The right meat for steak. How to cook meat steak

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Which part of beef is used to make the most delicious and juicy steak? Rules for choosing meat and frying steaks - how does the American way of cooking differ from the European one?

What is steak?

Steak is a thick cut of quality beef meat, cut across the muscle fibers and fried at high temperature in a frying pan or grill. Steak meat can be either drier (filet mignon) or streaked with fat (marble steak). Steak with a rib bone is called ribeye.

Despite the fact that the classic steak is whole beef meat fried over a fire in a short time, there are numerous recipes steaks baked in the oven, pork steaks and even salmon steaks. Formally, even a steak made from... ground beef(English) beef steak).

What meat is steak made from?

For steaks, meat is suitable from those parts of the carcass whose muscles do not participate in motor activity - primarily the chest, sides and back. Since no more than 10% of a steer's carcass can ultimately be used, this is one of the main reasons for the high cost of quality beef for steak.

The finished steak gets its name depending on what part of the carcass it was prepared from. In different countries, both the carcass cutting scheme and preferences for the choice of meat and roasting method differ. However, nowhere are steaks prepared from fresh beef - the meat is always stored for 15-20 days.

How to cook steak?

American steak is a large and thick piece of meat with noble streaks of fat (marbled beef).

In Europe, smaller and thinner sirloin steaks are preferred.

Steak is not just a piece of beef meat fried in a pan. Regular beef from the nearest butcher shop (especially fresh beef) is definitely not suitable for good steak- with her you will only succeed big piece stewed in own juice meat.

Buy the right meat.
Preference should be given to either domestic meat for steaks in vacuum packaging or imported frozen meat.

Frozen meat must first be thawed before cooking - leave it in the main chamber of the refrigerator for several hours.
Cut the meat into thick pieces. The steak meat is washed, then cut into fairly thick slices - 2.5 cm for fatty marbled meat, or 4-5 cm for almost dry beef tenderloin filet mignon. Before cooking, the meat should rest at room temperature at least 30-45 minutes.
Prepare gas and frying pan. European thin sirloin steaks are best grilled on olive oil, non-stick frying pans and gas stove, and thicker and fattier American or Australian ones - in special ribbed frying pans or on the grill. In this case, a minimum of oil is required.
Don't spoil the meat! Under no circumstances should you wash the meat immediately before frying - it should be as dry as possible. Before grilling the steak, add a little on both sides. rock salt, black pepper or a pinch of aromatic herbs, but be moderate and do not overdo it with spices.
When grilling, keep the crust on the steak.. For education golden brown crust, retaining all the juices inside, it is important to fry the steak at high temperature. Do not place several pieces on the frying pan at the same time - this will lower the temperature and the meat will inevitably begin to stew in its own juices.
Be sure to time yourself. As with boiling soft-boiled eggs, the best results are obtained by timing the cooking time. Frying time depends on the thickness of the piece of meat and its type - starting from 1.5-2 minutes for filet mignon, ending with 6-7 minutes for each side of well-done marbled beef well done.
Let the steak rest before serving.. Before the steak is almost done, it is removed from the heat and placed on a plate for 5-7 minutes. The high temperature on the surface of the steak redistributes the internal juices, as a result of which the meat is more evenly soaked and becomes more tasty and juicy.

Grass-fed or grain-fed?

For correct and delicious steak the meat of young bulls of special breeds Angus is best suited ( Angus) and Hereford ( Hereford) age 1-1.5 years. Depending on the animal’s type of nutrition, the meat has more fat inclusions (grain-fed wheat and corn) or less (grass-fed).

In the USA and Australia, preference is given to “marbled” grain-fed meat - delicate fatty layers are formed inside the muscle fibers, so the steak after cooking is juicy and tender. However, in Europe and South Africa prefer drier grass-fed meat.

Steak doneness

In accordance with the American system of classifying doneness classes, steaks are divided into six degrees of doneness: very rare(almost raw meat), rare(meat with blood), medium rare(medium rare steak) medium(medium rare), medium well(almost cooked) well done(done).

For the thick, fatty steaks preferred by Americans, the optimal degree of doneness is between medium rare before medium well, and for thinner European steaks with low fat content (for example, classic filet mignon), light roasting is more suitable - from rare before medium.

To prepare a steak you need, first of all, high-quality beef meat and good frying pan. At the same time, depending on your tastes (whether you prefer thin steaks of grass-fed meat or fattier marbled beef), not only the cooking time will depend, but also the required equipment.

Steak meat

Today we will tell you what kind of meat steak is made from and reveal a few secrets that will help you choose the best meat for steak, because the key to success in preparing any dish is undoubtedly the correct and high-quality raw materials.

What meat is steak made from?

In the classic version, beef is used for steak, but it is also possible to prepare dishes from pork, lamb and poultry. Pork steaks are best prepared from the shoulder, thigh and neck parts of the carcass, but for lamb steaks you can use only the neck and thigh. Poultry steaks are prepared from thighs and drumsticks.

