Best way to cook a medium rare steak?

The Bad Pawn

I usually have a very hot frying pan with oil on it, quickly seal the steak on both sides and then turn down the heat to cook the meat slowly. Getting it cooked to medium rare and not rare or Medium can be tricky though.

Any tips on when to know how to take it off the heat at the right moment?

Bacchus

A question I've always wanted to ask too and recently got the answer to (my gf was at a Neven Maguire show recently and he answered that very question).

Seal your steak on a very hot frying pan for 3 minutes each side. He recommended using rapeseed oil for this. Then put it into your oven to cook to rare/medium/well done.

To tell how well done/rare it is, he had a handy tip (might be a bit tricky to explain in text).
With your right hand, touch your index finger and your thumb together. Now with your left index finger feel the soft part of your flesh under your thumb. That's what rare feels like. Doing the same, but touching your middle finger and thumb together is medium rare. Ring finger and thumb is medium and little finger and thumb is well done. You should be able to feel the difference.

I've not tested this yet myself, but Neven swears by it.

RoryMurphyJnr

I was shown that way of testing a steak also and it works pretty well.
Once you've done it right a couple of times it's just down to timing it correctly

olaola

Hot hot BBQ. Min and a half each side. Let it rest... perfect!

deargas

Touch you cheek, = rare
Touch you nose = medium rare
Touch your chin = medium
Touch your forehead = well done (aka throw it in the bin

BailMeOut

Season well with salt and pepper, seal both sides on nice hot pan or on BBQ then into hot oven. Oven time will determine doneness and time will depend on thickness and cut of meat. Getting to know doneness based on touch is best way and never ever cut open meat to see inside. Lastly for me the most important step is resting. Be patient, let rest for at least 5 mins before a knife touches it. Meat will still cook a little while resting so take out of oven earlier than you think. Requires a little faith! Do not worry about it cooling a little, it is always worth it letting the meat rest.

My other tip is getting butcher to freshly cut your steaks to your own desired thickness. I never take the ones pre cut sitting out.

...oh sorry I rambled a bit off topic there!

The Bad Pawn

Cheers for all the responses! Planning on cooking two fillet steaks for dinner tmrw so i'll give your advice a whirl! (in case you think i'm a fat fat man I wont be eating both steaks!:))

JONJO THE MISER

Go to Aldi there finest steaks are divine.

dubber

I'm not one to challenge the great Neven McGuire (his restaurant is fab), but I don't get this putting a steak in the oven lark. Get the steak straight from your butcher, keep it out of those silly plastic bags, oil on the steak, season with salt b' pepper, on to the red hot pan and get to know your timings through trial and error (get to eat lots more steak that way)! Scoff it down with a big Shiraz - job done

Stheno

dubber wrote: »

I'm not one to challenge the great Neven McGuire (his restaurant is fab), but I don't get this putting a steak in the oven lark. Get the steak straight from your butcher, keep it out of those silly plastic bags, oil on the steak, season with salt b' pepper, on to the red hot pan and get to know your timings through trial and error (get to eat lots more steak that way)! Scoff it down with a big Shiraz - job done

I'd take the same approach

cgarrad

Well known trick

All you need is your hands. Open your right hand completely. Touch the tip of your index finger with the tip of your thumb. Using your left index finger, push in slightly the meaty part of your right thumb. This is compared to a rare steak.

Open your right hand completely. Touch the tip of your middle finger with the tip of your thumb. Using your left index finger, push in slightly the meaty part of your right thumb. This is compared to a medium steak.

Touch the tip of your ring finger with the tip of your thumb. Using your left index finger, push in slightly the meaty part of your right thumb. This is compared to a medium well steak.

Open your right hand completely. Touch the tip of your pinky finger with the tip of your thumb. Using your left index finger, push in slightly the meaty part of your right thumb. This is compared to a well done steak.

livdmg

Are you not meant to touch the steak as well

donnacha

A very hot grill is my method - medium rare is typically 8 mins. I'd never let the steak hit a frying pan or any oil. Definitely though give it a good seasoning with salt and pepper first.

JONJO THE MISER

Anyone ever cook a steak on a George foreman?
How is it?

the beer revolu

JONJO THE MISER wrote: »

Anyone ever cook a steak on a George foreman?
How is it?

Fine if you like your steak well done.
It doesn't get hot enough to nicely sear a steak and still have it medium rare or better.

JONJO THE MISER

the beer revolu wrote: »

Fine if you like your steak well done.
It doesn't get hot enough to nicely sear a steak and still have it medium rare or better.

Yeah your right, tried it earlier was crap and it was a nice piece of steak as well:(