures the thickness of the steak and builds a temperature program in accordance with the required degree of doneness.

Classic steaks

Steaks are made from the best parts of the carcass, which occupy only 10-12 percent of it, and that is why they are so expensive - and of course, because they are considered the most delicious. Ribeye, cowboy steak (the same ribeye, only with the bone), tomahawk (ribeye with a long bone), striploin, filet mignon, chateaubriand, T-bon, porterhouse - marinate them? In no case, this meat will tell all the most interesting things about itself, without outside help. The main thing is just not to ruin the steak. The Optigrill contact grill, for example, itself determines the thickness of the piece and, depending on this, builds the optimal temperature regime: you just need to select the desired degree of roasting - and wait for the corresponding sound or color signal.

Ribeye

Perhaps the most famous and popular steak in the world. It is taken from the thick edge of the dorsal part of the bull's rib cage - from the 6th to the 12th rib. In the USA, bone-in ribeye is often called rib steak, and boneless ribeye is often called Spencer steak, or rib-eye itself. In Australia, on the other hand, a ribeye is a bone-in steak, while the boneless version is a scotch fillet.

Ribeye consists of muscles that experience minimal stress during the life of the animal, so the fibers of the meat are soft and tender. This steak has four muscles - spinalis dorsi (the upper part of the steak, very fatty, with loose meat fibers, it is considered the most delicious part, it is separated from the rest of the steak by a large fat layer) , multifidus dorsi, longissimus dorsi and longissimus costarum. The closer the part of the carcass was to the head, the more spinalis dorsi there will be in the steak, and accordingly, the tastier and more valuable it will be.

Due to the significant fat content and its even distribution throughout the entire piece of meat, this is the easiest steak to prepare and is guaranteed to be tasty, juicy and soft. The fat is also responsible for the pleasant, buttery, nutty flavor present in the finished steak. When heated, it melts and soaks the already soft fibers, making them even juicier and melting in your mouth.

The ideal degree of doneness for a ribeye is: medium rare, lovers appreciate rare, but medium will also be good. Cooking this steak is very simple: season with salt and sear each side and sides of the rib eye in a very hot pan or charcoal grill for a minute. The entire roasting process will take approximately four to six minutes for an average 300g steak, during which time the steak will reach medium rare. If you want to sear the meat further, reduce the heat or move the steak to a cooler section of the grill and cook to your desired level of doneness.

Cowboy steak

This is the same ribeye, only on a short rib (in Russia, cowboy steak is often called simply ribeye on the bone). Average weight - 600 g. If you cook a cowboy steak on a charcoal grill, then first it is better to simmer it for fifteen to twenty minutes in a cold zone, turning it every five minutes, and then quickly fry it on both sides over high heat until an appetizing crust forms. If you cook in a frying pan, you need to quickly fry it over high heat on all sides, including the edges, and then put it in the oven preheated to 200 degrees (the time it should spend there depends on the desired degree of frying; the easiest way to control it is with using a temperature probe). Recommended degree of roasting is medium.

This steak is similar to a tomahawk - ribeye on a long trimmed rib about 15 centimeters long: it resembles an Indian battle hatchet, hence the name. In part, the tomahawk is a marketing device to help sell a bone for the price of marbled beef. Many sellers and chefs, however, argue that the meaning of the bone is not only in the visual wow effect - but in the rich aroma that it gives to the meat. The statement is controversial: she will be much more likely to transfer it to broth than to grilled steak. In addition, for a tomahawk you will need either a grill or a decent-sized frying pan. You should treat a tomahawk the same way you would a cowboy steak.

Striploin

It is also known as “New York” steak (it got its name because it was a signature dish of the New York restaurant Delmonico's). It is cut from a thin fillet edge located in the lumbar region of the carcass after the 13th rib. There is a strip along the perimeter of the steak fat, sometimes it is cut off.

Striploin is distinguished by large and dense meat fibers and a low content of intermuscular fat. It's more flavorful than ribeye, with a distinct meaty flavor - but the striploin requires an eye and an eye. It is very easy to dry it out; you need to cook the striploin first on high heat, then on low (in the case of a charcoal grill - first on high heat, then in a colder zone). The ideal degree of roasting is medium rare. It is best to season this steak only with salt and pepper so that nothing interferes with the taste of the meat.

