When it comes to my favorite recipes, none is dearer to my heart than a perfectly cooked steak. Learning how to cook a steak literally takes minutes, but it takes a lifetime to master. In fact, almost anybody can cook a steak, but there really aren’t that many people who can do it well.

Rib eye steak - Learn how to cook a steak

Cooking the perfect steak starts with choosing the steak itself. Starting with a quality cut of beef is essential to the final presentation, and it begins with finding a cut that is well marbled where it should be, and lean where it should. A gristly cut of beef will be chewy and bland, so take great care to find a cut of beef that is worthy of your culinary expertise. Marbling is simply defined by the little pockets of fat that are present in the beef itself. The fat is a good thing, in fact it’s essential to the final product, and it virtually melts away as the steak cooks, making it tender, juicy and tasty.

Once you’ve settled on a cut of beef (There are way too many to name here, though I prefer Porterhouses, Filet Mignon, Ribeye and NY Strips), than you can decide how best to prepare it. Do not over-season your beef, as the flavor of quality cut should be able to stand on it’s own. Salt and pepper to taste is all you’ll really need, or you can also add a dash of a seasoning rub called ‘Chef Prudhomme’s steak seasoning’ which I’ve used in the past and swear by. The seasoning is reasonably priced and simply delicious. You can experiment with your own rubs and whatnot, but be careful to not overdo it.

I like to start my steaks on the grill with very high heat, and then finish it in my electric oven at about 350° for a few minutes, or until it reaches the desired doneness. Many will argue ’til they’re blue in the face about what is the proper doneness of the perfect steak, and all have their validity. I can and do eat a steak that ranges in doneness from straight out of the packaging raw to completely done to a shoe leather crisp. Each degree of doneness comes with its own set of characteristics, so experiment with the process until you find your own personal preference.

That’s about all there is to it. I cook my steak for about 4-5 minutes on each side, careful not to move and jostle the steak as it cooks, then I throw it in the oven for a few minutes. Learning how to cook a steak is something you can take pride in, and it really is a simple and rewarding process.

For other great home cooking ideas, visit our Rival crock pot site and see how others just like you are learning to live the slow-cookin’ lifestyle…