Page 221 - YC Cooking School

French Classics

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Success with steak

Use cuts best suited to frying
Sirloin, rib-eye and fillet cuts can all be used to fry or grill the perfect steak. Ideally, you’re
looking for a lazy-aged steak from a reputable butcher that has a healthy layer of fat on it, as
this will give you the delicious flavour you’re after. Make friends with your local butcher, ask
their advice on cuts and, if possible, try to buy ethically reared meat. A cow that’s had a good
life will taste far superior and you’ll feel much better about eating it too.

Use good, solid cookware
A cast iron or stainless steel pan works best as this will give you constant and even heat
distribution – very important qualities when frying the perfect steak.

Season your meat just before you cook it
It’s best to season your meat just before it goes onto the pan. Salt draws moisture from
meat, so seasoning too early will cause it to dry out.

Preheat your pan
Set your flame or hot plate at a medium to high heat and let your pan warm up for a few
minutes before you add the steaks. This will give you a lovely sizzle as the meat hits the pan
and will help you achieve a golden crust.

Add butter to the oil in your pan for extra flavour
It’s a little decadent, but this technique will add loads of extra flavour to your meat and
that’s what counts. Wait for the butter to melt almost completely before adding your steaks
and remember to keep an eye on it: if it starts to go a brown colour, your pan is too hot and
you’ll need to start over.

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