The definitive home steak manual! From thawing to grilling, seasoning, and garnishing
When grilling steak at home, it can be difficult to achieve the same level of doneness as in a restaurant. Have you ever made the mistake of overcooking the meat and ruining it, or not being able to get the heat through to the center and leaving it undercooked?
This time, we've compiled a list of the delicious steak thawing, preparation, and grilling methods that we've previously introduced on The Meat Guy, as well as a wide variety of sauces and side dishes that will allow you to finish even a large steak without getting bored. Please take a look!
How to thaw and prepare meat for delicious grilling
The Meat Guy's steak meat arrives frozen and vacuum-packed. Therefore, it must be thawed first, but if you thaw it incorrectly, the delicious flavor of the meat will be lost. First, let's learn how to thaw and prepare it properly to ensure it tastes delicious.
The key is to defrost slowly at a low temperature
The key to thawing frozen meat or fish properly is to thaw it slowly at as low a temperature as possible.
When frozen, the water inside the cells remains frozen. If thawed slowly, the thawed water will be reabsorbed into the cells, but if thawed quickly at high temperatures, the meat's tissue will break down, destroying the cells and causing the water that should be inside the cells to leak out as a liquid called "drip."
This is why meat becomes dry and tasteless if you fail to defrost it properly.
So how can you thaw meat deliciously? It's very simple! Just put it in the refrigerator.
If your refrigerator has a chilled compartment, you can defrost meat slowly at a temperature around 0°C. If your refrigerator does not have a chilled compartment, you can defrost it in the refrigerator compartment. For example, for meat that is 1cm thick, the estimated defrosting time is about 8 hours in the refrigerator compartment, and twice as long, about 16 hours in the chilled compartment. Please refer to the estimated defrosting time for different thicknesses of meat.
<Approximate time when thawing in the refrigerator>
| refrigerator | Child room | |
|---|---|---|
| For 1cm thick steaks | Approximately 8 hours | Approximately 16 hours |
| For roasting 4cm thick | Approximately 14 hours | Approximately 28 hours |
| For 10cm thick blocks | Approximately 36 hours | Approximately 72 hours |
*Please note that when using the chilled compartment, it will take longer than the refrigerator compartment.
Additionally, although The Meat Guy's steak meat is packed in a strong vacuum pack, it is possible that the packaging may develop unseen damage during transport. To prevent drippings from leaking out and contaminating other ingredients after thawing, we recommend placing the meat in a plastic bag or on a tray when thawing.
Slowly thawing steak in the refrigerator takes time. However, there are times when you want to eat steak quickly, such as at the request of a family member. In such cases, thawing steak under running water will thaw it in less than half the time. However, the amount of dripping will be greater than when thawing steak in the refrigerator, which will likely affect the taste.
When thawing meat under running water, place it in a plastic bag with no holes in it, then place it in a bowl. Pour water into the bowl, being careful not to let the water get directly into the bag. Once the bowl is full, continue thawing by running a thin stream of water from the faucet.
Preparation for grilling a delicious steak
Even if you've thawed your meat, don't cook it right away. Because the meat is still cold all the way through, it may end up undercooked. Also, because it takes a long time to cook, it can end up overcooking it.
After thawing, we recommend removing the meat from the vacuum pack and placing it on a plate or similar to allow it to warm up to room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour. This will allow the meat to reach a moderate temperature inside, improving heat transfer when grilling.
Also, while the meat is acclimatizing to room temperature, wipe off any drippings on the surface of the meat with kitchen paper. This will help the meat brown more easily and reduce odors when you cook it.
Finally, to prevent the meat from shrinking while cooking, cut the tendons into the meat, which will result in a nicer, more tender finish. Use the tip of your knife to cut the meat along the tendons (the area between the lean and fatty parts) in several places.
