The perfect steak

The degree of doneness is decisive! Some grill masters roll their eyes when the conversation turns to the degree of doneness. They say it is too complicated to cater to the wishes of every eater. But with a little experience, the right degree of doneness for a steak can be quickly achieved and determined. This precise preparation shows two kinds of respect: for the guest; and for the precious meat.

A Case for Uncle Klaus' Teeth

You haven't thought about the right degree of doneness for a steak for a long time. That has changed now. At least since the story with Uncle Klaus. Mother's brother, happily retired, is one of the old school. A Zeus plate devourer from the more the merrier faction. You were at the steak house together. Uncle Klaus doesn't waste any time and orders the thickest fillet of beef. "Rare, medium rare or medium?" asks the waiter. Uncle Klaus points to the legend on the menu: "Well done." He wouldn't recommend it, says the waiter. "Why not?" counters Klaus. "Well done sounds just right!" The waiter is an old hand, he doesn't argue with the guests. When he's gone, the uncle goes on about pompous service staff and brown-black meat crusts. Later, when the meat is on the plates, Uncle Klaus points disgustedly at the pink meat juice that is coming out of your medium steak. His, on the other hand, has a dark brown crust - like it's from the grill. For the next half hour, Uncle Klaus's amazing teeth work their way through the fillet. It was tough, he later tells the waiter. Probably not the best piece. When the uncle is in the toilet and the waiter is clearing away, you ask him what the difference is between medium and medium rare. The waiter gives a crystal clear explanation and recommends choosing medium rare next time. You realize that it's good to listen to experts. Or to acquire the knowledge yourself. Uncle Klaus, on the other hand, will steer back towards the Zeuteller.

The Tasty Science

You realise that you first have to learn something about the right degree of doneness. You have a few terms in your head: English, for example (just before sushi); or medium (you can't go wrong). And then you are amazed at how many nuances the degree of doneness has, and that it is not a fixed term, but has to be seen in the context of the type of meat and the cut of steak. It is a science in itself. But a damn tasty one!

The degree of doneness and its facets

So you sit down and do your homework. You're a systematic learner. First you separate the degree of doneness from the type of meat. Now it's time to learn by heart. It's like learning Latin, but more useful:
- Almost raw ('blue') = very rare: lightly fried/grilled on the outside, completely red and raw on the inside; core temperature 38 degrees Celsius
- Bloody = rare: browned on the outside, red and raw in the middle; core temperature max. 49 degrees Celsius
- Slightly bloody ('English') = medium rare: browned on the outside, red in the middle, dark red meat juices; core temperature at 52 degrees Celsius
- Medium ('pink') = medium: strong brown crust, pink colored middle layer inside, pink meat juice; core temperature 57 degrees Celsius
- Almost cooked through ('half pink') = medium well: crispy dark crust, slightly light pink middle part, light pink meat juice; core temperature 62 degrees Celsius
- Well done: crust dark brown to black, completely brown, well-done inside, light yellow meat juice; core temperature 74 degrees Celsius
Now you know every degree of doneness and its German and English names. The next time the waiter comes to you with anglicisms, you'll be prepared. But you can't be completely satisfied yet. What degree of doneness do you like? And what actually happens when a steak is grilled or fried?

The phases of thermal transformation

Steak consists of muscle fibers. These muscle fibers are made of proteins. Depending on the degree of doneness, you heat the steak to a higher or lower temperature. From 40 degrees Celsius, the protein begins to denature. The muscle fibers loosen and the connective tissue shrinks. From 50 degrees, the protein solidifies, and from 70 degrees, the collagen turns into gelatine. Your steak gets a tender bite. But the physical-chemical transformation process is not yet complete. During the continued heating, the water dissolves from the proteins and evaporates on the surface of your steak. The meat slowly dries out. The muscle fibers contract and give the steak an increasingly firmer consistency the longer it is on the grill or in the pan. If you overdo it with the degree of doneness, the best meat from the grill will end up as the sole of your shoe. Hence Uncle Klaus's struggle with the well-done fillet.

The interplay of meat type, cooking level and roasting aromas

You know the degrees of doneness. You also know the degrees of doneness designations. You have understood that frying or grilling for too long makes every steak tough and dry. From this you deduce the following: everyone loves tender steaks; so there must be an ideal degree of doneness. - That is a nice logical deduction. But it neglects two other quality factors. Firstly, the type of steak. The degree of doneness interacts with the type of steak and the cut. Secondly, the roasted aromas. These aromas are created when sugar and protein molecules fuse together - a phenomenon named the Maillard effect after its discoverer. When you walk through your neighborhood on a beautiful summer evening and the most inviting smell in the world hits your nose, you notice roasted aromas. And there are people for whom a strong roasted crust is more important than an absolutely tender consistency.

