Olde Towne Cutlery is proud to have a professional chef on our team. Tim Rowland is the resident artist at Olde Towne Cutlery and is a master knifemaker specializing in Japanese cutlery. Tim’s background as a professional chef has some huge advantages for OTC. We get first-hand knowledge of what makes a great kitchen knife, and we have access to cooking tips that come straight from a professional. Here is Tim’s “How To Properly cook a steak.”
First, pick a good grade of steak and find one with some evenly distributed marbling. The grade and fat is important, but of equal importance is what you do BEFORE you cook it. Here is what to do next:
Pat the steak completely dry with paper towels. Then, place the dry steak on a plate and generously season with salt and pepper or any other seasoning you enjoy. Once fully covered, place back in the refrigerator without any cover; just open to the cold, dry air and leave for several hours. If possible, elevate the steak on a grate so that air can pass all the way around the meat. This process ensures that the proteins pull in the flavor of the seasoning and allows the surface of the meat to char properly. This is called a Maillard (my-YAR) reaction, which is a chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that gives browned, caramelized food its distinctive flavor, such as a sear.
But first, back to the prep. Once the steak has sat in a cold dry fridge for a few hours, take it out and let the steak come to room temperature before cooking. This steps enables the meat to retain more juices inside the thin char on the outside.
Preheat your grill. If using a propane, grill, you needs lots of BTU’s, so crank up the heat. Steaks cook best on hot temperatures.
And finally, let things rest after cooking. This allows the steak to redistribute its juices so they don’t seep out once the meat is cut. Rest a steak about 3-5 minutes for best results.
Next: PIG-OUT! HAHA!!
Recommended Knife Selection
Shun Classic Steak Knife set
Perfectly cooked steak deserves an equally perfect cut. Get the right tools at your table. Make each bite count with the Shun Classic Steak Knife set – it’s the no-fuss, reliable choice for steak lovers.
4 PC Steak Knife Set by Shun Kitchen Cutlery