A Complete Guide to Cooking the Perfect Steak

There is something so satisfying about a perfectly cooked, melt in your mouth steak. Whether you like your steak rich and rare, or with more of a well-done seared char, we’ve got the guide for you. Mastering the art of cooking a steak to your liking is a skill worth learning. Note this is a general cooking guide for steaks and times will change depending on the thickness of your steak, adjust accordingly!

Prepping the Steak

Take your steak out of the fridge and allow to warm up to room temperature, usually around an hour. Get your pan ready as its important to ensure it’s very hot before cooking as this helps to caramelise the meat and produce a seared crust.  

Pat both sides of your steak dry with a paper down then add your seasoning. We recommend simple seasoning for your filet to enhance the natural flavours. A generous sprinkling of good quality salt and pepper. You can also add a light coating of olive oil to enhance the sear and charring on the outside. 

Cooking the Steak

Add the steak to your hot skillet or pan and press it down making sure it gets good contact with the pan. Once it gets a good sear going then flip, follow the below guide for how long to cook on each side depending on doneness preferences. 

Rare: 2-3 minutes  

Medium Rare: 3-4 minutes  

Medium: 4-5 minutes  

Well Done: 5-6 minutes 

 

The way steak is prepared is ultimately up to the person, so cooking yourself will depend on what your preference is. These are the four most common levels of doneness of steak and the internal temperatures for each. If you don’t have a meat thermometer you can also do a feel test.  

Rare: Soft and cool to the touch (120-125°F or 49-52°C). 

Medium Rare: Gently yielding to the touch (130-135°F or 54-57°C). 

Medium: Firm with a slight bounce (140-145°F or 60-63°C). 

Well Done: Firm with minimal bounce (160°F or 71°C and above). 

Rest Time

Once you take your steak off the pan, let it rest for at least 5 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring each bite is as flavourful as the last.