Let us dwell in more detail on the choice of raw materials for beef steaks, since they are the most popular and incredibly tasty.

How to choose meat for beef steak?

To make the dish perfect, as a rule, the best parts of the beef carcass are used as the basis, and depending on what kind of meat is used for the dish, the steak gets its specific name. Let's list the main types of steaks that chefs most often prepare in restaurants.

Having decided on the choice of meat for steak and purchasing it at the market or in a store, be sure to pay attention to its freshness and color. The darker the product, the older the animal was and the tougher the dish will be. When you press a finger on a meat product, a mark should remain for some time and disappear gradually. If the meat springs back, the steak will be tough. A print that does not disappear at all indicates that the raw meat is not fresh. And one more important point. Fat layers must certainly be white, and not yellow or cream. Such shades of adipose tissue can only be characteristic of lamb meat.

Types of steaks

Today on sale, especially in markets or at the market, you can find steaks from any meat. However, it is very problematic for a beginner to decide on the choice of product without knowing some simple nuances. In order not to make a mistake in such a situation, we will tell you what types of steaks exist and how to choose them correctly.

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Ribeye steak(rib-eye, ribeye - from English rib - rib, eye - eye).

The steak is cut directly next to the rib and the cut somewhat resembles an eye, hence the name. Ribeye's may vary slightly depending on the factors listed below.

Typical ribeye steaks made from high-quality beef have an almost oval shape:

The appearance of rib-eye steaks may vary slightly depending on what part of the muscle they are cut from. Closer to the front of the carcass and closer to the back of the carcass, respectively:

Marbled beef ribeye steak:

Quite often ribeye steak is left on the bone., emphasizing its origin and name:

Cooked ribeye steak has a characteristic appearance with clearly visible fatty streaks:

How to choose the right steak meat

Filet mignon, porterhouse, ribeye - reading these words, you understand that making a good steak is not an easy task. Below we will tell you how to choose meat for steak in the store, what types it comes in and what are the advantages of each of them.

I won’t be mistaken if I say that every man, in addition to scrambled eggs and fried potatoes, must be able to cook steak. At least that's the legend. I didn't know how until recently. However, even now, if I show my steak to a knowledgeable person, he will most likely take a photo of it and post it on his Instagram with the hashtags #lol, #whatisthis, #hethinksthissteak.

Despite the fact that my experience in cooking steaks is still limited, I try to study everything new diligently, and therefore I started with the theory - how to choose the right meat for steak.

Types of steaks

None of the types of steaks have a Russian translation. In addition, if in the presence knowledgeable person If you order a pork or chicken steak, you will most likely be looked at condescendingly.

It is believed that steak is made only from beef.

Depending on what part of the carcass is used for cutting, there are several (up to ten) types of steaks:

Ribeye- subscapular part of the carcass. Contains a lot of fat, so the meat turns out juicy.
Club steak- the back part of the carcass is used as a tenderloin. The steak has a small bone.
Filet mignon-considered the most tender meat, not prepared with blood.
Chateaubriand- the same filet mignon, but laid out lengthwise on a plate.
Tornedos- small pieces of tenderloin from which medallions are made.
Skirt steak- beef flank meat. It is considered quite hard, but tasty.
Porterhouse steak-separated by a T-shaped bone, contains a large amount of fat, which makes the meat juicy.
Roundrumb steak- a round piece of tenderloin from the hip.
Striploin steak- tenderloin that looks more like a sirloin strip than a steak.

How to choose

Despite the variety, each steak is suitable for different situations. Ribeye, for example, is considered the most unpretentious in cooking and at the same time very tasty. Tenderloin has a large amount of fat. Striploin steak is a softer cut than ribeye and is the steak most often served in steakhouses. Filet mignon is the most tender, almost “buttery” meat, but does not have such a rich taste due to the small amount of fat.

Randy Irion, marketing director for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, has some tips for selecting and cooking the right steak:

Buy thick pieces at least 2 centimeters thick.
Don't avoid fatty cuts: Fat gives the steak flavor, makes it juicy, and maintains its shape while grilling.
If you want to cook perfect steak, you'll have to buy a thermometer. Required temperature for rare steak - 51 °C.
Do not pay attention to the labels “organic”, “non-GMO”, “natural product”.
Ideally, you should buy your meat from a butcher shop rather than a supermarket.
If the meat gives off a slight ammonia smell, it is not fresh.
When you get home, feel the steak. If your fingers stick to the meat, it means it is close to being lost.
Ribeye is the best choice if you don't want to spend a lot of time choosing. According to Irion, almost any butcher or cook will tell you that ribeye is their favorite type of steak. It is not the most delicate, but has the richest taste.

It seems like what is a steak? Simply pan-fried or grilled meat on both sides. But no, it's not that simple. It's not enough to just fry the meat - you need to do everything right. From this article you will not only learn about recommendations for cooking meat, but also about the types of steak, how to choose the right meat and much more.

How to choose steak meat

Types of steaks

It will be difficult for you to cook a delicious steak if you purchase low-quality meat. That's why right choice meat is one of your main tasks.

