How to make a good perfect steak?

A few days ago the famous chef Anthony Bourdain He made a statement that set off alarm bells among lovers of meat and good gastronomy. Doesn't anyone know how to make a steak in this country? Many 'foodies' are asking themselves these days after the renowned chef made clear the steps “not to follow” before cooking and enjoying a good steak.

In an interview with an Anglo-Saxon media outlet, Bourdain explains that “people he has no idea to do something as simple as cooking a simple piece of grilled meat” and made it clear that there are false myths when it comes to cooking one of the best-known earthly delicacies since time immemorial. Have we been doing it wrong for decades?

In this way, the chef attacks those who cook meat in their garden on the more than usual barbecues and do it at “a temperature too high, and they poke it constantly, to check whether or not it is on point or done.” One of the most serious mistakes... according to the cook.

Cutting or removing meat is another of the most common mistakes or mistakes. Hence Bourdain bets on Leave the fillet still for 5 or 10 minutes. “What is happening inside the piece of meat is a recirculation of juices. If that process is cut off, everything will end up being red inside,” he explains in the aforementioned interview.

Below we explain the best tricks and secrets from professional chefs so that you can learn how to cook a perfect steak and get the most out of it:

Tips for preparing a perfect steak

✅ Temper the meat, that is, take the meat out of the refrigerator early so that, when you put it on the very hot grill, the temperature difference is as small as possible. This way the steak will have greater flavor and juiciness.

✅ Dry the meat very well with absorbent paper before cooking it, this way you will prevent it from releasing water.

✅ When it comes to steaks or meat cut into small or fine pieces, you should never salt it before cooking, as salt is a drying agent that will cause the juices to come out.

✅ It is important that the oil is always very hot when adding the meat.

✅ Use a large frying pan and an appropriately sized fire, as it will help us keep the temperature high enough and controlled.

✅ Use oil with a mild flavor such as sunflower or mild olive oil (never virgin or extra virgin). This way you won't steal the spotlight from the meat.

✅ Let it rest. To make the fillet even tastier, it is advisable to let it rest on a plate at room temperature for at least 5 or 10 minutes to The meat fibers absorb the juices and give the steak a tender touch.

Most common mistakes when grilling steak 

❌ Prick the fillet to check its point.

❌ Fry the meat straight out of the refrigerator. This is one of the tips that we always remind you from Santa Rosalía. It is very important to temper the meat and not fry it straight out of the refrigerator.

❌ Another tip is to not place the meat on the grill or pan until it is hot enough. Putting a steak in a little hot oil makes the meat turn “gray” and not very tasty.

❌ Spice the meat on both sides. Add salt and/or spices on both sides.

❌ Do not leave the meat on a flame for too long or the steak will char.
❌ Do not turn the steak more than once as this will interrupt the caramelization and flow of juices inside the meat.

❌ Season before serving

Cooking times 

A few minutes more or a few minutes less can mean the difference between a delicious steak or 'a shoe sole'. Achieving the perfect steak is possible if you follow the tips mentioned above and if you control the cooking time. Below we teach you how to control the cooking times so that the steak is always cooked to perfection.

To do this, it is important to take into account both the thickness of the meat and the size of the fillet and the pan:

2cm fillet 

? Underdone: cook about 1 and a half minutes per side.

? To your point: About 2 minutes each per side will be more than enough.

? Well done: 2 and a half minutes per side. Don't go overboard!

3cm fillet 

? Underdone: Just under 2 minutes on each side.

? To your point: Between 2:30 and 3 minutes for the steak to be perfect.

? Well done: No more than 4 minutes will be enough. Let it rest for 30 seconds and that's it!

4cm fillet 

? Underdone: About 2 and 2 and a half minutes with the heat very hot.

? To your point: With 3 minutes and 30 seconds on each side.

? Well done: about 4 and a half minutes and with 1 minute of rest before serving on the plate.