Never mess up a steak again
To get the full flavour out of a good steak, ribeye or flank steak, you need to know how to cook each cut of meat. You don’t want to overcook or char your meat, so it doesn’t end up tough, leathery and dry.
Instead, you’ll want it to be tender, juicy and delicious. To achieve this, there are several temperatures and cooking methods to keep in mind.
Choosing your meat
We are particularly interested in beef steaks, premium quality meats such as the T-bone, ribeye, Tomahawk, flank steak, beef medallion or filet mignon, and other premium cuts.
Browse our selection of beef cuts in bulk
Using the right cooking method
Many people don’t like the sight of blood and don’t like to see it on their plate, so they’ll go for meat that’s more cooked. Other people don’t want to see any redness in their meat at all, while others like it blue. People have different tastes and preferences, and, at Renard, we respect that completely. What’s more, good cooks should know how to adapt to the tastes of their family or friends.
Each temperature has its own cooking time. There are usually 6 degrees of doneness for beef steaks: blue, rare, medium rare, medium, medium well and well done.
The six degrees of doneness of a beef steak
• Blue: The outside of the meat is quickly seared to heat it up and give it some colour, while the inside remains completely red and barely warm, so the structure of the fibres is barely altered.
• Rare: The outside of the meat is cooked to create a thin, golden, hot crust, while the inside, although hot, remains 75% red and the fibre structure is slightly more compact.
• Medium rare: The outside of the meat has a cooked crust and the inside is cooked, with about 50% of red flesh remaining in the centre.
• Medium: The outside of the meat has a cooked crust that’s thicker and golden brown. The inside will be paler, with about 25% of pink flesh. The meat is still soft and juicy and the fibres are slightly contracted.
• Medium well: The outside of the meat is cooked with a thick crust, the inside is pink in the centre.
• Well done: The meat has a thick crust and a brown interior that’s fully and evenly cooked. The fibres are retracted and the meat is drier and lacks juiciness.
How to cook the perfect steak
To cook a steak perfectly, you’ll need to use a grill, barbecue or ridged skillet without fat. Steaks require a short cooking time that’s adapted to the quality of the cut. Usually the thickness of a good cut of meat is 3/4 of an inch or 2.5 cm.
The heat must be high so the meat sears quickly, without boiling or charring.
• Blue (50°C): 5 minutes on one side, 3 to 4 minutes on the other.
• Rare (54°C): 6 minutes on one side, 4 to 5 minutes on the other.
• Medium rare (57°C): 7 minutes on one side, 4 to 5 minutes on the other.
• Medium (61°C): 7 minutes on one side, 5 to 6 minutes on the other.
• Medium well (65°C): 8 minutes on one side, 6 to 7 minutes on the other.
• Well done (70°C): 9 minutes on one side, 4 to 5 minutes on the other.
Here are all our tips on how to be the best cook you can be and serve the right degree of doneness to your guests, friends, family, as well as impress your significant other.
Enjoy your meal!
