The Perfect Steak with Moroccan Mushrooms
Servings 4
Prep time
15 minsCook time
15 minsTotal time
30 minsI always get asked how to cook the perfect steak! Follow this process and you can’t go wrong.
Ingredients
Method
- Buy good-quality, fresh steak that’s been aged. Ageing is really important as the hanging process tenderises and develops the flavour. The steaks should be firm to the touch, cherry-red in colour and have good, even marbling—you don’t want big clumps of fat.
- Bring meat to room temperature before cooking. Preheat oven to 190°C.
- Pat steaks dry with paper towel. Liberally coat with sunflower oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides, 5 minutes before cooking.
- Heat a cast-iron frying pan on the stovetop to very high—test the heat by dropping a little water into the pan, it should bounce around before evaporating.
- Place steaks in hot pan, leaving space between them so they’re not crowded (this ensures the meat cooks evenly and also prevents it from steaming and stewing instead of searing). Sear on all sides until browned (caramelised), this should take about 1 minute each side depending on the thickness of the cuts. When steaks can move and don’t feel stuck to the pan, they’re ready to be turned over.
- After turning, add half the butter to pan and when melted, spoon over steaks.
- Transfer pan to oven and roast until your desired level of doneness is reached (*see notes below).
- Transfer steak to a wire rack, cover loosely with tinfoil and set aside to rest for 5–10 minutes before serving so the meat relaxes and reabsorbs its juices, ensuring it’s juicy and tender. The thicker the steak, the longer it should rest.
- Meanwhile, in a frying pan over medium heat, melt together remaining butter and olive oil. Add mushrooms and Moroccan seasoning and cook, stirring regularly, until soft.
- Serve steaks with mushrooms and a green salad or steamed veges of your choice.
Simon says ...
*Using a good meat thermometer, check the internal temperature of the steak:
- For the perfect medium-rare steak, remove from oven when internal temperature reaches 60°C, or as soon as juices appear. The steak should feel soft when pressed.
- If you prefer medium or well done, continue cooking. At medium, the steak will feel bouncy with red juice starting to seep out. At well done, the steak will feel firm and juice will be pooling on the surface.
For that extra 5% magic, when searing the steak, whatever you do, don’t prod it—steak needs uninterrupted contact with the pan for it to sear properly. When the steak can move and doesn’t feel stuck to the pan, it’s ready for turning.
If you serve your steak sliced, use a sharp knife and cut across the grain.
