Steak Recipes

Steaks are the easiest to prepare among all the meats. Tender steaks like the sirloin and the T-bone (filet mignon is the tenderest but it is very expensive and not easily available in the markets) are usually grilled. Most recipes differ in the marinade that is to be applied to the steak. Marinades use wine, lemon juice, soy sauce, tomato juice, etc; or even fruits like papaya and pineapple. Steaks are marinated for 6 to 24 hours, depending on the recipe and then placed on the grill. A charcoal grill is the best bet to get the restaurant-like flavor. Based on the tenderness of the steak, they are turned twice or thrice to get the desired level of doneness. Steaks should not be disturbed when they are grilling, as this does not allow the crust to form on their sides. Also they should not be poked with forks as this would allow the juices to run out of the steak.

A steak is a slice of meat that is cut from the flesh of an animal or a large fish. Beef steaks are by far the most popular type of steak. However, steaks of chicken, turkey and lamb are also ordered in restaurants. Steaks may be cooked by grilling, roasting, pan-frying or broiling. Steaks take little time to cook and can be eaten both as an entree and as a main course. They are eaten with rice, noodles, bread or pasta, usually with a vegetable or mushroom side-dish.

It is said that King Henry VIII was so fond of this particular steak cut from the loins of beef, that he termed it as ‘Sir Loin’, which became notoriously famous as the sirloin steak. The sirloin steak is cut from the lower portion of the ribs, which continues onwards to the rump and the tenderloin. The muscles of this region are a bit exercised and hence, the sirloin steak is a tad bit tougher than the other premium steak, the filet mignon. In fact, the sirloin steak is the cheapest of the premium cuts of steak.

Steak, though a grill favorite, can be cooked in several other ways. They can be pan-fried, braised, broiled, baked, etc. Selecting the proper method for cooking steak depends on its tenderness. There are dry heat methods and moist methods. Dry heat methods are generally applied for more tender steaks such as filet mignon and sirloin, while moist heat methods are more suited to tougher cuts of beef. The water helps in tenderizing the steak.

Steaks are the most palatable when they are grilled. The best steak for grilling is the sirloin steak, but it tends to be a bit tough. The T-bone steak and the porterhouse steak are both excellent choices and the bone in them give them an added flavor. Rib-eye steaks also grill well, as do the rib steaks. Filet mignon steaks do not generally find their way to the backyard barbeques owing to their steep prices. Thick steaks grill well than thin ones - the thin ones tend to form a hard crust, which interferes with the cooking of the interior of the steak.

The underside of the belly is called the flank. It is the part directly below the sirloin and the short loin. Steaks cut from this area are grainy any chewy. Hence, special cooking methods are employed for flank steaks to reduce their graininess and chewy nature. But these cuts are quite favored for their beefy flavor.