There are four main types of prime steak, each different from the others, that you should be aware of if you decide to cook your steak on the pan or on the grill. Among them:

Tenderloin (or filet mignon) is considered the most tender meat. It has no fat and is not as flavorful as other types of steak.

Ribeye (or delmonico, or entrecote) - with a pronounced central part of soft meat, surrounded by a layer of fat and a cap of vertebral muscles.

Strip (or New York Strip Steak) - similar in structure to ribeye, as it contains the same muscles, but located slightly lower.

T-bone - contains elements of strip and cutout at the same time. This is a rather difficult type of steak to prepare, since the tender tenderloin meat, which forms a layer about 4 cm wide, will reach the desired condition much faster than a large strip part. This means that by the time the strip is cooked, the tenderloin may already be overcooked.

Steak varieties

To see that even the type of steak you choose may vary in quality, look at the following photo.

Here, as an example, two types of meat are presented: “Prime” and “Choice”. Prime is the most expensive variety, which is supplied mostly to restaurants and luxury supermarkets. It is softer and has a pronounced marble structure. Choice is a simpler variety that can be found in any supermarket.

So, in order to choose a better grade of steak, you need to pay attention to the degree of marbling. Why is this marbling so important? For two reasons: juiciness and taste. When cooking a marbled steak, the fat melts slowly and makes the dish juicy from the inside. If the meat is not marbled, that is, it has layers of fat on the outside, then it is no longer moisturized from the inside.

Almost all the flavor we experience when eating steak comes from the fat. For example, if you wanted beef meat to have a chicken flavor, you need to take a lean piece and cook it in chicken fat.

So, if you like a flavorful steak, look for meat with a lot of marbling.

Size matters

The thickness of the steak is adjusted not only due to the fact that you need to limit the serving size. If the thickness is chosen incorrectly, there will not be the desired contrast between the inner and outer parts. For example, while you create a truly crispy crust on the outside, the meat inside will be overcooked (even despite the high cooking temperature).

Aged meat

There are two ways to age meat: dry and wet. Wet involves placing the beef in vacuum packaging for a few weeks. Compared to plain meat, aged has the best taste qualities, because enzymes “worked” on it, which destroyed the hard veins in it. This is something to consider before you decide to cook your steak.

With the dry method, meat is stored for ten weeks or more in special rooms that maintain the same temperature and humidity. At this time three things happen:

Moisture is lost (the main factor). Meat can lose about 30 percent of its moisture, allowing for a rich flavor after cooking.

Tenderizing - Using the same enzymes naturally present in meat, tough tissues are broken down.

The aroma of meat is enriched due to the work of enzymes and bacteria.

Whether or not to use aged meat depends on your preference. Some prefer steak made from dry-aged meat (even though it costs 20-25 percent more), while others are not averse to preparing a dish from fresh meat.

Note: Do not trust stories that you can age meat well at home. Keep in mind that for aging it is necessary to prepare an untouched (untrimmed) piece of meat, since after aging the spoiled top layer is cut off and discarded. You can, of course, place the steak in the freezer for a few days and soften the meat slightly, but there will be no noticeable difference from raw meat You won't notice it in the aroma.

Bone

Talk to chefs and they'll tell you that bones add flavor. But you should know that the outer part of the bone does not have a strong aroma, and dense muscle tissue usually does not allow the smell to pass through. After marinating the meat overnight, you will see that the marinade has penetrated only a few millimeters. Then how much flavor can a nearly dry bone add when you decide to cook a steak? To find out, check out this little experiment.

So, there were four pieces of meat available.

One of them had a bone that could not be removed. In another, the bone was taken out and tied with thread. In the third, the bone is removed and tied, but with a layer of foil that prevents the penetration of flavor. The fourth piece is simply boneless.

Everything was prepared in the same way. The result was as follows. All three pieces with bones did not differ from each other in either texture or taste. This dispels the myth about the bones. But, on the other hand, the boneless piece turned out drier in the place where the bone was missing. So, the bone prevents moisture from evaporating from the steak and at the same time prevents this area from overcooking (serves as an insulator).

Note: When cooking in a frying pan, a bone can cause some inconvenience. The meat twists a little during cooking and it becomes difficult to fry the area near the bone. But there is an answer to this - see the point about watering below.

How to cook steak

Salt

Should you salt the meat before, during or after cooking? Here opinions also differ. At most steakhouses, the chefs salt the steak just before it goes on the grill. You can do this at home. But in such establishments there is no time for the meat to stand salted for at least half an hour. The truth is that steak needs to be salted 40 minutes before going on the grill.

Once the meat is salted, the salt will concentrate on the surface of the meat and draw the liquid out of it (fine droplets on the meat). As the droplets grow, the salt dissolves into the meat's juices, creating a concentrated brine. At this stage, after 25-30 minutes, it is not recommended to put the steak on the grill - this brine will immediately evaporate, creating a hard, stretchy crust.

