You go to a fancy restaurant and order the steak and shell out $30, $50, or more just for the meat alone; potatoes and drinks are extra. It's an amazing, transcendent steak. You go home and try to reproduce it with less than stellar results. What went wrong? How do restaurants get their steaks so tender, so flavorful, so perfect?
The Grade
The best steakhouses and restaurants serve up the best, most expensive grades of beef. In the United States, it is known as USDA Prime. Prime grade beef accounts for nearly 2% of all beef production in the United States. There are similar equivalents in all other countries. The demand for this high-quality beef makes it hard for consumers to purchase it at a regular grocery store. Since you probably can't find this, look for Choice grade beef for your steaks.
The Aging
Most fine restaurants age their beef to intensify the flavor and improve the tenderness of the cut. Aging is done by letting the meat sit (in very controlled conditions) for several days or weeks. This is a difficult process for the average person to perform because of the risk of spoilage and food poisoning can be very high. You can, however, check with your local meat markets to try and find a source for aged beef. If you can't find it, don't worry. You can still get a great steak.
The Seasoning
Great steaks need a little seasoning. Typically, a steak is seasoned with coarse ground black pepper, sea or kosher salt, parsley, and butter. Yes, Butter. We'll get to the butter later as it finds its way on to a number of steaks, but you have to add it at just the right time.
The Equipment
Most big steakhouses broil their steaks. Yes, there are few "grills" out there, though some restaurants may still grill their steaks in a way that you and I would recognize. Many restaurants, though, use overhead, infrared broilers that produce incredible temperatures to cook steaks. While you can buy similar equipment, it isn't necessary for a great steak. What you do need is incredibly high heat in direct contact with the meat. This is why you need a good quality pan.
The Pan
A basic, inexpensive cast iron pan is the steaks best friend. Heavy on the metal, able to hold a lot of heat, cast iron pans make the perfect restaurant-quality steak. Infrared burners can radiate a lot of heat into a steak, but only by having contact with that intense heat can you cook the steak hot and fast enough to make it perfect. The basic process is to preheat the pan as hot as you can get it. Drop in the steak for two minutes. Flip, add butter and put the pan into a hot preheated oven for about five more minutes depending on how you want your steak done. This is a smoke-filled process that can be done on your side burner and gas grill without flooding the house with smoke.
The Process
This process of cooking steak requires you to use pieces of metal that are heated to incredible temperatures. There will be splattering, smoke, and possible fire. Be very careful. What happens here is that the pan sears the surface of the meat and immediately begins melting the fat. This fat fries the meat's surface causing caramelization. This makes the sweet of the meat even sweeter. The addition of butter here is going to add extra fat to the process and a rich, buttery flavor to the meat.
The Experience
Nothing beats an experienced steak cook. If you are not experienced, then you need practice. Pay close attention to every steak you cook. Prepare everything you can ahead of time. Learn from your mistakes. Record your thoughts and processes. Soon you too can be a great steak cook and amaze all of your guests.
FAQs
As to how we handle the steaks, we allow them to come up to room temperature before cooking them on the char grill with the right amount of seasoning. The aim is to get a great char on the outside (the Maillard reaction), and then, of course, resting the steak.
What do restaurants put on steaks to make them taste so good? ›
So, here's the scoop – restaurants aren't just randomly slathering butter on steaks like it's a sunscreen at a beach party. There's actually a scientific rationale behind this culinary phenomenon. You see, butter contains fat, and fat, my friends, is a flavor enhancer and a moisture-locking marvel.
Why do steaks taste better at a restaurant? ›
Restaurants use dry-aged meat
Prime beef is primarily served at restaurants, has abundant marbling, and is made from young beef cattle. The marbling makes Prime steaks flavorful and more tender than the leaner Choice and Select cuts that you find at the grocery store.
How to make a steak taste like a steakhouse? ›
- -Take steak out of refrigerator and let it get close to room-temp.
