There are people who love steak and then those that worship it. That swear by only using cast-iron pans, specific cuts of steak and leaving the meat for a precise amount of time before finally cooking it.
It can be very easy to be taken in by all of the varying steak opinions, but for me, the only person I trust with such matters is everybody’s favourite sweary chef, Gordon Ramsay.
Speaking to BBC Good Food, the famous chef gave a simple tip for checking steak is ready, saying: “Use your fingers to prod the meat. When rare, it will feel soft; medium-rare should be only lightly bouncy; well done will feel much firmer.”
Which is so much easier to remember than the myriad of tips you get from steak aficionados.
So, when is the best time to season steak?
While some people swear by seasoning the steak far in advance, Gordon advises against this entirely.
He said: “Don’t season a steak until just before cooking, as salt draws out moisture from meat.”
Gordon revealed that he sprinkles sea salt and freshly ground black pepper onto a dinner plate and presses the steaks into the seasoning just before cooking them.
As for what to actually cook the steak in? A heavy-duty nonstick frying pan is ideal. Additionally, he advises cooks to use groundnut oil for cooking steaks as it can withstand high-temperature cooking without burning and spoiling the flavour.
Finally, for that finishing touch, cook with a little butter for the last minute or so.
As for what to serve with it? Gordon said: “My personal preferences are for rib-eye with mushrooms and the shallot & red wine sauce; fillet steak with oven chips and bois boudrin; and T-bone with wilted spinach and mushroom sauce.”
Yum.