Before you cook the steak, let the salt finish the job. The brine will break down the layer of muscle tissue, allowing the meat's juices to absorb the salt. What does this give? During cooking, the meat becomes better seasoned, softer and juicier.

Note: Instead of the usual one, it is better to use coarse salt or sea, or even better - kosher. It draws liquid out of meat well and dissolves in it.

Otherwise, the meat does not need to be kept at room temperature for a long time so that it warms up after being in the refrigerator, as some advise doing. After all, a thick piece warms up for a long time. After sitting on a plate in the kitchen for half an hour, the internal temperature will rise by only 2.5 degrees, and after another half hour - by another 2.5. Not a big difference. Whether the meat is cold or slightly warmed up at room temperature will not significantly affect its taste.

Use a cast iron frying pan

A good cast iron skillet has thick walls, is heavy, and is built to last for many, many years. Even if you are used to frying meat only on, try cast iron. Or buy a cast iron wok. Grilling steak over high heat cast iron frying pan good quality, you can be sure that the meat will form a crust even if you remove it from the heat. A quick sear is essential if you want a brown, crispy exterior without overcooking the inside.

First vegetable oil, then butter

What's the best way to fry? Here, too, the debate continues. Some experts say that a mixture of vegetable and butter gives the best result, because if you use only one butter, it will burn at a lower temperature than needed for cooking meat. The fact is that even with vegetable oil, the milk protein found in butter still burns at high temperatures.

What does this all mean? Best product For frying meat, use regular vegetable oil in large quantities. This is the only way the meat will cook well and evenly. For example, for a frying pan 30 cm in diameter you need at least a quarter cup of vegetable oil.

Try adding butter a few minutes before the end of cooking. Since during this time saturated fats, contained in it, will give the meat its own aroma and taste; preparing steak in this way is a great idea. Just be careful not to let the oil burn, otherwise acrid notes will appear in the aroma. In addition to flavor, butter gives a beautiful brown tint to the meat. After the main cooking in vegetable oil, the meat becomes browned, but after adding butter it takes on a magnificent color.

Flipping

They say you can only turn a steak once on the grill. Nonsense! Steakhouse chefs simply don't have the time to turn large quantities of steaks multiple times. But at home there is such an opportunity, and you should take advantage of it.

It has been proven that by turning the steak a large number of times (about every 15 seconds), you will be able to cook the meat evenly, and the cooking time will be reduced by about a third. Plus, you'll end up with a perfectly baked crust. This happens due to the fact that both sides are subject to strong heating. This is about the same as if you decided to grill a steak on both sides at the same time. But, if you are not in a hurry, you can do something else while cooking, and turn the meat just once - you will not spoil your steak.

Do you need a fork?

Using a fork to turn the steak won't harm it either. Do not be afraid that if you puncture the meat, all the juice will flow out of it and the taste will deteriorate. Meat is not a ball of liquid. This is a thousand tubes of juice, and if you pierce several of them, there will be no noticeable change in the taste of the whole piece. But if you're worried about this, use tongs for cooking or two spatulas for turning.

Water, water, water

Now you've reached the point where you'll learn how to fry a fairly thick piece of meat. If you cook meat in a frying pan traditionally (without turning or basting), while the middle of a fairly thick piece is frying, its outer part will be baked until black. It is pouring juice that allows you to prepare the perfect dish.

Two things happen during watering and turning. The meat cooks faster (as already mentioned, 30 percent of the time is saved). In addition, it creates an excellent crust of the desired color.

An easier way to collect the juices from the pan when basting meat is to tilt it so that the liquid collects near the handle, where you can easily scoop it into a spoon and pour it over the steak.

Adding Flavor

As already noted, steak tastes better if you cook it by regularly basting it with the resulting juice. But you can also add . Following the butter, add dry thyme or rosemary and onion or garlic to the pan. They release their aroma very quickly, “charging” fat with it. During pouring, an additional portion of aroma is “infused” with each spoon.

Thermometer

Don't be afraid to look like a laboratory assistant, running around a piece of meat being cooked, sticking a thermometer into it. Believe me, praise for a perfectly prepared dish will make you forget about these inconveniences.

Below you can look at the classification of degree of roasting and heating temperature.

In the right corner of the photo you can see the meat cooked to an internal temperature of about 50 degrees. Fat does not melt at this temperature and remains solid. You get an excess of calories and a lack of taste. It may not be worth cooking expensive marbled meat at this temperature. It’s better to turn up the temperature a little (up to 55 degrees) and let the marbled meat melt its fat slightly so that it moistens the meat and adds flavor and juiciness.

On the left side of the photo you can see meat cooked at a temperature of 60 to 70 degrees. At this temperature on the grill, not only does the juice come out, as if being squeezed out of a sponge, but it immediately flows irrevocably onto the charcoal.

Note: Remember that on the grill, even when you remove a thick piece of meat from the heat, its temperature continues to rise. Therefore, remove the meat from the heat when its temperature has not reached 5 degrees to the required temperature.