Filet mignon

Tenderloin steak, that is, the psoas major muscle. This muscle is practically not involved in the life of animals; there is almost no connective tissue in it, so it remains very soft. A whole tenderloin is a long piece of meat, shaped like a pencil, thickened on one side and sharpened on the other. For filet mignon, the second part is used - narrow, it is believed that it has the most delicate taste. It is cut into small cylinders - thickness varies from 3 to 6 cm.

On average, one animal can only produce 500 grams of meat for filet mignon, which is why this steak is so expensive. But at the same time, many connoisseurs of fried beef do not like it too much. Filet mignon contains almost no intramuscular fat, its taste is distinguished by creamy, velvety tenderness, but not meaty expressiveness. It is valued for its juiciness and softness, but not for the taste and aroma of meat, and that is why it is conventionally called a “female” steak (as opposed to a “male”, brutal “New York” or T-bone).

When cooking filet mignon, you need to fry it for four minutes on all sides, and then leave it to rest for five minutes, wrapped in foil, or fry it on all sides until nicely browned and put it in the oven for 10 minutes. The recommended degree of roasting is medium; it is almost never cooked with rare meat. To make filet mignon juicier, it is often wrapped in bacon when cooked; it also protects the surface of the steak from drying out. The second option to achieve a firm, but not dry crust is to periodically coat the steak with oil during cooking. Thanks to its mild taste and leanness, filet mignon goes well with aromatic, complex sauces.

Konstantin Ivlev talks about how to cook filet mignon in a contact grill.

Chateaubriand

Chateaubriand is also made from tenderloin - only from its widest part. Unlike filet mignon, it is prepared whole, not cut into pieces - so this is a serving for two, unless, of course, it is eaten by a person for whom half a kilogram of beef, even lean, does not pose any digestive problem. This is probably exactly what the Viscount and writer Francois-René de Chateaubriand was like, after whom, according to one version, this steak is named. However, there is another version - about the city of Chateaubriand, where high-quality cattle were raised.

When cooking shatborian, you must first seal it on all sides over high heat, and then bring it to the desired degree of frying over a lower fire - or send it to the oven preheated to 200 degrees for 15–20 minutes, depending on the desired degree of frying. Then you need to let the steak rest in a warm place. Classic chateaubriand is a well-done crust, a thin layer of well done, then medium and finally soft flesh with blood in the center.

Chateaubriand, like filet mignon, is traditionally served with sauce. At the beginning of the 19th century, it was a sauce of the same name made from white wine, shallots, thyme, mushrooms, bay leaves, tarragon, beef broth and butter with parsley. Nowadays, chateaubriand is most often accompanied by sauce.

T-bone

The name (T-Bone Steak) fully corresponds to its appearance - it is a steak made from two pieces of muscle separated by a T-shaped bone. On the one hand there is a tender lean tenderloin, on the other there is a brutal striploin with a rich meaty taste. The farther from the head the steak is cut, the larger it is and the more tenderloin it contains (filet mignon). The largest steaks, in which the diameter of the part of the tenderloin exceeds the size of a golf ball, are called porterhouse. Florentine steak is also a T-bone or Porterhouse, but, as a rule, it is made from the Italian Chianina and Marremana beef breeds. Kuban steak, invented by Tahir Kholkiberdiev, is a porterhouse made from the meat of Kuban bulls and cows. Close to the T-bone, the club steak is a bone-in steak taken from the end of the thin edge where the portion of the tenderloin is negligible.

Since the T-bone is essentially two different steaks in one, you need to cook it carefully so as not to dry out the tenderloin, while the striploin is not yet ready. You need to fry it in a frying pan over moderate heat for 15–20 minutes, turning it over every 2–3 minutes, and it is better to keep the part with the tenderloin away from the epicenter of the heat. Or do this: quickly fry over high heat until crusty, turning every 30 seconds, and then bring to a moderate heat, placing the part with the tenderloin in a cooler zone. Then, be sure to let the steak rest. The same recommendations apply to a charcoal grill. The ideal degree of roasting is medium rare. However, the same degree in different parts of the T-bone is not always achieved, and if for the tenderloin it turns out to be medium rare, then for the striploin it is medium.

