I Asked 4 Chefs the Best Way To Cook Steak—They All Said the Same Thing

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This is a simple method that any home cook can try.

Cooking a steak dinner at home can be a challenge that's best suited for those with some experience. Achieving a perfect sear while also cooking the inside to the exact desired level of doneness can be quite tricky. Additionally, there's a lot of room for error, and repeated failures can be disheartening.

It's recommended to let the steak rest after cooking to keep its juices in. Despite this, I often feel unprepared when I'm making steak.

I contacted some experts who specialize in cooking steak, and I was impressed by their straightforward advice. After sifting through a lot of online opinions, it was a relief to finally get reliable guidance from people who know what they're talking about - they've actually spent their careers cooking steak. And what I found striking was that they all agreed on one key point.

I Asked Three Butchers About Choosing the Best Steak—And They All Gave Me the Same Advice

Meet the Meat Specialists I Talked To

• Porterhouse Party
• : Author of
• ZouZous
• The Genesee Store

The Reverse Sear

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To do a reverse sear, you cook your steak in the oven at a low temperature first, then complete it with a high-heat sear on the stovetop. This approach enables you to control the doneness of the meat and results in a more evenly cooked steak.

After seasoning the steak, Chef Nate advises placing it on a cold baking sheet and putting it in a 175 to 195-degree oven. (Most household ovens can go as low as 200 degrees - you can use that temperature.) Cook the steaks for 20 to 40 minutes, depending on how you like your steak. The best way to check is to take the internal temperature of the steaks using an instant-read thermometer: 125 degrees for rare to 130 degrees for medium-rare.

Just before taking the steaks out of the oven, preheat a cast iron skillet on the stovetop with a small amount of oil until it is extremely hot. Next, grill the steaks in the skillet for 30 to 40 seconds on each side.

According to Matt, when cooking steaks with the reverse sear method, they "will not require resting, and will be cooked evenly to the desired temperature throughout".

If you're in the mood for a rich, savory flavor and a tender texture, the ribeye might be the way to go. However, if you

Take the steaks out of the refrigerator early to thaw them.

According to Matt, the biggest mistake a cook can make is not taking steaks out of the fridge before cooking. He advises, "Take any thick steaks out of the fridge at least 30 minutes ahead of time and no more than a couple of hours in advance."

It takes the chill out of the steaks. The objective is to reach an internal temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit, and even leaving them on the kitchen counter for 30 minutes can make a significant difference in terms of temperature.

Chef Jimmy agrees: "You should always pull your meat out of the refrigerator a little early... the nearer it gets to room temperature, the more evenly it'll cook."

Joe advises to rub the steak with a coarse salt. This will "pull the moisture" and make the meat "even more tender as it reaches room temperature."

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