If you don't have a thermometer

Since it is not always possible to cook a steak using a thermometer, you can try to do without it. It is clear that not everyone wants to buy an expensive device for measuring temperature if meat is not cooked often. Fortunately, there is another, “old-fashioned” way to monitor readiness. Just make a cut and look inside.

Don't be afraid that the meat will lose a lot of juice. There is another problem here. When cut, the meat looks more raw than it actually is. By the time the meat looks ready when cut and you remove it from the heat, the temperature inside the thick piece will still rise for some time. As a result, the meat will be overcooked. Take this into account.

Conclusion: Cut the meat when you don't have a thermometer at hand. Otherwise, it is better to look for an inexpensive cooking thermometer.

Let the meat finish

Why is this so important? There is an explanation here. During cooking, the outer tissues of the meat become tight and push the juices out. In the middle of a piece of meat, there is an imbalance - the bulk of the juice is concentrated in its center. If you cut into a cooked piece as soon as you remove it from the heat, the juices from the center will simply flow out onto the plate. On the other hand, if you allow the meat to cool a little, normalize the pressure and temperature inside, the juice will be evenly distributed throughout the tissues. If you cut a piece that has had time to cool a little, the juice will remain where it should be - in the meat. In addition, when cooling, the juice becomes a little thicker, which also helps to retain it in the meat tissues.

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A tasty and juicy steak comes from the right meat. Not all meat is suitable for steak. It happens that we choose beautiful piece, fry it, and we get the taste of rubber. If you want the perfect steak on your plate, don't skimp on the meat.

Filet mignon

For this steak, it is best to choose the middle part of the tenderloin. It differs from other parts in that it practically does not take part in the work of the entire animal’s body, and therefore is not subject to stress. Before frying, all veins and sinews are removed from the meat. Filet mignon meat does not tolerate beating with a kitchen hammer; it is best if you beat the meat with the handle of a knife or the edge of your own palms.

T-bone

Got it name steak due to the presence of bones in it. As a rule, such steaks are sold in stores ready-cut. The carcass is chopped in such a way that the meat remains on the bone.

Ribeye (marble steak)

Ribeye is a classic American steak. Ribeye is made from meat from an animal that has been fed either grass or grain. The taste of the steak and its quality depend on this factor. Grass-fed meat will be more expensive. The content of fatty streaks in meat is called marbling. The best steak contains a large number of thin strips of fat.

Steak meat

Beef for quick frying should be selected from the sirloin, pieces from the thigh or roast beef, fillet or thigh. Ingredients such as wine and lemon juice will make the meat soft by softening the fibers during preliminary marinating.

It is better to take lamb from the neck, thigh, loin and leg. The older the lamb, the tougher the steak. If the ram has not been castrated, then the steak will have a specific smell. The smell is muffled by various marinades and spices.

Pork should be taken from the shoulder blades, thighs and neck. The meat from these parts of the carcass is quickly fried and is quite juicy. It is preferable that the pork is not only fresh, but also not frozen.

Meat quality

The taste, smell and juiciness of the steak depends on the quality of the meat. Be sure to choose meat with layers of fat. Don't let the presence of fat scare you. After frying, it can be removed, but it will give the meat juiciness and tenderness. The color of the fat should be white; if the animal was old, then its fat will be yellow.

Muscle fibers determine the toughness of a steak; the thicker the muscle fibers on the meat, the tougher the steak will be. The steak meat itself should not be cut against these fibers.

The color of the meat indicates its freshness. If you choose beef, then the meat should be dark red, if pork, then pink, fresh lamb meat has a light red color. The paler the meat in color, the more it cooks and decreases in size.

Adviсe

At the end of the article we would like to give you a few useful tips on cooking steak.

Do not test the meat for doneness with a fork; juice comes out through the punctures, which is responsible for the softness and juiciness of the steak. If you still need to know whether the meat is ready, it is better to make a small cut in the middle of the steak. Salt the meat not before frying, but after it; the same rule applies to pepper, because... spices lead to the release of excess juice and burning of meat. It is best to choose sea salt, it gives the steak a special taste.

Photo: www.lamangrill.com
whatscookingamerica.net

Proper preparation of delicious meat dishes is sometimes called a kind of science. Not only experienced cooks, but also beginners can comprehend it. The question of how to cook beef steak is asked by many housewives. This, it would seem, is not the most difficult dish to prepare; it requires the most attentive approach. Very an important condition Successful cooking is the right choice of beef. 90% of the success of your culinary event depends on this. Here are some tips to help you choose the basis for a juicy and nutritious dish.

How to choose and buy beef

In retail chains you can find ready-made portioned pieces intended for steak. If you want to cook this dish deliciously, it is not recommended to give them preference. Before choosing, decide how you will cook the meat: on the bone or without. Chefs compare selecting meat for a steak to a creative process. If you follow the same principle, the likelihood that the dish will turn out delicious will greatly increase.

What part of beef is steak made from?