Alternative steaks

This is the name given to steaks from those parts of the carcass that most people previously did not consider steaks and which were previously intended for baking, stewing - or minced meat. But it turned out that if you handle them correctly, then alternative steaks turn out excellent in a frying pan or on the grill. This is meat may seem harsh but it has a rich beef taste and is significantly cheaper than premium cuts (the difference in price is up to three times) . Alternative steaks can be marinated to make the meat softer and add new flavors to its taste. Recommendations for cooking on a frying pan or charcoal grill are below, and in the case of a contact grill, simply decide what degree of doneness you want and wait for the appropriate signal in the “Red Meat” mode.

Skirt steak

Steak from the diaphragm, an unpaired encircling muscle that separates the chest and abdominal cavities. One of the so-called alternative, that is, steaks from non-premium parts of the carcass.

Skirt steak is usually called only the softer part (inside skirt), which belongs to the hem, but sometimes also the part cut from the flank (this steak is also called the outside skirt, but more often it is sold under the name machete steak).

This steak has large fibers with layers of fat, and when cooked correctly, it is very juicy, although it is tougher than premium cuts from thick or thin edge. To soften the meat, it is recommended to first strip it of numerous films and lightly pre-marinate it (marinades made from onions or citrus fruits are suitable, as well as with the addition of soy or Worcestershire sauce and vinegar like balsamic). Another way to tenderize a skirt steak is to make small mesh cuts on both sides of it before marinating. The marinated steak is fried quickly, 3 minutes on each side.

However, you can do without marinade, just season the skirt steak with salt and pepper and grease with vegetable oil - and now the main thing is not to dry it out: the steak is very thin, so fry it over moderate heat. 10–15 minutes, turning every 2–3 minutes, optimal roasting is medium rare.

Machete

About machete steak (aka outside skirt) everything is basically said a little higher: it is a thin and long diaphragm steak, so named because its shape resembles a Latin American farm knife. A machete should be handled in the same spirit as a skirt.

And here are Konstantin Ivlev’s tips for cooking machete steak in a contact grill.

Flank steak

Flank steak, that is, from the inner fleshy part of the carcass, located between the ribs and thigh closer to the groin area of ​​the animal. This cut produces fairly tough and lean steaks, but the taste is very bright, with a distinct meaty aroma. It makes the most sense to marinate the flank steak - for at least a couple of hours, and preferably overnight. Marinade options - chimichurri sauce; a combination of vegetable oil, wine vinegar, garlic and soy sauce and honey; a combination of onion, soy sauce, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and sugar. Fry the marinated steak on a charcoal grill or frying pan for about ten minutes, turning regularly, until medium rare, maximum medium. (In a contact grill, of course, there is no need to turn over.)

Butcher's steak

Steak from the meaty part of the diaphragm. In English it is also called hanger steak or hanging tender, in both cases the word “hanging” is important: it describes the position of the muscle, as if suspended inside the animal between the lungs and the abdominal cavity. This part is called a butcher steak because butchers often did not put it on sale, but kept it for themselves - both because of its not too impressive appearance and because of the rich meat taste and aroma that it resembles flank steak. Some people claim that butcher's steak tastes like liver, but you could also call it bloody taste.

A vein runs through the center of the steak, to which large fibers of meat are attached at an angle of 30–40 degrees. It is usually removed before frying, dividing the piece into two narrow parts.

This part of the diaphragm is one of the least active muscles during the life of an animal, so the main thing is not to dry out its tenderness. So you can fry it with minimal seasonings like salt and pepper and a sprig of thyme in vegetable oil with a little added butter - 5-6 minutes, turning often, until medium rare, maximum medium. But you can first marinate the butcher's steak in a spicy and sour environment (base - citrus fruits, wine, wine vinegar), and fry it just as briefly, turning it constantly.

Chuck roll

Neck fillet, part of the long dorsal muscle between the shoulder blade and the ribs. Chuck roll tastes like ribeye (it's a neighboring cut), but it's quite stringy meat, and a steak from it is unlikely to melt in your mouth. This cut is ideal for stewing and - after preliminary marinating - for kebabs. For steaks, it can also be marinated. Or you can add salt and pepper and cut the vein running through the steak in several places (thanks to this it will become somewhat softer during the cooking process), fry for a couple of minutes on each side over high heat, finish cooking on low, also turning over every couple of minutes. Recommended degree of roasting is medium.