Also, if you like your steak well-done, the meat tends to become tough when cooked. In that case, you can prevent the meat from becoming tough by cutting the meat fibers with a special tool called a "meat tenderizer." However, if you do it too much, the flavor of the meat will be lost when you cook it, so make sure to only lightly cut the surface of the meat once.
How to cook a steak to make it tender and juicy
Once you've thawed and prepared the meat, all you have to do is cook it! We'll show you how to cook it in a frying pan, how to cook thick-cut steaks, and how to cook it using a low-temperature cooker.
How to cook delicious food in a frying pan
The only seasoning is "Steak Spice" or salt and pepper. This simple method allows you to enjoy the umami and juiciness of the meat itself. First, we'll show you how to cook it to medium rare (slightly raw in the center), then how to cook it rare and well done.
- <Ingredients> (for 1 person)
-
- Beef steak (sirloin, ribeye, ribeye, etc.) ⋯⋯about 200g (about 1cm thick)
- Olive oil⋯⋯1 to 2 teaspoons
- The Meat Guy's "Steak Spice" (or salt and pepper)...to taste
- <How to make>
-
- 1. After preparing the meat, rub in olive oil and steak spices (or salt and pepper) just before grilling.
-
- 2. Add olive oil to a frying pan and heat over medium heat, then add the meat from step 1. Continue to cook over medium heat until thoroughly cooked on both sides, then finish by cooking each side over high heat for 10 seconds each.
-
- 3. Place on a preheated plate and let rest for about 5 minutes to allow the meat to cook through with the residual heat. (If you have a meat thermometer, check that the center of the meat is at least 63°C before resting.)
-
Try cooking it rare or well done depending on your preference.
【rare】
Grill both sides of the meat over high heat for 1 minute and then over low heat for 30 seconds. The surface will be cooked through but the inside will still be raw, the center will be red, and when you cut into it, lots of juices will come out. The internal temperature should be around 55-65°C.
[Well Done]
Grill both sides of the meat for 1 minute on high heat and 2 minutes on low heat. The meat should be cooked through from the surface to the center, browned, and have almost no juices when cut. The internal temperature may be higher than 70°C.
How to Grill Thick-Cut Steaks
For thick steaks, about 2-3cm thick, cook the meat slowly over a low temperature until it is cooked through to the center. Keeping the meat warm after cooking will allow the heat to reach the inside, so don't forget to let the meat rest!
<How to fry in a frying pan>
- 1. Season the meat with olive oil, salt and pepper and leave for 10 minutes.
-
- 2. Place the meat in a frying pan heated over medium heat, close the lid, reduce the heat to low and steam-fry for 10 minutes.
-
- 3. Flip it over and cook on low heat for another 10 minutes.
- 4. Remove the meat from the frying pan and wipe off any juices.
- 5. Add olive oil to a frying pan and heat over high heat. Return the meat to the frying pan and brown the surface over high heat.
-
- 6. Wrap in aluminum foil and leave for 10 minutes before cutting into pieces.
<Roast in the oven>
- 1. Season the surface of the prepared meat with olive oil, salt and pepper and leave for 10 minutes.
- 2. Place a baking sheet on top of the oven tray, arrange the sliced onions on top, and then place the meat on top.
-
- 3. Place in an oven without preheating and bake at 150°C for 15 minutes, then turn over and bake at 150°C for another 15 minutes.
- 4. Insert a skewer into the meat and wait 5 seconds before removing it. If the part of the skewer that touched the center of the meat is still not cold when you place it against your lips, leave it in the oven for 10 minutes. Once it has cooled down to a suitable temperature, slice it.
How to Cook a Perfect Medium-Rare Steak in a Sous Vide Cooker
By using a low-temperature cooker, you can simply place the food in hot water and the heat will slowly reach the inside, and by simply browning it at the end, you can enjoy restaurant-quality steak.