For different types of steaks, certain parts of beef are preferred. If you are going to cook a rib steak or porterhouse, parts of the subscapular or neck portion of the carcass will do. What cut of beef should I use for rib steak? According to experienced chefs, the thick edge of the longissimus muscle with a small rib bone will do. For sirloin steak, neck, marbled beef or loin are suitable. If you're wondering how to choose meat for a traditional boneless steak, consider tender sirloin cuts with minimum quantity adipose and connective tissues.

Beef tenderloin - the best meat for steak

A good option when choosing steak meat are neck, rump, shoulder, but best for classic version dishes are suitable beef tenderloin- long muscle of the inner back. It has a delicate, delicate structure and during cooking the degree of frying is easy to control. When choosing a tenderloin, it is important not to fall for the tricks of cunning sellers and not to purchase the flesh from the inside of the leg under its guise. A true tenderloin has a distinct head and membrane. Its structure is loose and has large fibers.

The right marinade for the dish

An important question is how to marinate meat. The marinade will soften it, give it a piquant aroma, and keep it fresh. The main acid for the marinade is acid. You can use vinegar (preferably natural), wine, citrus juices. The acidic environment softens the meat fibers, and the dish turns out tender regardless of the degree of frying. Olive and others vegetable oils, added to the marinade, retain the juices in the meat. It is recommended to supplement the beef marinating liquid with basil, dill, oregano, rosemary, red, black or cayenne pepper, mustard seeds.

How long to fry meat for different degrees of doneness

Different types steaks are classified according to the degree of doneness. In cooking, the following varieties of this dish are distinguished:

Very rare or meat with blood. When cooking, the meat is heated to 40-45 degrees. It has a slight crust, but is almost raw inside.
Rare. This is the same traditional rare steak, but with the meat aged longer. The edges are fried and there is a clear line of pink inside.
Medium Rare. The steak is without blood, but has bright pink juice.
Medium. Medium is medium-rare meat with light pink juice.
Medium Well. The meat is well fried and has clear juice.
Well Done. Well-done meat with almost no juice.

How to cook beef steak: the best recipes with photos

Many factors depend on the method of preparing steak: not only taste, toughness, but also the calorie content of the dish, its compatibility with different side dishes. Several recipes presented below will allow any cook to prepare delicious juicy meat, choose the right spices, and the method of heat treatment. Where you fry the steak (in a slow cooker, electric grill, on the grill, etc.) is a significant point that influences the cooking process. All important nuances are reflected in the step-by-step home recipes below.

Marbled beef on a grill pan

Steak in a frying pan is a kind of golden classic of cooking, and if marbled meat is used, the dish turns into a delicacy. It can pleasantly diversify everyday life home menu or become highlight of the program at the festive table. Finding marbled beef is not always easy, but if you are lucky enough to get your hands on this variety, be sure to try the recipe below.

To prepare delicious juicy steak from marbled beef in a grill pan you will need the following products:

700-1000 grams of marbled meat;
a mixture of ground red, black and white pepper;
herbs. The optimal set for this dish is a mixture of thyme, tarragon, basil, thyme and rosemary;
sea salt;
olive oil ( extra virgin It is not recommended to take it).

The cooking process includes the following steps:

The beef is cut into pieces approximately 1.5-2 centimeters thick.
Salt, pepper and a mixture of herbs are rubbed into the pieces.
The preparations are greased with olive oil.
The frying pan is heated at maximum heat for 2.5-3 minutes.
The meat is placed in a frying pan. Each piece is evenly fried for 3 minutes and then turned over.
The steaks are fried for another 3 minutes.
The pan is placed in an oven preheated to 200 degrees for 5 minutes.

How to fry beef steak at home in the oven

Cooking a dish in the oven is an opportunity to make the meat structure more tender, as well as reduce its fat content and calorie content. If you decide to bake a steak for two, stock up on the following products:

2 portioned pieces weighing approximately 250-300 grams;
2 small onions;
a tablespoon of honey;
70-80 ml dry white wine;
2 medium cloves of garlic;
a teaspoon of grated ginger root;
a tablespoon of soy sauce.

Cooking process:

Finely chop the onion and garlic.
Mix soy sauce, ginger, mixture of onion and garlic, honey, wine.
Place pre-washed steaks into the resulting marinade and leave for approximately 2-3 hours.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
Place the steaks in the oven, frying on each side for 5-7 minutes.
Bring the remaining marinade to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes to thicken it.
Place the finished steaks on a plate and pour over the resulting sauce.

Barbecue on coals with a side dish of vegetables

Grilled beef steak is one of the best options meat dish for cooking on fresh air. Complemented perfectly with a suitable side dish made from barbecue vegetables, it will give gastronomic pleasure even to for the discerning gourmet. Get a spray bottle of water in advance to regulate the heat of the coals. To prepare the dish (for 4 people) you will need the following ingredients:

4 pieces of beef 200 grams each;
seasonings to taste;
1 onion;
6 tablespoons of soy sauce;
4 minced garlic cloves;
100 ml olive oil.

