How to Cook the Perfect Steak: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you've ever tried to cook the perfect steak, you know how tricky it can be to get the doneness just right. Whether you prefer your steak rare, medium, or well done, mastering the technique takes practice. We're here to guide you through the process with clear steps, and a simple touch test to help you gauge the doneness of your steak like a pro.

Preparation Is Key
Before you start cooking, you'll want to make sure your steak is properly prepared. Just before cooking, season your steak with salt on both sides. If the steak is on the moist side, it's a good idea to pat it dry briefly using kitchen paper before seasoning. This will help you achieve a nice, crispy crust. Make sure you have a chopping board and a sharp chef’s knife ready to slice the steak once it's cooked. This will help you check the doneness at each stage.

Heat Your Pan
Heat a little oil in a frying pan over medium heat. The oil should just barely cover the surface of the pan. Make sure your extractor fan is on, as things can get smoky once you start cooking the steak.

Place the steak fat-side down into the pan and let it cook for 30-60 seconds to render the fat briefly and develop some colour. This step will help enhance the flavour and texture.

A “Blue” Steak
Cook for 1 minute per side — Lay the steak flat in the pan and cook it for about 1 minute on each side. The goal here is to get a good sear on the outside of the steak while leaving the inside raw.

After you've seared both sides, remove the steak from the pan and transfer it to a cutting board. Slice a small piece from the end of the steak and feel it with your fingers. If the meat feels slightly warm, this is considered ‘blue’ (very rare). Where the outside of the steak has been seared, the inside 75% is raw with only a little warmth.

Feeling the steak can help you gauge the doneness. The steak will feel very soft when it's rare, gradually getting firmer as it moves through medium and well done. You can use this "touch test" alongside your timed cooking guidelines to get the perfect steak every time.

Rare Doneness
If you're looking for a rare steak, you’ll want to cook the steak for an additional 30 seconds on each side, so 1 minute and 30 seconds on each side. You can regulate the heat if necessary to avoid burning the outside.

Remove the steak from the pan and slice another piece from the same end as before. It should feel warm but still mostly raw in the centre, which means it’s ‘rare’—the outside is seared while the inside is mostly raw with just a little warmth.

Medium Rare
For a medium-rare steak, you'll want to cook the steak for two minutes on each side.

At this point, the steak should have a warm red centre with some pinkness and a slight firmness. The outside should be cooked through, but the centre remains mostly raw.

Medium
Want your steak medium? You’ll up the time to 2 minutes and 30 seconds for each side.

Your steak should now have a pink and juicy centre, with the top and bottom 25% cooked through. The steak’s fibres should be set all the way through, but the middle will still have that perfect pinkness.

Medium Well
If you prefer a steak that's a little firmer with less pinkness, you'll want to cook it medium-well. Per side of your steak, cook it for 3 minutes.

The steak should be firming up, and you’ll see fewer signs of pink. The texture will be more
consistent throughout the steak. Again, it’s important to regulate the heat in your pan so you don’t burn your steak.

Well Done
For those who enjoy a well-done steak, you’ll want to cook your steak for 3 minutes and 30 seconds on each side.  A well-done steak will be firm, with no pink remaining inside. It will feel much firmer to the touch, and it will be less juicy.