Frying steaks is a rather intricate process: preparing a piece of meat over an open fire. It seems to be nothing particularly outstanding in this. However, this has become a whole culture, starting with the skill of carcass cutting and ending with the creation of a special atmosphere, which is certainly present in the cooking process. What is the peculiarity of the preparation and why so much attention to this dish?
According to the dictionary of modern English, a steak is a thick piece of meat of an animal or fish, cut in the transverse direction. Its thickness is at least 3 cm. In general, the concept of steak has many interpretations and depends on the country where it is cooked, what it is cooked from and how, because the culture of cooking this dish does not stand still, constantly evolving and changing. Of course, beef is considered the queen of steaks. It makes the most juicy, low-fat and mouth-watering dishes. Although at present there are more than one hundred species of its varieties from other types of meat, fish, which are to some extent connected with the culinary traditions of the national cuisine of a particular region.
But the cooking process itself has remained unchanged. The steak is prepared as follows. Lubricate with vegetable oil (you can oil-based marinade) the surface on which we will cook, and directly the piece of meat itself. A distinctive feature - it must be perfectly dry. There should be two frying surfaces. On one it is necessary to maintain a temperature of about 280 degrees, and on the second - 140-150 degrees. A pre-prepared steak is first laid on a surface with a higher temperature. As a result, the so-called "heat stroke" occurs. Thanks to this, a piece of meat is covered with a crisp, preserving the juice inside, making the steak juicy and soft.
Heat stroke should last no more than 20 seconds. After that, the meat is transferred to the second surface (with a lower temperature) and the steak is cooked to the desired degree. This is a separate part of the process, no less important than the preparatory stage.
The cooking time and the degree of steak roast depends on each person’s personal preferences : some prefer juicy, slightly damp, and some dry and fried. There are no strict rules regarding the combination of types of meat and how much it should be fried. This is a matter of taste and capabilities of the restaurant where meat is cooked. Traditionally, the degree of steak is divided into seven types:
- Raw is completely raw. The meat does not undergo any heat treatment. Used to make carpaccio.
- Blue rare is prepared very quickly - within three to five minutes. On top, the meat has a thin crust of pinkish color, and inside is red.
- Rare. Outwardly, such a degree of steak roasting can create the feeling that the meat is completely cooked: a hard crust and a red middle.
- Medium rare. The meat is completely red with a crust.
- Medium This is the most common and optimal degree of steak frying. The meat inside is red; tender juice oozes from it when pressed.
- Medium well done. The meat has a light pinkish color, without juice, a little dry.
- Well done - the last degree of steak roasting. The meat on top is a little burnt, and inside it has a gray tint.