For garnish:

2 eggplants;
8 medium potatoes;
2 bell peppers;
400 g cherry tomatoes.

Cooking method:

Finely chopped onion, chopped garlic, spices, olive oil and soy sauce are mixed.
Steaks are placed in the marinade. The meat is infused for 3 hours.
Potatoes are cut into slices, eggplants into rings, peppers are cut into 4 parts.
The grill is lit. After the coals have burned, place the meat on the grill and fry for about 10 minutes on each side.
10 minutes after the start of cooking, potatoes and eggplants are laid out on the grill, and after another 5 minutes, tomatoes and peppers.

Recipe for a delicious sauce for a dish

What could be better emphasized? unique aroma, which a well-done piece of steak has than delicious sauce? Not bad sophisticated option- red wine sauce. For this sauce you will need:

red dry wine- 400 g;
several sprigs of thyme;
50 gr. butter;
4 tablespoons olive oil;
2 red onions;
a set of seasonings to taste.

The sauce is prepared as follows:

Finely chopped onions are sautéed in olive oil.
When it acquires a golden hue, wine is poured in.
Thyme and other spices are added, the mixture is stirred, and evaporated until the liquid is reduced by half.
Remove the sauce from the heat, add salt, pepper and butter.
The finished mixture is cooled and served with finely chopped fresh herbs.
This sauce is in perfect harmony with all types of steak and perfectly highlights their delicate taste.

Video

Steaks can be cooked not only on open fire, frying pan or in the oven. Delicious, nutritious and low calorie dish They can also be prepared in a slow cooker. This device has a user-friendly interface and sufficient quantity cooking modes perfect steak. Take advantage of the video master class, which is easy to implement using a device from Redmond. With this cooking, you can easily monitor the condition of the meat and regulate the process of frying the steak. The video tutorial has a convenient step-by-step form, accessible to cooks with any level of experience:

Despite the fact that barbecue culture came to us from the West, and specifically from England, it dates back to ancient times, from the time when people made sacrifices to the gods. Steaks as a dish were already prepared in ancient Rome, frying on grates big pieces beef. British aristocrats considered beef to be the food of the poor and preferred the meat of a young calf to it. In addition, hunting has always been developed in Britain, so venison or wild boar steak was not only a favorite dish of sophisticated meat-eaters, but was also considered a trophy for hunters. Hunting was a noble cause and, as a rule, the same aristocrats took part in it.

An important criterion when choosing a cut of beef carcass is the choice of meat that has minimally participated in physical activity. This type of meat is typically softer and more tender, making it best suited for steak. There are many aspects to choosing meat, most of which will be covered in this article.

What cut is steak made from?

Typically, steaks are made from beef. Typically a cut from different parts beef carcass, they differ in taste and aroma. The choice of a specific place for cutting depends on the method of cooking and the degree of permissible frying of the steak. Tenderloin with a large number of streaks of fat guarantees the steak a rich taste and aroma. This meat is called marbled beef. It is needed for the most popular types of steaks, and the less fatty part is perfect as dietary product. For each type of steak, different meat is used; the types will be discussed a little later.

Certainly, For steak, it is better to take marbled meat. Although suitable meat can be selected from different parts of the carcass, it is most often recommended to use tenderloin from the hip or rib. It is suitable for leaner types of steaks and requires a more careful approach to preparation. Veal tenderloin is excellent for these types of steaks. Such meat, as a rule, is distinguished by its tenderness and minimal amount of fat.

Regular grades of beef are suitable for preparing steak. But experienced chefs expensive restaurants choose meat from breeds bred for this purpose. Their number is quite small.

The first to highlight is the famous Angus meat variety.. This type is considered a premium grade of beef and fits perfectly into the definition of the standard of marbled beef. He is originally from Scotland. The breed of cattle is also called “Aberdeen Angus”.

The second no less famous and most expensive variety Beef is considered Japanese "Wagyu". As the name suggests, this breed comes from Japan, where these cattle of the “Wagiu” breed, which literally means Japanese cow, have been bred for centuries. Currently, Vagiu cows are bred in other countries, in accordance with the original traditions. Also noteworthy is the presence of alcohol in the diet of Wagiu cows. During the raising of these cows, the most comfortable conditions are maintained, limiting the mobility of these animals, which has a great effect on the tenderness of the meat.

The third variety is the English Hereford breed. Due to their adaptability to any conditions, cows of this breed are the most common beef cattle. As a rule, cattle of this breed are less demanding in breeding and can reach a large weight - around 1200–1300 kg.

Important! You can find hybrids of several breeds.

Names and features of varieties

To choose the right steak meat, you need to decide what type of steak you want to cook. There are not many types of steaks. First, it’s worth understanding the main varieties.

The most unpretentious in preparation is Ribeye, or as it is more often called entrecote. Thanks to the streaks of white fat, it is one of the juiciest and delicious options this dish. Entrecote is difficult to spoil during the cooking process. As a rule, for its preparation, a tenderloin is selected from the rib part of a beef carcass. And also among the options for preparing this type of steak, the simplest one has been found. It doesn't require a marinade, just salt and pepper. Steak prepared according to this simple recipe is served with sauce, of which there are quite a lot of variations.