Top blade

Steak from the outer part of the shoulder blade, a wide, long piece of meat. The second most tender and soft part (after the tenderloin) is the part of the carcass, which also costs half as much.

The top blade is divided in two by connective tissue - and this creates problems when frying: the high temperature simply turns it into rubber. The solution is to simply avoid it carefully with a knife on the plate. Or pre-marinate the steak - the base options are the same: onions, citrus fruits, wine, vinegar, choose to taste (sugar and honey - optional, they are needed not so much for sweetness, but for the Maillard reaction, which provides a beautiful crust, in which sugars and amino acids).

Flat iron

This is the same outer part of the blade as the top blade, just cut differently. If you cut a cut crosswise so that the connective tissue runs down the middle of each piece, it is a top blade. If the long, flat strips of meat are removed from the vein, you get two flat irons. They are fried either in whole pieces or divided into two halves. Recommended degrees of frying are medium rare or medium, it is important not to overdry, so you need to fry quickly. You can marinate a flat iron if you like, but it's good with minimal spices - like a ribeye.

In addition, Konstantin Ivlev’s story about how best to fry this steak in a contact grill, having previously marinated the meat in honey-mustard-oyster sauce.

Denver

Steak from a small muscle located between the cervical spine and the shoulder blade. This is the most tender part of the neck cut: unlike Chuck Roll, Denver is a relatively soft steak. A relatively new cut - it was first introduced to the market in 2009 (the industry does not stand still, and butchers are still picking out interesting pieces from the carcass that are suitable for steaks). The best steaks come from a seasoned cut; a Denver marinade won't hurt either. The optimal degree of doneness for Denver is - medium

The youngest steak - American meat expert Tony Mata isolated it in 2012 (by the way, it was he who invented the flat iron in 2003) - from the part of the shoulder that was previously used for minced meat. Mata's proposal was to trim off all the unnecessary stuff, like connective tissue, and proclaim what was left as the new steak. Vegas Strip has a similar flavor to New York, albeit with a tougher texture, but is softer than many other steak alternatives and does not require marinating. The ideal degree of roasting is medium.

Picanha

A triangular-shaped steak from the rump, from the upper part of the thigh, covered with an even layer of fat on top. In English this part is called top sirloin cap.

This is the favorite cut of Brazilians, who cannot imagine churrasquerias, establishments specializing in meat, without it. In Brazil, picanha is divided into three parts perpendicular to the fibers, seasoned with salt and pepper, bent into a semicircle with the fat facing out, strung on skewers, pressing the pieces closely together - and fried over an open fire, constantly turning, and then cut into thin pieces - again - across the fibers.

It is better to cook whole picanha in the oven, but in Russia it is often sold in the form of sliced ​​steaks. They must first be salted and left to marinate for half an hour, and they must be fried, remembering the main thing: do not dry them out. First, on high heat for two minutes on each side (then on low for another 2–4 minutes on each side; in the case of a charcoal grill, on indirect heat). The meat is lean, but due to the fat strip, it is given the necessary juiciness during this time. The ideal degree of roasting is medium. Picanha is valued not for its tenderness, but for exactly the opposite: for its brutal texture and rich meaty taste. If you want to pre-marinate the picanha, we won’t dissuade you: it will also turn out very tasty.

Sirloin

Also a cut from the rump. It is cut from the loin area near the widest part of the tenderloin. The meat is quite soft, but at the same time aromatic. Whole sirloin is best baked: rub it with salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme and oregano (or other herbs to your taste) and place in the oven preheated to 160 degrees for an hour and a half. Sirloin steaks are easy to dry out, especially if you focus on the part where the strip of fat is located: the optimal degree of roasting is medium, or better yet, medium rare. Fry it for a couple of minutes on each side on a charcoal grill - or in a frying pan with a small amount of vegetable oil (at the end, add a piece of butter, a couple of cloves of garlic and a sprig of rosemary to the frying pan). If you are grilling on a contact grill, just press the button and wait for the desired degree of doneness. And be sure to let the steak rest after cooking.

