How To Cook Steak Perfectly On The Stove Every Time

Steak is delicious, right? Savory and satisfying, a good steak is wonderful thing. Going out to a fancy steakhouse and ordering a rib-eye is all fine and dandy, but do you glean the same satisfaction from cooking steaks at home? You should.

There's nothing more frustrating than bringing home a lovely cut of meat, sitting down at the table, lifting a forkful to your mouth and feeling disappointed because your steak is overcooked, undercooked, chewy or bland. But this can be avoided! From choosing the right pan and correct cut to seasoning, cooking temperatures and slicing, every step is important. There are certain simple measures you should take every time to ensure every steak you cook is perfectly delicious.

The four most expensive cuts of steak are rib-eye, New York strip, tenderloin and porterhouse. These are the steaks you find most often on restaurant menus and certainly in steakhouses across the country. That's not to say you cannot grill a more inexpensive cut to perfection.

The important things to consider when selecting a steak are how you want to cook it, to what temperature, and how you're going to serve it. A bone-in rib-eye is a star cut and easily stands alone, needing only simple seasoning; other cuts lend themselves particularly well to hearty marinades, and others make for fabulous tacos. No matter which cut you choose, even if it is a cheaper one, you should still cook it with care and understanding.

One of the biggest differences between home cooking and restaurant food is the amount of salt used. Don't be afraid of making it rain! You want to season liberally enough to season the entire steak — the salt sits on the outside, but you want the whole thing to be delicious, right? Kosher salt is the best salt to turn to when seasoning; it's the most commonly used all-purpose salt in almost all kitchens. The larger, coarser grains make it easier to season evenly, which is important to do when seasoning a larger surface area such as a steak.

Oil your steak before seasoning with salt and pepper — this will help the seasonings stick to the surface and also eliminate the need for oil in the pan.

Once you remove your meat from the pan, it is time to rest. Place your steak on a plate and lightly cover it with some aluminum foil and leave it for (ideally) half of its cooking time, or at least 5 minutes if you really cannot wait. This gives the juices inside the meat a chance to settle back into the steak and evenly redistribute — cut into your steak too soon and they will all run out, leaving you with a disappointingly dry steak.