Cooking steak is not an exact science. The cooking time depends on the structure of the meat, the pan, the flame's power, etc. There are, however, some basic rules. Keep reading to find out our tips for successfully cooking steak, in addition to some easy recipes.

1. The main basic rules for cooking steak

- Use a pan with a thick bottom and suitable for the size of the steak.- Remove the steak from the refrigerator a little ahead of time and dry it to get a better crust.- Heat the pan and melt the butter. Wait until the butter no longer foams before placing the steak in the pan. Take advantage of this time to season your meat.- Cook your steak for 4 minutes on one side without touching it. Turn it over with tongs and let it cook again for 4 minutes, still without touching it.- If you prefer a more cooked steak, reduce the flame power after the first 3 minutes to prevent the meat from becoming too dry outside. With an extra minute for each side, your steak will be rare.- Lightly squeeze the steak from the back of the tongs to check for doneness. A medium-sized steak should remain tender.- After cooking, let your steak rest for a few minutes on a preheated plate for a perfect distribution of the meat juices.Cooking steak perfectly depends on your taste preferences. You will, therefore, find below the recommended cooking times. Also, remember that the size and thickness of your piece of meat and the number of steaks you cook simultaneously affects cooking time.

Per side

Blue (raw inside - rare): 3 minutesRare (semi-raw inside - rare): 4 minutesMedium (half-cooked - medium): 5 minutesWell done (cooked): 6 minutes

2. Delicious recipes of cooking steak

2.1 Cooking steak with béarnaise sauce

Your favorite fries and steak with béarnaise sauce

Ingredients:

  • 4 steaks
  • 4 large potatoes
  • Salt
  • 1 head lettuce
  • 4 tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp chopped chives

Ingredients for the béarnaise sauce:

  • 150 g butter
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 50 ml tarragon vinegar
  • 2 tbsp of water
  • 2 tbsp chopped tarragon
  • Salt and pepper

Preparation:

 Cook the fries in portions, first at 140 ° C.Cook them a second time at 175 ° C to make them crunchy.Season with sea salt.At the same time, rinse the lettuce and pass it through the salad spinner.Cut the tomatoes into small quarters.Mix the lettuce, tomatoes, and chives.

For the béarnaise sauce:

Melt the butter, without it becoming too hot.In a small saucepan over low heat, beat the egg yolks, tarragon vinegar, and water to make a frothy mixture. Do not heat too hard.While beating, add the butter drop by drop until a thick sauce is obtained.Continue to beat the sauce for at least 5 minutes, then season with salt, pepper, and chopped tarragon.Coat the steaks with oil, salt, and pepper.Brown them in a hot grill pan or heavy bottom pan (if you are cooking the steaks in a regular pan, add a little butter).Serve your steaks with salad, fries, and béarnaise sauce.Related: 14 Easy Cooking Tips for Meat and Poultry Slow Cooker Recipes

2.2 Cooking steak with vegetables

Ingredients:

  • 1 Kilo of medium-sized steaks
  • A large sliced onion
  • ¼ kilo (250 g) of beans cut in half
  • ¼ kilo (250 g) of carrots, cut into medium thickness slices
  • One large peeled potato, cut into medium cubes
  • 2 large zucchinis, cut into medium size pieces
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) of oil
  • ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) of mixed spices
  • ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) of paprika
  • A pinch of hot red pepper, salt, and black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat the oven at 180 ° C.Season the meat and vegetables with salt, black pepper, spices, and paprika, and stir well.Fry the potatoes in the oil until golden in color.On a medium heat, heat half of the oil, then saute the slices of steak on both sides until browned. Extract the steaks from the pan, heat the rest of the oil, add the beans, zucchini, and carrots, and stir for 3 minutes.Add the steaks and potatoes, a pinch of hot pepper, and mix well.Wrap the slices of steaks and vegetables in butter paper, then into the foil. Put the steak slices with vegetables in a tray, then put it in the oven for 60 minutes. Serve hot.

2.3 Cooking steak in a grill (grilled steak)

Ingredients:

  • A kilo of medium-sized steaks
  • Medium onion, finely chopped
  • One medium peeled tomato, finely chopped
  • 3 crushed garlic cloves
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) oil
  • 1 tablespoon (12.5 g) of barbecue sauce
  • A tablespoon (15 ml) of vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) of mixed spices
  • Salt and black pepper

Preparation:

In a large bowl, put all ingredients, mix them well, and then leave them in the refrigerator overnight or for two hours.Preheat the oven at 250 ° C for 30 minutes.Spread the steaks on the oven grid, then leave them for 20 minutes.Turn the slices on the other side, and leave them for 20 minutes.Place the slices in a tray, then light a piece of charcoal, and place it in the center of the tray.Put two drops of oil over the charcoal, then cover it immediately until it takes the smell of barbecue, and serve hot.

2.4 Cooking steak with onion

Ingredients:

  • 1 kilo of beef steaks.
  • 6 cloves of garlic.
  • A teaspoon of mashed ginger.
  • A teaspoon of meat spices.
  • A quarter of a teaspoon of ground black pepper.
  • A teaspoon of ground chili.
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon.
  • A quarter cup of ghee.
  • A large grain of onions cut into thick slices.
  • 1 cup of fried almonds.

Preparation:

The way of cooking steak with onions is a delicacy and is easy to prepare and does not require much effort. It is rich in proteins and calories, which makes it an integrated meal, and is served as a main dish alongside potatoes, rice, or salads.Put the slice of steak between two pieces of nylon, and knocked on it using the meat hammer several times until it becomes thin, and this method is used with the rest of the steaks.Mash the garlic well, add salt, ginger, mashed, ground chili, cinnamon, spices of meat and ground black pepper, stir all ingredients until completely mixed, and stir the slices of meat on the spice mixture until it is completely covered on both sides.Put the steak in the refrigerator for two hours or more.Put the ghee in a skillet suitable for the amount of meat and put it on fire until it becomes hot.Add the meat and spices at intervals, and stir constantly until the steaks become dark on both sides.Add the onion slices to the steaks without being stirred, cover the pan, and leave on low heat and very low for forty minutes.After the time has passed, the steaks are ripe and ready to serve.Placed in a serving dish and distributed almonds on the face of the steak with onions, and serve alongside potatoes or white rice.

Originally published on Live Positively.