The Perfect Series: Cooking The Perfect Steak

Cooking a steak is easier than it looks and the results are absolute perfection and will blow you away! This recipe will give you an outline on how to achieve cooking glory for that beautiful steak you’re afraid of ruining.

There are definitely more than a few options when it comes to choosing a steak, and everyone seems to have their preference. Personally, I prefer rib-eye because there is a decent amount of marbling and I personally enjoy the richness of that cut. New York and Filet Mignon are more lean, and don’t typically have a lot of marbling. For this recipe, I found a great Porterhouse from my friends from 3 Sons Farm. In the last couple years they have branched out from chickens and are now grass-feeding and pasture raising a few cows. This recipe will give you amazing results for any cut you choose. Pick out your cut and follow our guide to steak heaven. Cooking times will vary among the different cuts because of a few factors- thickness, and fat content. Thinner and fattier meats tend to cook quickly, whereas the thicker and leaner cuts will take a little more time, so please adjust accordingly. 

There are a few really good pieces of advice I’ve learned along the way when it comes to cooking steak. The most important of the three of these is to dry your steak very well! Using paper towels blot the steak, or wrap the steak in the paper towels and remove as much of the moisture as you can. Too much moisture on the steak will cause the steak to steam and you lose the ability to get a nice sear/char/crust on the outside. The second piece of advice is to season your steak at least 45 minutes prior to cooking. Seasoning your steak and letting it rest will allow the salt and flavorings to penetrate the meat more effectively. When you season right before cooking most of that comes off in the cooking process leaving you with practically unseasoned meat!

The third piece of advice is to use ghee! Ghee is a high heat cooking oil that tastes great and will not produce any off flavors when it is heated to a high temperature. Unlike other high heat oils like avocado and grapeseed, ghee has a higher concentration of saturated fats that are more resilient to heat. The more resilient your oil, the more the pan can maintain a higher cooking temperature giving your steak the crust/sear it really needs. 

Ingredients:

• ~1 Tablespoon Full Circle Ghee Traditional
• 1-1.5 pounds of steak, your choice of cut, but preferable Rib Eye, New York, or Porterhouse
• Salt and Pepper
• Meat Thermometer
• Heavy bottom skillet

1. Dry your steak well, with paper towels. Season the steak and let it rest, either at room temperature or in the fridge for at least 45 minutes, but longer only improves the flavor!
2. Using cast iron or another heavy bottomed skillet, heat the skillet to HIGH. Cooking at high temperatures will get you the best result- perfect sear on the outside while achieving the desired internal temperature. 
3. Using Traditional Full Circle Ghee, place enough ghee in the pan to cover the cooking area. This could mean a couple teaspoons, or a tablespoon. It’s your pan, so just make sure you’re using the appropriate amount.
4. Let the ghee liquify and warm for about 30 seconds. The pan should be at least near smoking- which is the perfect temperature. Lightly smoking is even better!
5. Introduce your steak to the pan and let the heat do its thing. After a couple minutes (2-3) you should start to see some browning along the edges. Once you see the browning occur- flip the steak and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
6. At this point I would use a meat thermometer and check the doneness of the inside of the steak. To appropriately use a thermometer, place the tip in the thickest part of the steak. Cook to desired doneness. For medium rare steaks the interior should reach 145 degrees. 
7. If your sear looks amazing, but the interior is not to the right temperature you can place it in a warm oven to complete the process. I would recommend using a base temperature of 300 degrees for this. 
8. After cooking, LET THE STEAK REST. I cannot stress this enough. Letting freshly cooked meat rest allows the meat to reabsorb the juices, which will mean a juicier and more delicious steak. Resting time is anywhere from 5-10 minutes depending on the thickness of what you’re cooking. 
9. Slice up, serve, and enjoy!