Ramp steak

A steak from the butt, with fairly tough meat: the muscles in this part of the animal are constantly working during its life. The main advantages of ramp are its low price compared to premium steaks and its bright, rich beef taste. Before frying this steak, it is better to marinate it thoroughly (4-8 hours) (the bases are traditional, to your taste: citrus fruits, wine, good vinegar, it works very well with teriyaki). Fry over moderate heat for 2-3 minutes on each side, and then let rest - it will be medium rare. If the steaks are not marinated, fry for 4-5 minutes on each side, turning regularly, also over moderate heat.

I've been cooking steaks for many years, from a wide variety of meats, and I daresay I do it well. In this article, I decided to collect all my experience, which will allow you to achieve perfection in cooking steaks. And feel free to follow the links—they'll take you to other articles that cover various aspects of grilling and serving steak, like cooking the meat or making steak sauces.

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How to cook a perfect steak

Cooking a perfect steak can be a challenge even for a skilled chef: small pieces of meat can cook too quickly, becoming dry and tough, too large pieces can burn on the outside without being cooked through on the inside. If you're new to cooking steak, I recommend using a heavy skillet or grill pan—a charcoal or electric grill is also great for steaks, but a skillet will be easier to control the temperature.

Step 1 - Prepare the Steak

Cooking a steak starts with choosing meat from a store or butcher shop. As a rule, imported beef is used for steaks, and although high-quality steaks from Russian beef have recently begun to appear, foreign terminology is still used to classify cuts of meat. The easiest way to practice frying steaks is on steaks. ribeye And striploin, also known as New York (in our classification, these cuts more or less correspond to thick and thin edges) - they are soft in themselves, and will turn out tasty, even if you miss the mark a little.

Pay attention to the so-called marbling of meat: fat should be distributed as evenly as possible throughout the meat, then during cooking of the steak these inclusions of fat will melt, making the meat more tasty and juicy. Classic steak thickness - 2.5 centimeters, and if you buy meat already sliced, make sure that the steaks are of the correct thickness, but if you take a large piece, try on how you will cut it. So let's get started.

• If the steak was frozen, defrost it overnight in the refrigerator and pat dry.
• Remove the steak from the refrigerator at least 20 minutes before grilling to allow it time to come to room temperature.
• Brush both sides of the steaks with vegetable oil (I use olive oil, but you can use any unflavoured vegetable oil instead) and season generously with salt.

See also:

Step 2 - Heat the pan

• Heat the skillet over medium-high heat until it is hot but not smoking (if the skillet is too hot, the steak will burn on the outside before the inside is cooked, resulting in a tough steak).
• The sizzling sound you hear after you place the steaks in the pan will let you know if it has reached the desired temperature.
• Another way to check the heating of a frying pan is to drop a little water on it: if you have heated the frying pan well, the droplet will form an elastic ball that will run across the surface of the frying pan like crazy.

Step 3 - Cook to taste

• For medium rare, place the steaks in the pan without touching and let them cook for 1 minute.
• Carefully turn the steaks over with tongs (be careful not to damage them to prevent any juices from escaping) and cook for 1 minute more to form a crust.
• Turn the steaks over again and reduce the heat to medium. Fry for 2 minutes, turn over, and cook for another 2 minutes.
• To test for doneness, gently press the steak with your fingertip. The rare steak should be soft and pliable, well-done and firm, and the medium steak, as it should be, will be something in between.

Steak cooking time

You can vary the steaks to your taste by increasing or decreasing the cooking time. The following is an approximate time for a 2.5cm thick steak. Thicker steaks require longer cooking times and vice versa.

• Rare (with blood) - 1-2 minutes on each side, let rest for 6-8 minutes;
• Medium rare (low-done) - 2-2.5 minutes on each side, let rest for 5 minutes;
• Medium (medium roast) - 3 minutes on each side, let rest for 4 minutes;
• Well done (well done) - 4.5 minutes on each side, let rest for 1 minute.

However, the most accurate (though not always accessible to a beginner) way to determine the degree of doneness of a steak is to use a meat thermometer.

