How do you like your Steak?
Michelle Phetlhe | Tuesday September 14, 2021 06:00
Nyaa e yone e santse e tshela e! That steak is so undercooked it might just walk off the plate and moo! Why do you want to fight your meat? Now you’re shaking the whole table trying to cut a piece.
The commentary is hilarious. We recently came across the question how you do like your steak on the social media streets and needless to say the question caused quite a stir. Those who preferred it well done called out those who liked their stakes medium or rare and vice versa.
Even though it all boils down to personal preference the discussion was heated and went on for days. Personally, I found it difficult to weigh in because I don’t eat red meat and haven’t done so since high school and back then I don’t remember ordering rare steak when we went out for lunch or dinner with friends or family. I don’t remember having a preference or it being a discussion at home.
Botswana has some of the best beef in the world so the quality has nothing to do with why I chose to stop eating meat, in fact I was an exchange student in Argentina, where they also love their beef and they could not for the life of them understand that I am from Botswana but don’t eat meat.
This brings me to how do I prepare steaks for my family. A few years ago I just cooked it, I didn’t give the cuts any real attention or care. Chopped and boiled for a stew of sort or fried to death. I am pretty sure I made up for the sometimes chewy/tough bites in flavour.
When you watch enough cooking shows on TV and online you can’t help but notice that there is an actual art to making steak and this is different for the cuts that one can get from the cow. Rib Eye, T- Bone, Medallions etc.
Every cut when cooked to perfection is unique in flavour and quality.
The most common levels of preparation are blue, rare, medium rare, medium, medium well, and well-done. There are two basic methods to test for how done your meat is while you are cooking it—use a meat thermometer, or press on the meat with your fingertips. We prefer to use the finger test as it is very efficient and costs nothing. Plus, we don’t eat steak that religiously. All you do is open the palm of your hand. Relax the hand. Take the index finger of your other hand and push on the fleshy area between the thumb and the base of the palm. Make sure your hand is relaxed. This is what raw meat feels like.
Now gently press the tip of your pinky and your thumb together. Again feel the fleshy area below the thumb. It should feel quite firm. This is what well done meat feels like when you press on it Press the tip of your ring finger and your thumb together. The flesh beneath the thumb should give a little more buoyancy.
This is what meat cooked to a medium doneness feels like
Gently press the tip of your middle finger to the tip of your thumb. This is medium rare. Press the tip of your index finger to the tip of your thumb. The fleshy area below the thumb should give quite a bit of pressing allowance. This is what meat cooked to rare feels like. Next time you are hosting ask your guests how they like their steaks and make everyone’s to perfection. Steak can be served with chips, veggies, pap, rice Sarona Samp or on a meat platter. This Pan-Seared Steak has a garlic rosemary-infused butter that makes it taste amazing. You’ll be impressed at how easy it is to make the perfect steak – seared and caramelised on the outside, and so juicy inside. This 20-minute recipe is done on the stovetop in one pan (no need to finish it in the oven). It really doesn’t get any easier than this and you don’t need much to make a lip-smacking good steak.
How to Pan Sear Steaks:
Pat dry – use paper towels to pat the steaks dry to get a perfect sear and reduce oil splatter. Season generously – just before cooking steaks, sprinkle both sides liberally with salt and pepper. Preheat the pan on medium and brush with oil. Using just 1/2 Tbsp oil reduces splatter. Sear steaks – add steaks and sear each side 3-4 minutes until a brown crust has formed then use tongs to turn steaks on their sides and sear edges (1 min per edge). Add butter and aromatics – melt in butter with quartered garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs. Tilt pan to spoon garlic butter over steaks and cook to your desired doneness Remove steak and rest 10 minutes before slicing