[Closed] What's a good way to season a steak

For a nice 28 day steak I'd probably leave it alone, bit of salt and pepper.

For something slightly different mix some olive oil, lemon, rosemary and salt and pepper in a bowl and then rub this into the steak.

Gives a bit of flavour without overpowering the steak

Aye, just good quality salt and pepper. I like to use really coarse ground salt on steak.

Salt and Pepper nothing else don't ruin it by pouring a rubbish sauce on either. Good steak need nothing but seasoning.

crush and chop some juniper berries, rub in with salt

don't put salt on before cooking,it draws moisture out do it afterward, and use good quality salt.

what I do is put in a bowl: Olive oil 2 or 3 smashed cloves of garlic, skin and all, good quantity of coarsely ground black pepper and a couple of sprigs of rosemary. put the steaks in this, get them well covered and leave for a couple of hours, not in the fridge.
when you cook them wipe off any of the herb or garlic, and most of the oil and fry without butter in a hot pan, once you turn them add butter, baste, take them out season with salt and more pepper, leave for a bit. perfect!

Just salt and pepper.
Salt after cooking, not before. Cook one side...season, cook the other....season.
Also cook from room temperature or above, don't cook from the fridge. If you've got an oven that has a good temperature control on it, stick the steaks in a ziplock bag and put them in the oven at 40 degrees for an hour or so before coking. Put them back in there (not in the bags though) after you've cooked them and let them rest before serving.

If the steaks have a lot of fat cut some off and render this down in the pan and use this instead of oil or butter.

It's fine putting the salt on before cooking but just before, if you soaking in rubbish for a couple of hours then yes no salt.

what warton says, make sure the oil is really decent quality and use a little less than you think you need. Also don't piss around with the steak once its frying, just leave it be and only touch it to turn.

This is a bit weird, but I really like Aromat on mine...

Sometimes I cut it into cubes, and toss it in a dollop of sesame oil and either some soy sauce or teriyaki.

My favourite marinade for lamb is to stick an onion in the liquidiser with some yogurt and either vinegar or lemon juice (no salt in a marinade - ever). Might work for steak.

I disagree with the "no salt on steak". I think it's best if you salt it well ahead of cooking - but make sure it's patted dry before frying.

I think it's best if you salt it well ahead of cooking

salt draws moisture out of stuff, you do it on tomatoes, cod, hams and aubergines for this exact reason. why would you want to draw moisture out of a steak?

why would you want to draw moisture out of a steak?

Yep, as you said in your post, you don't. You want to cook it on a high heat to seal the moisture in.

I don't use oil any more tried it and much prefer it without a good grill pan works a treat.

Extreme heat for me. Blast it as hot as possible, char the outside more than you think is reasonable. The taste of quality meat done like that is not like any spice and is unattainable any other way.

A lid on the frying pan helps keep the mess at bay.

Yep you don't. You want to cook it on a high heat to seal the moisture in.

another myth, the sizzle you hear is the moisture evaporating, you cook it on a high heat to minimize the evaporation process, you can't 'seal' meat to make it effectively waterproof.

The heavy salting prior to cooking draws out the water (water which contributes nothing to the flavour) and also relaxes the cells.

This results (even after rinsing & patting dry) in a drier steak which will sear better.

The heavy salting prior to cooking draws out the water (water which contributes nothing to the flavour) and also relaxes the cells.

This results (even after rinsing & patting dry) in a drier steak which will sear better.

I suggest you start looking elsewhere for your steak if you having to draw out water and pat your steak dry.

big john, hmm, fair enough, I see where you're coming from, never tried it myself.

but as Drac says, there shouldn't be lots of water in a steak

I didn't expect this to turn into a bloody argument.

Christ on a bastard bike.

derek, just do it my way, its the best.

another myth, the sizzle you hear is the moisture evaporating, you cook it on a high heat to minimize the evaporation process, you can't 'seal' meat to make it effectively waterproof.

🙄 No you can't make it waterproof. But if you don't think it works why aren't you recommending that you ovenbake it and serve it with McCain's Homefries.

Rub on some garlic, salt and pepper then nuke it from orbit.

another myth, the sizzle you hear is the moisture evaporating, you cook it on a high heat to minimize the evaporation process, you can't 'seal' meat to make it effectively waterproof.

sealing the meat has a more important job than keeping the juices in.

why aren't you recommending that you ovenbake it and serve it with McCain's Homefries

cook it in the oven at low temp would be lovely.

Burn him! String him up!

A splash of balsamic, red wine or beer in the pan afterward makes a nice sauce.

Burn him! String him up!

Burning's too good for him! Oven bake him in an oven with some McCain Homefries!!! 🙂

Let the steak come to room temperature then on both side put sea salt, black Pepper, fresh Rosemary, splash with Olive oil and rub it in, fry(no oil in the pan and make sure the pan is hot) on a high heat for 1-2 minutes each side, let rest for 3-4 minutes, then eat! magic!

I sometimes go down the black pepper route, but if you crack the pepper in a pestle and mortar and leave in quite big chunks then you get more pepper taste with less heat. You can use quite a lot (like a dessertspoonful per steak) - just push it onto the steak just before it goes in the pan.

Also, sometimes like to put on a lump of garlic and herb butter after it is cooked - make the butter well in advance to get the garlic flavour out of the garlic and into the butter. I crush my garlic with the back of a knife and use some fresh parsley - mix into soft butter then chill the butter for a few hours. Cut a lump off and put on steak just before you serve so it is still melting when it hits the table.

Burn him! String him up!

wrong order but yes.

String it up - 30 days would be a good start.
Burn him - yep, sear the outside (Maillard reaction)
Then cook it at a low temp.

🙂

Get it to room temp and then just pan fry it, season, and then lob in a lump of butter near the end and keep basting that over the steak..

Or do it in a similar way to cooking rib of beef...

In a low oven first, about 75C until the whole lot is up to about 56C.. and then flash fry on a searingly hot pan afterwards... 😀

Damnit, I want steak for lunch now!

I would definately agree with phl.w for a larger cuts, even big fillet steaks.
But would you do that for individual sirloin steaks? They would have to be pretty thick.

I didn't expect this to turn into a bloody argument.

Christ on a bastard bike.

I'm beginning to wonder about you, DS: on your début thread things didn't quite turn out how you expected, you've been here for a while now... What on earth made you think this thread would be any different???

Personally: bit of olive oil in the pan, nice and hot, steak in, sea salt and pepper on the upside, then flip when the bottom's done. Don't overcook. Serve with a nice green salad, rocket for example. Or patatas a lo pobre, recipe (in Spanish - sorry) [url= http://www.recetasdemama.es/2008/08/patatas-a-lo-pobre/ ]here[/url]

I would definately agree with phl.w for a larger cuts, even big fillet steaks.
But would you do that for individual sirloin steaks?

Depends on the thickness. In reality, at home, probably not. If i was buying fillet for home I'd definitely get some nice thick tournedos so there’d need to go in an oven.

I didn't expect this to turn into a bloody argument

no, i think we'd all agree it has to be rare. 🙂

I didn't expect this to turn into a bloody argument

A mere flash in the pan.

Okay, okay.

I've got it.

I'm going to tenderise it with bombers and then cook it in the diswasher. Once cooked, I'm going to let it rest and then I'm going to fly tip the bastard.

Thanks all.

patatas a lo pobre

Ah, found an English version of the recipe:

http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-make-patatas-a-lo-pobre

😆