Watch the video here and also check out the ‘Steak’ Podcast!
I was given a beautiful sirloin from Upper Senwick farm just 5 miles from the Cookery School. I thought it was the ideal chance to share all the things we need to think about to get that perfect steak!
Before cooking anything, it helps to think carefully about what you want the end result to be. For a steak, think about flavour, texture, mouthfeel, juiciness and depth. Once you have that in your mind you can work backwards through all the elements which will help you achieve that.
Age of the animal
As a general rule of thumb, with exceptions, meat gets fuller in flavour the older the animal is. Hogget and mutton has more flavour than lamb and the same is true of beef. Look for an animal which is a little older and you’ll get more flavour.
Colour of the meat
There is a perception that good quality beef is bright red in colour and has a very ‘clean’ look about it with no fat layer. This is usually because it has come from a young animal and the meat has not been hung properly. Supermarkets are keen to perpetuate this myth as properly hung meat takes up time which costs money and it also loses weight though moisture loss which reduces the price per kilo. In reality, properly hung beef should be quite dark in colour and have an ‘aged’ feel about it.
Hanging
Hanging beef is necessary. Oxygen causes the enzymes in the meat to start to break down the protein structures. This leads to a better texture which leads to a better ‘mouthfeel’ when eating. Hanging also reduces the water content in beef. Any reduction in hydration will increase the intensity of the flavour. Be very careful of buying ‘aged’ beef. It may have been aged in plastic bags surrounded by water which does nothing to improve the quality of the beef. Don’t be tricked here!
Beautiful sirloin from Sandersons
Provenance
Very often chefs will omit talking about the provenance of their beef and focus simply on the cut. We believe that if you know your farmer you can be sure the animal was reared and dispatched in an ethical fashion. If you are very lucky you can get on to the farm and meet the animals to see the quality of their life first hand. Then you know you have a top quality producer.
Cut
Get to know your cuts of meat and how they should be cooked. Start with whether something should be a slow cook or a quick cook. Think about the structure of the animal and how much work that muscle does or how much weight it holds. In general, the more work it does the longer the cook. So, the shin is a good cut to put into stews and casseroles as it will require long cooking. A sirloin steak however does very little work as it sits under the loin and therefore should not be overcooked.
Room temp
Bring your steak to room temperature before you cook it. This ensures a more even cook as cold meat would take longer cooking in the middle so the outside would be over before the inside was correct.
Oil and Seasoning
You’ll read different opinions here. Most agree that oiling your steaks and not the pan is the best way forward. Salt is most definitely required as a flavour enhancer but with opinion divided as to when. Don’t season with salt a long time before cooking as this will draw out moisture. I personally like to season immediately after cooking whereas Nigel salts before. Be careful with seasoning with pepper before cooking though as it can catch and burn leaving an unpleasant taste.
Preparation
The Japanese have a concept called Umami. This is the 5th taste after salt, sweet, sour and bitter. It’s that beautiful flavour you get from the crispy bits of meat on a roast that makes you roll your eyes back in utter delight. If you gently tap your steak before cooking with the back of your knife it roughs up and increases the surface area of your meat. Where that catches on your pan you get extra flavour. Simple.
The Pan
Use a heavy one. I prefer a ridged griddle pan. The point is to have a nice even heat conductor. Thin aluminium pans don’t conduct the heat evenly. The ridges will give those lovely dark lines which bring extra flavour as well as looking cool.
Heat
Your pan needs to be hot. If it’s too cool then the centre will be cooked through before you have a nice crust on the outside. Crust means flavour.
Turning
Now opinion is really divided here. I like to put my steak on and leave it alone. No prodding, poking squashing and certainly no cutting! I then turn once half way through and leave until cooked.
Heston Blumenthal, however, likes to turn his every few seconds throughout cooking to achieve a more even cook. You decide.
Medium Rare
The chef’s choice. Much is written and has passed into folklore about certain chef’s refusing to serve a well done steak or even throwing customers out for asking. In my opinion there is no doubt that with a good quality steak the flavour decreases with every grade further than medium rare. Importantly as well, the mouthfeel changes dramatically, it becomes tougher and less pleasant to eat. Go with the chef’s choice; medium rare.
Butter and herbs
A little butter added at the end of cooking can bring extra flavour and colour.
Don’t cook your steak in butter from the beginning however as it has a much lower burning point than most oils and couldn’t cope with the high heat needed for your steak.
Herbs can add extra flavour dimensions. I personally like the woody herbs like rosemary or thyme with maybe a bashed garlic clove for company.
Resting
Really, very important. Length of time can be down to personal taste, I believe as long out of the pan as in. However, you don’t want your steak to get cold! Resting allows the juices which have travelled from the centre of the meat to retreat back. You will however get juices leaking from the steak which is perfectly normal.
The overall ‘Experience’
Having a steak is a luxury. If you are going to do it, get a good one. Really think about how you are going to cook it, what sides you are going to have with it and which wine to serve with it. Take your time, don’t rush it, really enjoy it.
Try the beef from @UpperSenwickFarm