What should be the perfect steak? Beginning housewives are unlikely to be able to accurately answer this question, and even more so to describe the entire technology for obtaining the dish. Therefore, useful tips and a step-by-step guide on how to cook beef steak (whole piece and chopped mass) according to all the rules presented in this article will help them in the best way possible.
Stage One: Choose Meat
How to make beef steak with a nice crispy crust on top and at the same time tender, slightly pinkish pulp inside? At the same time, it should be juicy enough, but not raw (even if with a blood). All these characteristic features of a perfectly prepared dish can be present only under one condition - the right meat. We list the main recommendations and rules that you need to consider when buying a product:
- the most delicious dish is obtained from young beef or veal;
- do not use frozen pieces, the product should be fresh and chilled;
- it is advisable to cook a steak from certain sirloin parts of the carcass with tender meat, bone sections (ribs, etc. are not used);
- sinewy pieces are not suitable for cutting;
- if possible, choose meat without films on its surface;
- focus on the approximate thickness of the future steak - from 3 to 4 cm;
- sliced pieces should be approximately the same.
Stage Two: Preliminary Meat Preparation
If the beef steak will be prepared from not very young meat, you must definitely properly process it beforehand. To do this, cover each of the sliced pieces with cling film, and then lightly beat off with a kitchen hammer on both sides. This is done so that the structure of the fibers becomes softer and more susceptible to frying. After a short beat, rub a mixture of pepper and salt into the pulp. This spice treatment is also recommended for young meat. Salt has the ability to retain moisture, making the dish even juicier when frying. Therefore, processed semi-finished products must be allowed to lie in a cool place for at least an hour and a half. In addition to ground pepper, you can use any other spices, depending on taste preferences: cayenne pepper, oregano, Provencal herbs, coriander, dried basil, etc. You do not need to wash off the salt layer before frying. And in compliance with the norms of the products used, this is not required, since the whole seasoning mass is absorbed into the meat.
Stage Three: Fry Pieces
So, the preliminary preparation was carried out in full: the meat is cut, beaten (if necessary), seasoned with salt and spices. Now you can start frying. Since usually a beef steak is served immediately, as they say, “with heat, with heat”, the preparation of meat pieces is carried out immediately before serving the table. For frying, it is best to use any refined vegetable oil without a characteristic odor. Pour it into a thick-bottomed pan and set it on fire. After warming up, you can start cooking. Before doing this, be sure to pat each piece of paper with a paper towel to remove excess juice. As soon as a small smoke appears above the pan, lower the cut pieces into the heated oil. After browning, turn over the steak and continue frying. The fire should be medium, as the juice starts to stand out as it decreases, which makes all the work problematic. Do not fill the pan with several pieces. It is better to roast two or three at a time.
Cooking beef steak in the oven
Of course, the best option for using an oven is a grill. Then you don’t have to worry about turning the pieces over. In a simple oven, baking is carried out in stages, especially if the products are slightly browned on top. For better circulation, use a grill. Lay the pieces cut and grated with spices on it. Bake until lightly browned. Typically, this pre-treatment is carried out with tough meat. Young beef will be quite enough just to fry in oil in a pan. To make the baked pieces look normal, after removing them from the oven, you can cook in the traditional way. This means frying in oil in a pan over high heat until a pleasant golden crust is obtained. In this way, you can cook semi-finished products in advance, and then, if necessary, quickly bring them to readiness and serve on the table in a hot appetizing form.
Is it possible to cook minced beef steak?
There are situations when the available meat cannot be divided into portions, as it is cut from an unsuitable carcass fragment or consists of several separate parts. Then cook the beef chopped beef steak. Of course, in essence it turns out to be a completely different dish, but apparently both of them are very similar to each other due to the flat shape of the finished fried pieces. How to achieve not only an attractive externally fried dish, but also the taste typical of a steak? To do this, it is preferable to turn beef into minced meat not with a meat grinder, but with a rather sharp knife. Try chopping the product finely into minced meat, and then add a few related ingredients (onions, bread, eggs, etc.). The mixture for mandatory preservation in the future of the shape of the meatballs during frying should be carefully mixed, slightly discouraged. Chopped steaks can also be rolled in flour if desired.
Minced beef steak with mushrooms recipe
One of the original cooking methods is to add some additional ingredient to the meat mass. This recipe for beef steak involves the use of mushrooms. Take 100 g of champignons, peel them and finely chop. Chop the beef (500 g) without streaks and films with a sharp knife until a smooth and even mass is obtained. If the meat is harsh, grind it in a meat grinder with a medium grill. Combine the resulting minced meat with mushrooms, beat one egg and season with salt and various spices. Then knead it thoroughly, slightly repelling. Form flat round meatballs from the mass and roll them lightly in flour. Then fry each steak in hot oil until a crust is obtained on all sides. Serve hot, sprinkled with plenty of greens. Use fresh or boiled vegetables as a side dish. You can top it with some hot sauce and sprinkle with onions marinated in vinegar. A hearty, tasty and mouth-watering dish is ready!