Cooking steak is not something that people do on a regular basis and when they do it is usually because they are looking to impress or they have splashed out for a great meal. For this reason many don’t quite get it right when they do cook steak, and there are some very common mistakes which are made by a great number of people. TV chef Adam Seger was discussing this the other day, and talking about the best way in which you can prepare a steak. However you cook it is of course up to you, but here are some of the most common mistakes which are made when it comes to cooking steaks at home.
Straight From The Fridge
When you cook a steak it has to be at room temperature before it hits the pan. The reason for this is that if you take it straight from the fridge and place it in a hot pan, the fibers in the meat will firm up as it is shocked from one temperature to another. When this happens you will end up with very tough steak, which of course is not what anyone wants. Even if you were to serve that steak medium to rare, you will still find that you have a tough and chewy steak because you didn’t allow it to warm up before cooking it.
Getting the Finish Wrong
Even if you are only cooking a steak for yourself, it still makes sense to get the finish right. So many people are scared of undercooking steak, and the result is often that they will overcook it as a result. This will take practice but it is important that you can confidently cook a steak and finish it well, whatever it is that the person would like. The best way to find out how well the steak is cooked is to use the part of your hand between your thumb and your index finger. At the base of this triangle it feels the same way a steak does when it is rare, and the top of that triangle feels the same as a well done steak. Use this triangle of skin to check how your steak is getting on.
Playing With The Steak
The steak should only be turned over once during cooking, and that is to seal both sides of the steak. What many do however is look to keep turning the steak over and over, as they would do with something like chicken. This really issn’t necessary and if you do this you are actually taking temperature away from the steak, which is cooking it up.
Not Basting
To ensure a really tasty steak it is important that you pour the juices which come out, back over the steak itself. This will seep back into the meat and ensure that it is juicy and delicious.
Watch out for these common mistakes when you are cooking steak.