For the 2cm thick steak used this time, the temperature and cooking time required to cook the meat medium and safely eat it is 58°C for 2 hours. Therefore, set the temperature of the sous vide cooker to 58°C and the cooking time to 2 hours. Since the steaks sold at The Meat Guy are pre-vacuum packed, you can thaw the meat in the refrigerator the day before eating and cook it at low temperature without opening the package.
The cooking time also varies depending on the thickness of the steak. For example, if the steak is 3cm thick, it should take 2 hours and 40 minutes, and if it is 4cm thick, it should take 3 hours and 40 minutes. The cooking time is determined by whether the core temperature is safe to eat, so be careful not to adjust the cooking time on your own.
*Please note that the usage of low-temperature cookers varies depending on the manufacturer, so be sure to follow the instructions.
After low-temperature cooking is complete, simply brown both sides in a frying pan with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil over high heat! Sprinkle with salt and pepper and enjoy. The trick is to quickly brown the meat so the heat doesn't reach the inside.
Sauces and garnishes to make steak taste better
We will introduce three sauce recipes that will change the flavor of your steak and the side dishes that go well with them.
Homemade sweet chili sauce (easy to make amount)
A simple sauce with a sweet taste that pairs well with beef!
- <Materials>
-
- 3 tablespoons grain vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar (adjust to your sweetness preference)
- 1/2 teaspoon chili bean paste
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon grated garlic
- <How to make>
-
- Put all the ingredients into a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. You can also put the ingredients into a heat-resistant dish or bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and heat at 500W for about 1 minute and 30 seconds!
Guacamole-style dipping sauce (serves 2)
A fresh vegetable sauce with a good nutritional balance.
- <Materials>
-
- 1 avocado
- 1/5 red onion (regular onion is fine)
- 4 cherry tomatoes 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
- Coriander or celery leaves, as desired
- 1/3 teaspoon salt
- <How to make>
-
- Finely dice the red onion and cut the cherry tomatoes into 1/16ths of a pound.
- Cut the avocado in half lengthwise, remove the seed, peel it, place it in a bowl and mash it roughly with a fork.
- Mix lemon juice, chopped vegetables, and salt, and add chopped cilantro to taste.
If you want something more spicy, you can add chopped green chili peppers or Tabasco.
Onion ponzu sauce (easy to make amount)
The savory and sweet taste of onions goes well with steak and salads! This versatile sauce
- <Materials>
-
- 1/2 onion
- 100ml of your favorite ponzu sauce
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon grated garlic
- Yuzu pepper to taste
- <How to make>
-
- Finely chop the onion and fry in a frying pan with olive oil over medium heat until translucent.
- Once you turn off the heat, add the remaining ingredients and mix until done!
Cheese Mashed Potatoes (2 servings)
Steam or microwave one peeled potato until soft. Mash with 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese, 1 tablespoon of milk, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, and a pinch of salt.
Grilled vegetables (serves 2, about 300g of vegetables)
Soften hard vegetables such as root vegetables by parboiling them first or by heating them in the microwave. Grill turnips, zucchini, onions, eggplant, and mushrooms raw. Add olive oil to a frying pan over medium heat, and once one side of the vegetables is cooked, flip them over and cook for about 30 seconds, then add 1 tablespoon of water, cover, and steam. Leave the lid on and wait 1-2 minutes for the water to evaporate, then turn off the heat and it's done. Sprinkle with salt to taste for a delicious meal!
Carrot rapée
Shred 1/2 a carrot using a shirishiri (a kitchen tool that can be used to shred carrots by rubbing them against a surface). Mix together raisins (1 tablespoon), olive oil (1 tablespoon), vinegar (1 tablespoon), and salt (1/4 teaspoon). Add herbs to taste for a richer aroma, which is recommended!
Whether you're cooking a 1cm thick steak or a thick-cut steak, you can enjoy a delicious steak without any problems when grilling it at home! Please try using the grilling tips and recipes introduced here as a reference and enjoy a delicious steak at home.