According to the USDA, we eat over 200 pounds of meat per person per year, with more than 50 pounds of that in beef. One of best way to cook filet mignon on the stove most popular beef products is steak because it tastes great and is very versatile.
But not all steaks are created equal. Cheaper cuts of meat come from muscles that get a lot of movement, such as the shoulder. Step One: Warm It Up To help it cook evenly and have the best flavor, it is important to bring the steak up to room temperature before cooking. Take it out of the refrigerator a minimum of 40 minutes before you plan to cook it to allow it to warm up. Larger cuts of steak could take longer, up to two hours.
If you forget to take it out of the refrigerator before cooking, you can speed up the process using the microwave. Your degree of doneness will depend upon how you like your steak. A rare steak has a cook red center, a medium rare steak has a warm red center, a medium steak has a warm pink center, a medium well steak has a slightly pink center, and if you want little or no pink, opt for a well done steak. Cooking to these temperatures is a better indicator of doneness than cutting into the steak to check.
Delish editors handpick every product we feature. We may earn commission from the links on this page. You don’t need a grill to cook a delicious cut of steak. Bring your steak to room temperature. Cold meat will seize in a hot environment. Let it hang outside of the fridge for about 30 minutes while you preheat your oven.
If you’re using a skillet, get it HOT. This rule mostly applies to thick cuts of meat and is key for a beautifully seared and caramelized crust. If you’re starting with a cold pan, the meat will turn an unappetizing shade of brownish-grey and will be totally one note in texture. You can either stick the skillet in the oven while it’s preheating, or simply heat it up on the stovetop over a flame. For real, use more salt than you think you need. Rub some olive oil onto meat, then use more salt than makes you feel comfortable.
If there’s anything I learned in culinary school, it’s that I was tragically under-seasoning everything. Also, please use freshly ground black pepper — not the kind in the little spice jar. Once you turn it, it’s time for the oven. For thinner cuts of meat, under the broiler, it’s about 6 minutes per side. Flip it on the sheet pan halfway through.
This is very important if you want your steak to be nice and juicy. Get too eager and slice too early, and all that flavor gets wasted on the cutting board. One of the most common reasons for tough and chewy steak is incorrectly slicing it. Going against the grain means slicing perpendicularly to the grain of the meat. This ingredient shopping module is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content on their web site. Let steak sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.