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The best way to have steak… what a controversial conversation! If you’re new to eating steak, the cuts, sauces, cooking styles and times, garnishes and sides can be a little daunting. But what’s the ‘best’ way to have your steak?
Unfortunately, the truth is, there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’, ‘best’ or ‘worst’ way to eat a steak. It’s pretty much up to you and how you prefer it. Leading Chefs of course have an opinion and recommendations based on cut however it really does go down to you trialling and testing what works best for you.
Here’s what we know from the experts to help you make an informed decision when ordering!
Cuts of Steak
Firstly, it’s important to know the different cuts of steak.
- Rib-eye
Rib-eye is one of the fattiest types of steak but can be very flavourful if cooked properly
- Tenderloin a.k.a Filet Mignon
Tenderloin does exactly what it says on the tin, because there is less muscle, it means this steak is leaner
- T-Bone
T-bone essentially has two cuts of steak in one making it harder to cook! These steaks are commonly served on the bone
- Flank
This is a large cut of steak so great for sharing. It can be a little tougher if not cooked properly
- Sirloin
Sirloin carries a cheaper price tag than most steaks while still being super tasty so if you’re looking for a cheaper meal this is one to go for!
- Rump
Lean and relatively tough, Rump steak is best for marinating!
There are several other cuts of steak however unless you’re going to a specialist steak restaurant, you’re unlikely to see those!
Blue Steak... Is It For Me?
How long your steak is cooked and at what temperate is called ‘degree of doneness’. Depending on the size of each individual steak, cooking times may vary.
Here are the degrees of doneness:
Blue
Blue steak isn’t for the faint-hearted. Blue steak is seared for so little time that when you cut open the steak at first the meat is a blue/purple colour as it hasn’t been exposed to oxygen yet – the meat is usually cold and essentially… raw. If it’s cooked properly it’s absolutely safe to eat. Unless you’re at a reputable restaurant, we wouldn’t recommend asking for your steak blue!
Rare
Cooked at 52 degrees Celsius
Rare steak is one step up from blue, again seared for a very short time to kill the bacteria but still undeniably red on the inside. Again, this steak is usually a little cold on the inside.
Medium Rare
Cooked at 57 degrees Celsius
Medium rare is a much more popular way of having your steak. Seared on the outside long enough that the meat on the inside is warm but still very much red!
Medium
Cooked at 63 degrees Celsius
Starting to hot up now. Medium steak is seared on the outside until the meat on the inside is pink instead of red and nice and warm.
Medium Well
Cooked at 66 degrees Celsius
Medium well steak is seared on the outside long enough that the meat is very warm and slightly pink.
Well Done
Cooked at 71 degrees Celsius
Asking for your steak to be cooked well done is often met with tuts. Well-done steak is seared long enough that the meat is very hot and very little pink or none at all and the meat will be brown. People argue that you lose the true flavour and texture when you have your meat cooked well done however for those who are slightly squeamish with bloody meat – well-done may be your only way to enjoy a steak at all!
Sides
Sides
Sides is where you can get totally unique and creative. Usual sides will include chips and vine tomatoes. But many restaurants offer a wide variety of sides like mac & cheese, broccoli, mash, salads, coleslaw, and corn on the cob plus you get the choice of a ton of different sauces. Perhaps the most common is peppercorn sauce but blue cheese is often on offer, salsa verde, red wine sauce, bbq and a whole lot more!
These of course are totally at your discretion and whatever you fancy on the day, you might want your steak to feel fresh so go with a salad side and salsa verde or you might want to feel warm and cosy so go for mash and a red wine sauce – that’s the beauty of the dish – you can totally make it unique to your taste.
At Elite
At Elite
We couldn’t write about steak and not plug our own dishes. At Elite Pubs, we offer a choice of 35-day aged 10oz Rib-eye or 21-day aged 8oz Fillet. With vine tomatoes, flat mushroom, watercress and chips/fries/sweet potato fries. Plus, a choice of peppercorn sauce, blue cheese sauce and garlic parsley butter.
If all that wasn’t mouth-watering enough… you can make it surf and turf by adding king prawns or half a lobster!
We hope this blog gave a little more insight into different types of steak and which might be the best for you!