Are there any steak lovers out there? If so, what’s your ideal method for cooking a steak? For a lot of steak eaters, the grill is the preferred method to make sure the stake is cooked perfectly—for some, it’s the only way imaginable. The grill definitely does add some benefits of its own that shouldn’t be overlooked, namely the grill marks and the smoky flavor. Still, cooking steaks perfectly without a grill is possible and it’s also not as tricky as you may think.
The secret to cooking perfect steaks on a stovetop in a pan is to have a plan for every step of the cooking process. Fortunately, Gordon Ramsay has done us all the honor of explaining his delicate method for cooking a perfect steak—and with his knowledge, you can do it too. Here’s what you do:
1. First, get your pan heating up while you prepare your meat.
A common mistake is to your work with your meat and then throw it in the pan before the pan gets hot. Paying attention to the temperature of the meat along with the temperature of the heat is an important part of the process. Ideally, if the fan is ripping hot when you throw the meat it, it will cook and caramelize the outside while leaving the inside nice and juicy.
2. Season your steaks liberally with salt and pepper.
Make sure the seasoning is caked on and don’t be afraid to overdo it—this is all going to turn into a delicious crust in the pan. As an added note: make sure you have your steaks out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking them for perfect results!
3. After the pan is hot, then add a little oil and put your steaks in the pan.
There’s more process-oriented decision-making here. Putting the oil in towards the end prevents it from going past its smoke point while you’re prepping your meat. This way, the oil heats quickly, the steaks are ready and everything sizzles right on time.
4. After about a minute, flip the steaks to brown both sides.
If you’ve done the process correctly, the fat on the outside of your steak should fry up very quickly, adding some beautiful color to the meat. Make sure to do this on both sides!
5. Render the fat on the sides and tilt the pan for maximum cooking.
The true secret to cooking great steak is to use all the meat’s fat! To do this, use tongs to turn your steaks on their side and push them into the pan. This begins to melt or “render” that extra strip of fat. You can also turn your steaks on their side and tilt the pan so that all the melted fat sears them for extra flavor and crispiness.
6. Once they’ve seared a little, crush a few cloves of garlic and throw them in.
This is a no-fuss step. Don’t waste any time peeling them or mincing or anything—crush a few cloves with your blade and throw them in the pan. Add in a few sprigs of thyme shortly after for some added flavor!
7. Throughout the entire cooking process, turn your steaks every minute.
Although some people say not to move the meat too much, flipping your steaks every minute after the crust has formed makes sure the heat spreads evenly and doesn’t hurt the inside of the meat.
8. Add three tablespoons of butter to the pan and baste the steaks.
As a final flourish, melt more butter in the pan to absorb the garlic and thyme flavors. As it all melts together, get a spoon, tilt your pan and “baste” your steaks. Basically, scoop up the excess fat and pour it on both steaks over and over again—this spreads the flavor around and helps them cook even more. It also prevents anything in the pan from burning! You can also brush your steaks with the burnt garlic cloves for some extra punch.
9. Finally, turn the oven off and let your steaks rest.
How long you cook these steaks is really up to your preference. Though results may vary, a total of six flips generally results in a medium-rare steak following the minute method. Eight to 10 minutes will yield a more well-done result. Be sure to experiment and see what works best for you!
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By Ryan Aliapoulios
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Ryan Aliapoulios is a contributing writer at Shareably based out of Los Angeles. Find him on Twitter @rollyops.
