Behind cheeseburgers and hot dogs, steaks are one of the most people meats in the world, being eaten by hundreds of millions every day. Steak has long been a favourite for most people, thanks mostly to its deep flavours, juiciness, and ease of cooking.
Not all streaks are the same, however, and any good chef will be able to describe the best way of cooking a steak so that it’s packed with flavour and easy to cut through and eat.
Here we will look at the different kinds of steaks commonly found at the shops, as well as the various methods of cooking them.
The Common Types of Steak
When referring to the type of steak at the shop, it’s actually the cut from the animal that determines what the steak is. There are many various kinds, but the following tend to be the most popular and the easiest to get a hold of.
Rump: A rump steak is a thicker but cheaper piece of meat that’s also one of the most common at the shops. It’s a fair bit leaner than many of the others, but it makes for a great sear nonetheless, and is perfect for anyone wanting a steak without shelling out too much.
Rib Eye: Packed with flavour, but also a bit more expensive, a rib eye cut tends to have better fat marbling and overall better flavour. These steaks need no more than 8 minutes on the grill when cooking.
Sirloin: A lean cut that can most commonly be found at restaurants, the griller will want to beware as a sirloin is known for becoming dry if cooked too long, so it’s a cut that’s best eaten rare.
Filet Mignon: These cuts are much more expensive than the others, and are taken from the centre of the tenderloin. They don’t require much more than a sear, but it might be a good idea to braze them with butter and herbs.
T-Bone: A t-bone steak is one of the few that comes with the bone attached, but this can add to the overall flavour of the cut when prepared right. The bone, however, can cause some uneven heating, so it’s important to make sure the heat is consistent throughout for a better result at the end.
Preparing Steak
These are the main ways of cooking a steak
Rare: Cooked very lightly on the outside, but keeping the inside red, moist, and packed with flavours. Rare steak can be eaten so as it doesn’t have the same parasites as pork or chicken.
Medium rare: This is the generally proffered choice for most people, and consists of more cooking time but generally enhanced flavours, and a reduction of juices, great for cooking steak while watching television or playing fun games online.
Medium: A medium steak will have a pink centre but everything around the centre will be much more thoroughly cooked.
Well done: This is a level of cooked that most chefs will try their best to avoid as it reduces the flavour, unless cooked for a long time at a very low heat.
