Steak is simple to cook as long as you use a oil with a high smoke point (Image: Getty)
Nothing is worse than taking the time to cook a steak only for it to be rubbery and too chewy, but this may be a sign you are undercooking the meat.
Nicky Corbishley, a and co-founder of has shared a simple way to get a delicious and perfectly steak: use oil with a high smoke point.
She said: “For cooking the steak, we also need a high smoke point oil (such as sunflower oil), plenty of salt and freshly ground black pepper, a little butter, and if you want to to add some extra flavour, a few cloves of garlic and some fresh thyme or rosemary sprigs.”
An oil with a low smoke point, like olive oil, will start to burn once it reaches a high temperature and make your kitchen very smoky, which means the meat will not be able to sear properly.
You are more likely to take it off the heat before properly cooking, so your steak will be charred and bitter-tasting on the outside while gamey and flavourless.
:
All you need to cook a perfect steak is proper oil, garlic, a knob of butter and some herbs (Image: Getty)
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
If you want to achieve a crispy crust that enhances the flavour of the meat, use an oil that can reach a high temperature, such as sunflower oil, avocado oil, or grapeseed oil.
How to properly cook a steak
Cooking the perfect steak starts at the supermarket. You want a thick, quality piece of meat with some fat running through it, like a ribeye or sirloin.
Nicky said: “Don’t be scared of seeing fat on your steak – some of the fat renders down to help ensure a juicy steak. We also crisp up that fat when it’s in the pan. Fat is GOOD!
“You need to look out for gristle – these are streaks of chewy/rubbery cartilage that aren’t broken down during cooking. You sometimes find gristle as little wriggle lines of off-white in the steak.
“A little bit (that you can cut out when eating) is fine, but any more than that makes it a far less enjoyable steak.”
Once you are ready to cook, remove the steak from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes before putting it into the pan.
Delicious steak relies largely on the cooking technique as well as the meat quality (Image: Getty)
If you cook steak straight from the fridge, the outer meat will cook faster than the centre, so it can become well-done on the outside while still being undercooked.
When the time is up, coat the steak on both sides and season it with salt and pepper. Make sure to also peel and crush some garlic cloves, then set them aside for now.
Heat the pan on the stove, and add your steak only once it is very hot. Cook the meat for four minutes, turning it every minute.
During the last minute of cooking, add a little butter to the pan and add your crushed garlic cloves, plus a couple of sprigs of herbs such as thyme or rosemary.
Baste the steak in the butter during the last minute of cooking, and once cooked to your taste, remove it from the pan.
Let the steak rest for four to five minutes after cooking as it allows the juices to become absorbed into the meat rather than spilling out when you cut into it.
Once the time is up, your juicy, tender, and flavorful steak will be ready to serve.