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Step 4 - Let the steaks rest

• Leaving the meat to sit for a while is just as important as cooking it correctly - during these few minutes the juices will be distributed inside the piece, the temperature outside and inside will equalize, and the entire steak will become warm, juicy and tender.
• Remove the steaks from the pan, season with black pepper and place in a baking dish. Place a piece of butter on each steak, cover with foil and leave in a warm place for 4-5 minutes.
• Remember, it is better to let the steak rest longer than necessary, not less, this will allow it to acquire the greatest flavor and tenderness.

See also:

Everything you always wanted to know about the best ways to cook steak but were afraid to ask. By following the recommendations and trying a few of our recipes, you will know how to fry steaks and how to do it well.

Types of roasting

There are several types of meat roasting that you should know about if you want to please your family and guests:

• BlueRare. Lightly fried, almost raw, but well “sealed” meat on all sides.
• Rare. Steak browned on all sides, bright red in the middle. This is a godsend for a true carnivorous meat eater who prefers this type of roasting. Internal temperature 50-55 °C.
• Medium Rare. The sides of the steak should be well browned, with the top and bottom caramelized to a dark brown color. Additional frying provides a result that will appeal to those who like meat cooked to a level higher than Rare, but less than Medium. The temperature inside the piece is –55-57 °C.
• Medium rare meat. The sides should be a rich brown color, and the top and bottom should be dark (but not black). If you're grilling steaks for a large group of people, this is the best doneness that will please almost everyone. The meat is pink inside, the temperature inside the piece is 60-65°C.
• Medium Well. A medium well steak should have a hint of pink meat in the very middle. The surface should be dark brown with a good sear on the top and bottom. This meat will be quite firm but still juicy in the center. Temperature – 68-74 °C.
• Well Done. A well-fried product, as most are accustomed to seeing it. The temperature inside the piece is 77°C.

Cooking steak in a hot pan

Before you start cooking, you also need to make sure you know how to properly grill a steak. First of all, your griddle, skillet or barbecue should be preheated before you begin - this will help caramelize the meat, which is essential for a delicious crust.

Ingredients:

• Steak – 1 serving.
• Olive oil.
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Greens (optional).

Preparation:

1. Before cooking, salt and rub the oiled steak with spices.
2. Heat the pan until very hot. Place the meat on a hot surface (there should be a sizzling sound) and reduce the heat to medium.
3. Fry the meat on one side for 3 minutes, then on the other side.
4. Place on a plate and let it rest for a few minutes.

Fried marbled beef steak with mushroom sauce

This delicacy is definitely worth preparing, despite the fact that marbled beef is not a very cheap product, the main thing is to understand how to properly fry a marbled beef steak. Try it, you will like it!

Ingredients:

• Marble beef – 1 kg.
• Salt – 1 teaspoon.
• Ground pepper – 1 teaspoon.
• Butter – 1 tablespoon.
• Garlic – 2 cloves.
• Finely chopped onion – 1 medium.
• Mushrooms cubes – 300 g.
• Dried thyme – 1 teaspoon.
• Flour – 60
• Meat broth – 250 ml.
• Milk – 1 glass.
• Horseradish (or Dijon mustard) – 1 tablespoon.
• Greenery.

Preparation:

1. Salt and rub with seasonings on both sides.
2. In a large frying pan, fry the meat in butter.
3. Remove steak and set aside.
4. Reduce heat to moderate, add remaining oil, garlic, onion, mushrooms and thyme. Then stir for 10 minutes until the mushrooms begin to darken.
5. Add flour and cook for 1 minute.
6. Pour in the milk and add the horseradish.
7. Simmer, stirring for 5 minutes over low heat until thickened.
8. Before serving, pour the sauce over the steak and sprinkle parsley on top.

Steak in sesame and rosemary

Tender meat with the aroma of rosemary and a crispy sesame crust. It's worth making!

Ingredients:

• Lean beef/veal – 500 g.
• Sesame – 100 g.
• Egg – 1 pc.
• Fresh rosemary – 40 g.
• Black pepper, salt.
• Sunflower oil – 80 ml.

