Guide to Perfect (Pan-Fried) Steak

I love steak. I have tried to become a vegetarian as an attempt to become a true animal lover - however, it was too hard for me to cut off meat completely from my diet.  Feeling guilty and all, instead I try to limit the number of meat in my family's weekly meal plan and also try my best to consume natural and humanely raised meat.  In addition to that, I also cook my steaks with perfection to satisfy the craving! Like Joey says from Friends, if you're going to do something bad, you've got to do it right.

Joey: Pheobe, what-what are you doing?
Phoebe: I can't help it. I need the meat. The baby needs the meat.
Joey: All right - look, you know how when you're dating someone and you don't want to cheat on them, unless it's with someone really hot?
Phoebe: Yeah, totally!
Joey: All right. Okay. Well this is the same kind of deal. If you're going to do something wrong, (he grabs two steaks from the freezer), do it right!

Anyways, so here is how I cook my steak.

1. 30 minutes prior to cooking, I leave the steak on the kitchen counter in order to have it at room temperature. 
2. Then, season steak just before pan frying them because I want to keep its juice as much as possible. 
3. Drizzle generous amount of cooking oil to the pan and keep the pan on high heat. 
4. Once the pan is heated, carefully lay the steak away from you to avoid hot oil splashing all over!
5. Then flip the steak after 1.5min on each side. 
6. Add table spoon of butter, and fresh thyme or other fregrant herbs to the pan and baste (spoon hot melted butter over the meat constantly).  
7. In total of 5-6 minutes depending on the thickness, a medium rare steak is ready!  Rest the steak for 5 min.

(This method is similar to Chef Gordon Ramsay's guide to perfect steak)

Serving with some spring salad makes it a healthier meal :-)

If you are not quite sure of the doneness - as this is the only challenge, really. 

When you put the tip of your thumb & your index finger, and feel the firmness of your hand right beneath your thumb. If your meat feels as hard as that much - the meat is done "Rare."

  

You would find the firmness on your hand slightly harder when you put the thumb and the middle finger. If your steak is about the similar hardness of your hand, then it's at Medium Rare.

Similarly, and you'd find your hand feeling the firmest when you put the thumb and your pinky together. This hardness represents when the meat cooked Well Done!

 

The steak is delicious as the meat itself, but if you need an extra kick, here is a simple sauce recipe.

On medium heat... 

• melt a bit of butter and add... 
• 2 TBS whole grain mustard
• 4 TBS balsamic vineger
• 2 TBS honey
• 1 tsp   sugar
• 1 TBS minced garlic
• and a bit of salt and pepper and simmer till thick.

So that's my guide to perfect pan fried steak! It's very simple and easier than it looks - turns your home dining into a world-renowned restaurante! 

Tee-hee :-D!

xoxo 

Vivian