If you are looking to impress someone with your cooking, searing a steak is one of the best things you can pull off! It is a classic meal that requires not many ingredients – just a good quality slab of beef cooked to perfection. If you are unsure what doneness your guests prefer, research what temperature is medium rare steak be when you cook it? By following the right technique, this most popular steak cook is easy to pull off.
This article will help you understand what you should do and watch out for to nail the perfect steak. Cooking steak meat is highly technical. Take this to your own advantage since even if you do not have a massive cooking experience, as long as you know how to follow instructions properly, you can do great in the kitchen!
Tips in Cooking Medium-Rare Steaks
Steak meats can be cooked on a grill or just in a pan. You can find the steps for each method below. Either way, there are general tips that you should follow to increase your chances of nailing the steak temperature chart:
- Completely thaw your meat before cooking. Remove it from the fridge for 20-30 minutes and have it at room temperature before starting any searing. This is especially important to ensure that the meat will be evenly cooked.
- Choose quality meat. Chefs say that choosing the right meat is far more important than executing the hardest to perfect your steak dish. Only buy from trusted suppliers.
- Thick slabs of red meat are preferred. Most people preferred their steak’s doneness is seared outside and still red to pinkish in the center. This is so much easier to achieve with thick cuts. This is also one of the main reasons why fillet mignon remains a crowd favorite despite being relatively less flavorful.
- Wait for your pan or grill to heat up! Searing your steak at a high temperature also helps achieve an outside brown sear and inside raw meat. So, it is best to be patient and get your pan as hot as you can get first before your slab makes contact with it.
- Season generously. Be aggressive in spreading your spices to your meat. Coat it with salt, pepper, and your favorite spices.
- Let it rest. Resting the meat after you remove it from heat is a crucial step you should not forget. Do not start cutting nor serve it right away. Let the meat reabsorb and redistribute its internal moisture. Otherwise, all the juices will immediately pool out on the first slice, and you will have a dry, tough steak.
- Use a piercing thermometer to check when it is done. The answer to what temperature is medium rare steak is 130- degree Celsius when you cook it. Remember that this pertains to the meat’s internal temperature. So, do not let the outside of the steak fool you. Hit the perfect cook by measuring with a piercing thermometer.
Things You’ll Need
Prepare the following:
- Steak of your desired cut
- Oil (vegetable oil is preferred)
- Spices of your choice (salt, pepper, thyme, garlic, steak rub)
- Butter
- Pan (preferably skillet) or grill
Pan-Seared Steak
Follow the steps below in pan-searing a steak:
- Completely thaw your meat and prepare it at room temperature.
- Dab a kitchen towel against it to remove some external excess moisture.
- Spread a generous amount of salt. You may add your pepper before you start searing or when it is nearly cooked.
- Heat up your pan. Put cooking oil and let the temperature rise for about 3-5 minutes.
- Place your steak on the hot pan. The usual cooking time is 3 minutes per side, but it may vary depending on the quality and thickness of your slab. To be more certain, recheck what temperature is medium rare steak be before removing it from the pan. A medium rare steak temperature C is 130-degree Celsius.
- Press the middle part of your meat to ensure that each part is touching your pan’s surface.
- If you feel that you’re halfway through the cook, add in the butter, garlic, and thyme. Make sure to spread the butter and spices through the slab. Tilt the pan or use a spoon if you must.
- Once you have reached your desired temperature doneness, remove it from heat and let it rest for 5 minutes.
A skillet pan is preferred in cooking steaks. Its ability to reach very high temperatures is ideal for achieving a brown and crisp sear.
Grilling a Medium-Rare Steak
If you wish to grill steak, here are the steps you can follow:
- Completely thaw your meat at room temperature.
- Spread a generous amount of salt while thawing it. The salt will help keep the moisture inside the steak.
- Heat up your grill. Remember that we want it to be as hot as possible. If you are using coal, you know that it is ready whenever flame is no longer present (or minimal), and the coal is burning orange.
- Dab dry and add in your spices. Right before you start grilling, dab the meat with a kitchen towel to remove excess outside moisture. Add salt and pepper. You may opt to massage it with a dry or wet steak rub of your choice.
- Place your beautifully seasoned meat on the griller. Since grill temperatures are less controllable, do not dare leave your meat unattended. A minute can make a whole lot of difference.
- Control any flare-ups should there be any. Remember that even though you want a final dark color outside, you do not want the meat to burn.
- If it goes well with your other spices, you can spread melted butter halfway through your cooking.
- Grill each side for about 3 minutes, depending on the thickness of your meat. Use a piercing thermometer to check if you have already hit what temperature is medium rare steak be. It must be around 130-degree Celsius.
- Once you have hit your desired doneness, remove it from the heat. Let it rest for 5 minutes before cutting and serving it.
The smoke from a grill adds complexity to the flavor of steaks. Aim for a charred outside with red center doneness.
Conclusion
Hitting what temperature is medium rare steak be when you cook it is not as hard as you think. Have your kitchen thermometer ready. Get your preferred cuts from your trusted supplier, prepare the spices, and heat up the pan. Get the meat’s internal temperature at 130-degree Celsius and achieve a flavorful, tender, and juicy taste. You can also pair your steak with your favorite red wine! Make a good meal that will surely impress your peers. Get more awesome tips about cooking here!