Preparation:

1. Rub a piece of meat with dried or fresh rosemary and pepper. Before cooking, remove any old rosemary from the meat, cut the steaks, pound them and rub with fresh rosemary and salt.
2. Place the meat in the refrigerator for a couple of hours
3. Beat the egg in one bowl and add sesame seeds to another.
4. The chop is dipped first in egg and then in sesame seeds and fried in a frying pan until cooked.
5. Prepare a steak marinade using mustard and balsamic vinegar. This marinade can be used on any cut of beef. It cooks very quickly, perfectly softens the meat and gives it a golden brown crust during frying.

Ingredients:

• Olive oil – 60 ml.
• Balsamic vinegar – 60 ml.
• Worcestershire sauce – 60 ml.
• Soy sauce – 60 ml.
• Dijon mustard – 2 tsp.
• Garlic – 4 cloves.
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation:

1. In a small bowl, combine oil, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire and soy sauce, Dijon mustard and garlic. Salt and pepper.
2. After the marinating process, remove the meat and fry the steak to the required degree of doneness.

In order for the marinating process to proceed correctly, you must first warm the meat at room temperature. You should not add salt if the meat will be in the marinade for more than 40 minutes. Otherwise, the meat will lose all its juices and turn out dry.

If you plan to marinate the meat for several hours, then put it in the refrigerator.

Beef steak in wine

This recipe will help you prepare a delicious dinner surprisingly quickly and easily!

Ingredients:

• Beef – 800 grams.
• Dry red wine – 1 glass.
• Butter – 50g.
• Salt and pepper.

Preparation:

1. The beef is sprinkled with salt and seasoned with pepper. Fried in a frying pan on both sides.
2. Take out the meat and cover with foil.
3. Pour the wine into the same pan and cook over medium heat, stirring and scraping down the sides of the pan with a wooden spoon, until the wine begins to thicken. Then add the oil, stirring vigorously.
4. Add a little salt and pepper to the sauce. It is with this sauce that the meat should be served.

Ribeye steak with a hint of citrus

A steak you can't cook wrong. For this you will need a rib cut of beef. The degree of roasting of a steak can be completely different, but the meat remains juicy. Save this recipe for a special occasion.

Ingredients:

• Ribeye steak – 4 pcs.
• Orange juice – 1/2 cup.
• Juice and peel of one lemon.
• Olive oil – 2 tbsp. l.
• Oregano – 1/2 teaspoon.
• Chopped cumin – 1/2 teaspoon.
• Salt and pepper - to taste.

Preparation:

1. Pour all dry ingredients into a mixture of orange and lemon juices. Add chopped zest. This will be a marinade in which you need to marinate the steak (can be overnight).
2. After time has passed, remove the meat and clean it of the marinade.
3. Sear the steak (about 7 minutes) on each side. The result is meat juicy on the inside and crispy on the sides.
4. Leave the meat to rest after removing from the heat. You can cover it with foil.

Steak with soy sauce

Soy sauce used when preparing steaks gives not only a special taste and aroma, but also a beautiful crust.

Ingredients:

• Soy sauce – 70 ml.
• Black pepper – 0.3 tsp.
• Garlic – 2 cloves.

Preparation:

1. Mix the sauce with pepper. Pour the resulting marinade into a container with the cooked steak. Marinating time is not limited.
2. Heat the oil and put the peeled and crushed garlic into it. After it is fried until golden brown and gives off its aroma to the oil, throw it away.
3. Place the beef in a frying pan with garlic oil and fry on each side for 3-4 minutes. It is necessary to carefully monitor the frying process, as the sauce will speed up the crust formation process.
4. We take out the meat and place it on napkins to absorb excess oil.
5. Place on plates, garnishing with herbs. Additionally we serve sauce and side dish.

Steak in coffee breading

An original recipe in which coffee adds new attractive notes to the usual taste.

Ingredients:

• 700 – 800g beef.
• 30-40 grams of ground coffee.
• Dried rosemary.
• Oil for frying steaks.
• Salt.
• Basil sauce 200g.
• Hard cheese – 100 g.
• Pine nuts – 50 g.
• Garlic – 2 cloves.
• Olive oil - 0.5 cups (for sauce).

