Let's talk about steak- a piece of meat which we get from the plump part of a bull, cow, ox - any animal that gives us beef. Neither too fat, nor too lean- that is what makes the perfect steak! Better yet, there are different types of steak to choose from. The basic difference is that a piece of steak either has a bone or is boneless. Also, to get the best out of any kind of steak, you should season it. By seasoning we mean that before cooking, you should sprinkle some salt and pepper on your meat to enhance its natural flavour.
For the various steaks, the type of cooking also matters. You can either cook them 'blue', 'rare', 'medium-rare', 'medium' or 'well cooked'.
Sirloin Steak: The sirloin comprises of both a tender and a tough part. The soft part comes from the lions, while the hard part comes from a section of the back. Recommended ingredients for seasoning this steak include olive oil, pepper and a pinch of salt.
T-Bone: It is derived from cutting through the short loin and sold along with bone. The T-Bone has two kinds of steak in it: tenderloin and sirloin. The time for medium-rare is around 7 minutes for one side, and 4 minutes for the other.
Bavette: Also known as the flank steak, this steak is derived from the lower chest area or the abdominal muscles. It is long, flat in shape and kind of rough, just like Onglet. The word 'Bavette' is actually French, given by French chefs to this kind of steak. For rare, each side takes about 3 to 4 minutes.
Fillet: This kind of steak is also known as tenderloin. It's boneless and is the most expensive one in the stock. It has a very buttery flavour. For medium rare, each side should be cooked for around 4 minutes.
Rib-Eye: The rib-eye is available in both bone and boneless forms. These are very juicy in taste, as they comprise a lot of fat. It comes from the upper ribcage. Around 4 to 6 minutes for medium-rare.
Rump: The rump steak is better served when both its sides are seasoned well enough with salt. If you want to serve rare rump steak, the cooking time is around 2-3 minutes. An additional minute will make it well cooked. The rump comes from the top half portion of the carcass.
Onglet: The name 'Onglet' is also French and in English, this kind of steak is better known as the 'Hanger' steak. It is juicy, V-shaped and tougher than other forms. 1-2 minutes for blue.
The type of steak you go for, depends upon the number of people you want to feed, as well as the money in your pocket. Thick steaks will require seasoning for prolonged periods of time- up to a few days, while thin steaks will require only a few hours. The size is also an important factor, so you may want to check accordingly. The bigger the size of the steak, the more time it will require to be cooked.
For more information on cooking, you can also see How to Cook the Perfect Steak. The infographic below will also come in handy, as you go about choosing the perfect steak for yourself.
Infographic by: BBC GoodFood
