Cooking a steak perfectly can be a challenge. And lots of people end up wasting good meat because they’ve been told to prepare and cook steaks the wrong way.
There’s nothing like a big juicy steak. The problem is that right now, accessing well-cooked steak can be harder than ever.
Thanks to the pandemic, it’s not so easy to just go to a restaurant and order a steak to your liking.
As a result, steak lovers are having to rely on their own culinary skills to make the perfect steak. The problem with this is that many of us aren’t so good at it.
But with these tips, you’ll be cooking steak to perfection every single time. Here are 10 myths that people believe about cooking steaks and the truth behind these myths.
10. Myth: You shouldn’t turn a steak with a fork
Some say that if you stick a steak with a fork before you’re done cooking, it’ll lose all of its juices. But in actuality, when you stick a fork into a steak, it makes it lose a tiny amount of its juices. Unless you want to attack a steak like you’re the murderer from Psycho, the taste won’t be compromised in any noticeable way.
9. Myth: You shouldn’t season a steak until after it’s cooked
The primary seasoning that some say to avoid putting on a steak before cooking it is salt. The thought process is that the salt will make the meat tough as it cooks. In actuality, salting a steak before you cook it will make it brown better. You should definitely rub salt all over your steak before you cook it. And also remember to let the salt rest on the steak for a long time, like 45 minutes, so that the surface can dry out properly. (And place it between paper towels.)
8. Myth: You should serve up a steak as soon as it’s done on the grill
You’ve got to let that steak rest for a few minutes once it’s done cooking. Otherwise, it’ll be drier and tougher, as the juices haven’t had enough time to settle.
7. Myth: You should only flip your steak once
Sure, it’s possible to cook a steak by only flipping it once. But flipping it multiple times is actually beneficial. Flipping can make a steak cook up to 30% faster and can result in a more evenly cooked steak.
6. Myth: Steaks need to be marinaded before cooking
Sure, a marinade can make a steak tastier, but it doesn’t tenderize it. If you haven’t got time to make a marinade, just cook the steak as best as you can, with whatever spices will go with it.
5. Myth: Bone-in steak tastes better
Because? Because what? Because bone? Bones don’t actually transfer flavor into the steak. Some people believe that the connective tissue around the bone tastes better. But of course, that’s subjective.
4. Myth: Prodding a steak with your finger can tell you how done it is
No, there’s no magical way to tell how done your steak is just by poking it. Instead, a meat thermometer will do the job.
3. Myth: You should sear the steak at a high heat at the start of cooking to lock in the flavor
Actually, you should start cooking your steak on a low heat. Near the end of cooking, then you should turn it up to get that sear.
2. Myth: Checking the doneness of a steak with a knife makes it lose flavor
Just like flipping the steak with a fork is fine, so is cutting a small piece open to see if it’s done to your liking. Only a minuscule amount of juices will be lost!
1. Myth: You should let steak rest at room temperature before cooking it up
Many people like to leave a steak out for half an hour before cooking it. Sadly, this on its own won’t aid its cooking in any way. Instead, what can help is salting the meat and placing it between some absorbent paper towels at room temperature for a long time before cooking.
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