Preparation:

1. Slice the meat across the grain to a thickness of 1-1.5 cm.
2. Beat and rub with seasonings.
3. Rub the mixture of ground coffee and rosemary onto the steaks.
4. Heat the frying pan evenly with oil and fry the meat on each side until cooked.
5. For the sauce, grind all remaining ingredients in a blender. The product should be thick.
6. Pour the sauce over the steak when serving.

Breaded steak

You can eat it as a main dish with a squeeze of lemon juice, or make a stunning sandwich.

Ingredients:

• Thin beef – 800-900 g.
• Eggs – 4 pcs.
• Milk – 1/2 cup.
• Salt – 1/2 teaspoon.
• Black pepper – 1/4 teaspoon.
• Crushed bread crumbs - 2 cups.
• Vegetable oil - 2 cups.

Preparation:

1. Beat eggs in a container. Combine with milk, salt and pepper.
2. Place breadcrumbs in a separate shallow pan.
3. Dip a piece of beef completely into the egg mixture and then into breadcrumbs.
4. Fry the meat in vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
5. Fry a piece of breaded beef on each side for 1-2 minutes. Since the meat is so thin, it will cook quickly.
6. Remove steak and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Wait until the oil is completely absorbed into it.

Beef steak with caponata salad

Beef steak – 800g.

Dry red wine – 0.5 cups.

Garlic – 2 cloves.

Thyme – 1 teaspoon.

Olive oil – 2 tablespoons.

Caponata:

Olive oil – 1 tablespoon.

Finely chopped red onion – 2 pcs.

Garlic – 2 cloves.

Eggplant cubes – 1 PC.

Diced red pepper – 2 pcs.

Celery stalk finely chopped – 2 pcs.

Vinegar – a quarter glass.

Powdered sugar – 2 tablespoons.

Capers – a quarter glass.

Pitted olives, chopped – 0.5 cups.

Preparation:

1. Place the meat in a container and pour in a mixture of wine, garlic, thyme, butter, salt and pepper. Refrigerate for 60 minutes.
2. To prepare the caponata, fry the onion and garlic in a hot frying pan, then add the eggplant and fry for about 2-3 minutes. Add chopped peppers and celery and continue frying.
3. Pour in vinegar, add sugar, capers and olives. Fry over low heat until the dish is completely cooked.
4. Steaks are fried in a heated frying pan for 5-7 minutes.

Cooking delicious, juicy steaks at home is not difficult at all. It is necessary to learn and strictly follow certain rules. They will help you avoid the difficulties faced by both beginners and experienced cooks.

• Steak can only be prepared from fresh, refrigerated product. If the meat has been previously frozen, it should be left to thaw overnight.
• Before starting to create culinary masterpieces, the meat is heated at room temperature for several hours. Subsequently, it will be much easier to control the uniformity and degree of roasting.
• The meat should not be wet, so before starting cooking, wipe it dry with paper towels.
• The width of the meat is of considerable importance. The size of an ideal piece of steak is from 2.5 to 4 centimeters.
• When cutting meat yourself, you need to move the knife across the grain.
• Do not place more than 2 pieces of steak in the pan, as the more of it on the surface, the lower the temperature for frying will become, and this will lead to excessive release of juices.
• Don’t be afraid to season the meat well, because “that” restaurant taste is achieved precisely thanks to the abundance of seasonings used.
• The frying process is best done in a heavy frying pan. This will make it easier to control the process. If it is not cast iron, it is better to heat it well, but do not allow smoke to appear, otherwise the steak will burn before it is cooked inside.
• The meat begins to be fried at high and then at moderate temperature. This approach ensures uniform roasting, rich taste and color of the dish. The protein on the surface of the meat coagulates and prevents loss of juice.
• A good cook knows how long to fry a beef steak! According to culinary rules, a medium-rare steak requires 4 minutes on each side. Rarely will fry from 1 to 3, for medium frying it takes about 3 minutes on each side, and 6-8 minutes on each side for full.
• When turning the steak, do not use forks. This can lead to loss of fluid, so it is better to use special cooking tools.
• If you have doubts about the readiness of the meat, you can control the process with your fingers. The softer and more pliable it is when touched, the more blood there is inside. Be careful not to get burned.
• It is advisable to serve meat on warm plates. The knives must be sharp.