- -Rub with oil.
- -Season generously with salt and pepper.
- -Don't overcook your steak.
- -Don't overcook your steak.
- -Don't overcook your steak.
- -Finish by putting butter in pan and spooning it over the steak.
- -Let it rest after taking out of the pan.
Steak cooking tips!
- Bring to room temp! ...
- Pat dry and season the steak generously with salt and pepper – this helps form that amazing crust we all know and love about great steaks;
- Get your skillet SMOKING HOT before putting the steak in – again, for the crust.
There are many spices available for seasoning a steak, with salt and pepper topping the list. However, other spices, like thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, and minced onion, are also good options to enhance your steak's flavor. Or, use a one-and-done approach with Chicago Steak Seasoning.
What is the secret to a good steak? ›
Top 5 Secret Tips For Cooking Perfect Steak Every Time
- Buy Meat From Quality Sources.
- Season Generously - More Than You Probably Think.
- Use High Heat To Get That Perfect Sear.
- Don't Overcook Your Steak.
- Be Sure To Let The Steak Rest After Cooking.
Adding butter to steak is completely based on your personal preference but here are a few reasons that professional chefs approve of doing so: It increases flavor and richness. It makes for a glossy finish. It enhances the steak's texture.
How do restaurants make their steaks so good? ›
Most fine restaurants age their beef to intensify the flavor and improve the tenderness of the cut. Aging is done by letting the meat sit (in very controlled conditions) for several days or weeks.
How do chefs make steak so good? ›
For the ultimate chef's steak preparation, if you don't have this steak seasoning, marinade your steak with a pink of sea salt, coarse ground black pepper, and minced garlic – this combo gives your chef's steak the ultimate caramelization and nice thick crust that we all love so much.
If you were to ask a professional chef how they would want their steak to be cooked, nine times out of ten they would tell you medium-rare is the way to go. Medium rare steaks are red only in the very middle of the steak. The rest should be various shades of pink, with the outer edges browned.
How do steakhouses get their steaks so tender? ›
- Dry aging. Most dedicated steakhouses will use meat that has been dry-aged; kept in a cool, dry place for a period of time before any other prep. ...
- Using the right cuts. Not all beef is the same, and different cuts should be prepared differently. ...
- Marinating. ...
- Cutting across the grain.
Chef Michael Lomonaco says the best way to order steak is rare to medium rare. Medium rare is the most ideal because it provides the best and truest flavor of the beef, and allows for a charred outside and cool interior. Anything above medium-rare starts to take away from the texture and flavor of the beef.
What is the tastiest steak to buy? ›
These cuts—ribeye, New York strip loin, and filet mignon—can certainly be dubbed the best, and few will disagree. “Filet is the most tender cut, but has the least amount of flavor. Ribeye is the most flavorful, but the least tender of the three, and New York is in the middle.” Flannery explains.
What do you use to enhance the taste of steak? ›
A dry rub at its bare minimum can consist solely of kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper, but in all likelihood is a mixture of numerous spices, herbs, and flavors. Dry rubs are added over the outside of the meat to enhance flavor in the crust, as the flavor is in the crust.
What do steakhouses season their steaks with? ›
A classic found in every steak house the world over:
- 1 tablespoon paprika.
- 2 tablespoons crushed black pepper.
- 1 tablespoon crushed coriander.
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt or sea salt.
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes.
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic.
- 1 tablespoon dill.
- 1 tablespoon granulated onion.
Add some chopped herbs such as thyme, rosemary or sage to your salt to make a flavored salt for your steak. For restaurant-quality steaks, baste them in butter and herbs during the final few moments of cooking. This will impart the delicious buttery flavor you know and love from your favorite steakhouse.
Why do steakhouses put butter on steaks? ›
The primary allure of adding butter to steak is the unparalleled flavor it introduces. Butter has a rich, creamy taste that, when melted over the hot surface of a perfectly cooked steak, creates a symphony of flavors.
