Steak Dinner: Grilled Tri-Tip with Greek Salad & Baked Potatoes
Steak is one of those things that we tend to think of as only being the domain of professional chefs or kitchen-savvy home cooks, but that’s not true at all. Cooking a great steak is actually pretty easy, and you don’t even need an expensive thermometer or fancy grill to do it!
So next time you’re craving good beef, try these tips for cooking steaks without breaking the bank — just follow them step by step and then sit back and enjoy your perfectly cooked piece of meat.
Cooking a great steak is often seen as the realm of the professional chef
Cooking a great steak is often seen as the realm of the professional chef or kitchen-savvy home cook. Steaks are expensive, and if you don’t want to waste money by overcooking them, it’s very important that you learn how to properly prepare them for your guests.
Add your steaks to a hot pan
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the steaks with salt and pepper on both sides and place them in the hot pan. Don’t move them for 3 to 4 minutes — or until they have a golden crust, then flip them over to brown on other side for another 1 to 2 minutes. Once done, put steak on plate and tent with foil while you prepare salad.
Steaks should be at room temperature when you cook them.
Steak should be at room temperature when you cook it. This helps the meat cook evenly and prevents overcooked, dry steak. If you’re short on time, rub your steaks with oil before cooking to help them cook more quickly and evenly.
Cook the first side of your steak for 3-4 minutes exactly.
- Cook the first side of your steak for 3-4 minutes exactly.
- Flip the steak and cook on the second side for another 3-4 minutes.
- Remove from heat, cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Searing steak seals in its moisture and flavor.
Pretty much every expert will tell you that searing steak seals in its moisture and flavor. Searing the meat helps it retain moisture, resulting in a juicier, more tender cut of meat. This is because searing forms a crust on the surface of your steak that creates a barrier between the meat and cooking environment.
Additionally, searing locks in flavor! It creates an aromatic crust on top of your steak, which will leave you salivating as soon as you smell it coming off your skillet or grill.
Best way to cook your steak is under intense heat
Grilling or broiling will seal in the juices, give you a charred crust and cook it quickly. However, if you are cooking indoors and don’t have access to an oven (and even if you do) we recommend searing your steaks in oil first before finishing them off in the oven. If they’re cooked all at once without resting they’ll be overdone by the time they’re done eating all their sides!
Use tongs to flip the steaks after 3 minutes instead of a fork, which will pierce their flesh and allow juices to flow out of them. The first thing you’ll notice when you pick up a steak is that it’s heavy. The second thing you’ll notice is how perfect it looks—like something out of a magazine ad for meat. And then you think, “But this steak isn’t going to turn me into a GQ model.”
Well, maybe not, but your guests will be impressed with the way it tastes! Make sure the steaks are at room temperature before cooking them so they cook evenly and quickly. We’ve chosen two different cuts: rib-eye and NY strip, both prime cuts from the short loin section (that’s where all our tenderloin steaks come from).
These easy tips will help you cook the perfect steak at home!
The most important thing to do when cooking steak is to use a thermometer. You want to make sure that your steak is cooked all the way through, but it also needs to be cooked to the exact temperature you’re looking for. For example, if you like your medium-rare steak red in the middle and pink on the outside, then you need to cook it at 130°F.
We hope this guide has been helpful. If you’re still struggling with your steak, try our tips above, or ask us in the comments below! We love hearing from our readers and will do our best to help out.
