How to Cook a Steak like a Pro

Ever wonder how the restaurants make the steak taste so good?  I have!  I watch those cooking shows, read, and I still couldn’t pull it off – but then I asked a chef!

What you need:

• Steaks  (I used boneless ribeye)
• Flaked sea salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• Garlic powder
• A little dry red wine (about ½ cup)

How to Do it:

Place the steaks in an open container and pour ½ the wine (I used cabernet sauvignon) over the top.  Let sit at room temperature about 5 minutes, flip and pour the remaining wine over them.  Let sit another 5 minutes.

Sprinkle one side liberally with all the seasonings – I used about two big pinches of each.  Flip and repeat on the other side.  Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for about 12 hours.

Drain off all the liquid and cover the steaks with a paper towel.  Return to the refrigerator and chill another 12 -24 hours, uncovered, turning once.  This will “age” the steak a little, drying out some of the water.

Rub the surface of a grill or grill pan with a little oil to prevent sticking.  Heat to medium-heat and place the steaks on the hot grill.  Cook on each side for about 5 minutes, depending on the degree of doneness you want.

How do you tell if it’s done?  You can use a meat thermometer, but I don’t like to pierce the steak in anyway while it’s cooking, it lets those precious juices out – so here is another method-

Open your hand, but keep it totally relaxed and press the fatty part under your thumb with your index finger.  It will be soft and spongy – that’s what a rare steak will feel like when pressed in the center of the thickest part.

For medium-rare, touch your middle finger to your thumb, then feel that fatty part.  It will be soft, but with a little less give than before.  That’s how the steak will feel.

Want medium?  Do the same thing but touching the ring finger to your thumb – and for well done, the pinky finger.

Remove the steak from the heat and allow it to rest for two or three minutes before cutting.

© Copyright 2016 The Lazy Gastronome