The next contender is called T-Bone or Tibone. This is a classic steak that has a fairly recognizable appearance with a T-shaped bone in the middle, which is where its name comes from. In addition to attractive appearance, he is famous for his taste. For this type of steak, the lumbar cut of the carcass with bone is used. It includes two types of meat at once, combining soft and tender, as well as richer parts. This meat has an average percentage of fat, which makes the taste more pronounced. Due to its size, this steak takes a long time to cook.

Filet mignon is the most tender and... lean looking steaks. To prepare the minion, the central part of the tenderloin is used, which contains a very small percentage of fat and is excellent as diet food. It is distinguished by its small size and large thickness - from six to eight centimeters. The taste of this steak is less expressive, as is the aroma. It cooks quite quickly. It is important to closely monitor it during the cooking process; it is easy to overcook and spoil it.

If Minion can be called women's dish, then Striploin fits the description of a masculine one. He's different rich taste and aroma, characterized by larger fibers. Striploin is also called “New York”, since this steak was first prepared in this city. For preparation, use fillet of the lumbar part of beef carcass.

Potterhouse, along with T-bone, is considered the largest steak. It is often difficult to cope with it alone. It originates from London, where it was first filed. Potterhouse can be compared to T-bone not only in size, but also in the presence of bone. This version of steak is also famous for its taste using the most tender marbled beef.

Flank is prepared from sirloin taken from the belly area. It is generally free of fat and bones, making it a fairly easy dish to prepare. For flank, an important factor is its marinade, which should include acid, usually citric. It allows you to make the meat more tender by slightly separating the fibers from each other. Variations of various marinades can be easily found on the Internet or come up with yourself. Basically, the marinating of the flank takes several hours, no more than a day.

To prepare Chuck Roll steak, fillet taken from the neck area is used. Chuck Roll is very similar to Ribeye, only its meat is more tender and flavorful. It is great not only for frying, but also for stewing and baking. This steak will be delicious in any form.

Beef is not always used to prepare steak. There are options for cooking from chicken fillet, as well as turkey and fish. Such dishes can be classified as lean or dietary. They have their own cooking characteristics; as a rule, everything is much simpler with them than with beef. And the price for such meat is much lower. Turkey thigh fillet steak is especially tasty; its taste is something between lean beef and turkey.

Lamb or pork can be an excellent alternative to beef. There are also a large number of features and variations in the preparation of this meat. As a rule, they are less fussy than beef. In addition to the most affordable types of meat that are sold in butcher shops of any city, the steak can be more exotic, for example, using bear meat or venison, which in some locations is not considered very exotic. In addition to the listed examples, there are a large number of types and classifications of this dish. A complete list of recipes can also be easily found on the Internet.

But the main factor in cooking great steak, of course, is the experience of the cook, who knows exactly which marinade is most suitable for which meat, and will also determine the required degree of roasting.

It is very important to choose the right degree of roasting. If you leave meat on the fire for too long, it can be overcooked, causing it to become dry and tasteless. If you remove it too early, you risk getting an undercooked steak. But if this problem can still be dealt with, then the first one will send your steak to the trash. Therefore, you need to know how to properly fry meat. Often the description of a specific recipe indicates the recommended time and temperature, despite this, there are five main types of meat frying, namely:

The first is the type of frying: Rate or low-done, since the steak does not have to be completely fried; this type of frying is perfect for rare steak options; with low frying, the temperature in the central part of the steak should reach +50°C;
Lightly cooked with a crispy crust is called Medium rate; with this type of frying, the temperature in the core of the meat piece should not exceed +55°C;
There is an average roast of Medium, while the temperature in the center is +60°C;
Medium Well is a well-done steak, which is determined by the pink hue of the meat in the middle; the suitable temperature for it is +65°C in the center;
The highest degree is Well Done, the roasting temperature reaches +70°C.

Important! If you raise the temperature higher, the steak will be overcooked, if lower, it will remain undercooked. You should adhere to five gradations and everything will be fine.

Which one is better to choose?

Each of the described options differs in its taste and aroma, as well as in the fat content, density and structure of the meat. Of course, it is better to approach the choice of meat for steak subjectively, because everyone has different tastes. Therefore, in order to choose a steak, you should decide on your taste preferences. It’s worth looking into this issue carefully and trying different variations steak from different cuts and with different degrees of roasting. It’s foolish to stop at just one version of this dish.

To prepare your first steak, it is highly recommended to choose Ribeye, since it is unpretentious in preparation and is a kind of classic of the genre. Having tried to cook it yourself, you will be able to appreciate all the advantages and fullness of taste of beef dishes. It is preferable to fry steaks on a grill using a grill, but you can use a special frying pan.

Unfortunately, steak cooked in a frying pan, although very tasty, will not compare to meat traditionally cooked over an open fire.

You will learn how to cook beef steak in the next video.