Cooking level recommendations for the most important types of steak

Within a debatable framework, the degree of doneness of a steak is a matter of taste. Nevertheless, there are a lot of people who have thought about the best degree of doneness for different types of meat and have made recommendations. These are your fixed points on the way to the best steak of the
World. For example, these people say that fillet (also called tenderloin) loves medium rare cooking. Here the core temperature is between 38 and 55 degrees Celsius. Be careful, say the experts: the tender fillet dries out particularly quickly. T-bone steaks need a bit more power: 49 degrees Celsius core temperature for medium rare, 55 to 58 degrees Celsius for medium. The more marbled the meat, the higher the cooking level. But be careful: if you are lucky enough to get a good dry-aged steak at the meat counter, you can reduce the cooking time a bit. Dry-aged steak is very tender, contains hardly any water and dries out quickly if exposed to heat for too long. Neck steak, also called check-eye roll, has a lot of intramuscular fat and remains tender even at higher temperatures. The experts recommend a core temperature of 55 degrees Celsius (medium rare). The steak from the prime rib (called entrecote or rib-eye) also has strong intramuscular marbling. The steak master recommends medium at a core temperature of 56 degrees Celsius.

Once again at a glance: General information about cooking level and core temperature

• rare: 45 - 49 degrees Celsius
• medium rare: 50 - 54 degrees Celsius
• medium: 55 - 59 degrees Celsius
• medium well: 60 - 72 degrees Celsius
• well done: 73 - 85 degrees Celsius

The Art of Palmistry

OK, you say. There has been a lot of talk here about the degree of doneness and core temperature - but how do I actually know when the steak needs to be removed from the grill or pan? There are two wonderful tools for this that no grill master would go into battle without: the grill thermometer and your own hand. Let's start with the hand. The advantage: you always have this tool with you. The disadvantage: it doesn't work as accurately as a thermometer. Hold your left hand loosely with the palm facing upwards. If you press the thumb of your right hand into the relaxed ball of your left hand, you know what raw meat feels like. Now touch the tip of your left index finger to the tip of your left thumb. And press the ball of your left thumb again with your right thumb: this is a steak that is cooked 'rare'. Continue in this way from the middle finger to the ring finger to the little finger. Middle finger: medium rare. Ring finger: medium. Little finger: well done.

If you want to know exactly, use a meat thermometer

The thumb ball test requires a little experience. The values ​​must be determined and compared with each other. This is where the sense of touch sometimes reaches its limits. For those new to determining the degree of doneness, a meat thermometer is recommended. This shows you exact values ​​that you can write down for future attempts. So arm yourself with note-taking tools. What type of steak, what cut went on the grill or in the pan? Where did the meat come from? How thick was it cut? How long was it exposed to which temperature? What was the core temperature of the steak? How did you like it? These notes are not pedantic, but helpful memory aids on the way to the ideal steak. The thermometer will assist you in this. In its version as a penetration thermometer, it measures the Celsius degrees inside the meat precisely and quickly. There are analogue and digital models on the market. Both deliver good results.

Masterful on the grill and pan

The perfect steak and the right degree of doneness require good meat and a few tools. And a lot of experience. What do you have to pay attention to on the grill or in the pan if you want to get your precious favorite piece just right? Let's start with the pan. It should be made of stainless steel or cast iron. Avoid coated pans because these popular kitchen assistants do not reach the desired temperature. You need a pan that is heated to 180 degrees Celsius with a little clarified butter or sunflower oil. Pure butter or olive oil cannot withstand the heat. You always take the meat out of the refrigerator at least half an hour before processing it - regardless of whether you are frying or grilling it. You pat it dry and do not use salt or spices - otherwise bitter substances will develop under the heat. The cooking time depends on the thickness of the steak and the desired degree of doneness. For 2 cm thick meat, two to three minutes per side is usually enough. Do not pierce the meat to turn it. After frying, the steak is placed in the oven preheated to 90 degrees to 'relax' for a short time.

forward grilling

When grilling, the same rules apply as when frying in a pan. The steak is placed on the grill dry, unseasoned and at room temperature. The grill is clean and lightly prepared with rapeseed oil. Professionals turn their steak every 20 seconds with grill tongs to distribute the meat juices as well as possible. Once the core temperature typical for doneness has been reached, let your steak rest on the edge of the grill for a few minutes.

Or would you rather cook it backwards?

When cooking backwards, you reverse the preparation sequence because you are pre-cooking the meat indirectly. This works in the oven at 100 degrees Celsius, in the gas grill with a temperature setting of 110 degrees Celsius or on the charcoal grill if the steak is placed on the edge of the grill next to the coals. Cooking in a sous-vide device is a particularly safe method. When cooking backwards, the degree of doneness can be determined without any hassle using the meat thermometer. Then you quickly create the delicious roasted aromas on the hot grill or in the hot pan.

You can only win the cooking level championship with masterful meat

You've learned a lot. You've equipped yourself with the right equipment. Before you present yourself as a master of doneness at your barbecue evening, you still have to go shopping. Invest in quality - because inferior, poorly hung meat would ruin your skills. At Freyberger you'll find the best cuts from the Franconian master butcher and meat sommelier.
For example, the RibEye steak in guaranteed dry-aged quality with the classic fat eye. The meat experts also provide helpful preparation tips for each of their products to ensure the perfect degree of doneness.

Conclusion

You now know what you need. A good grill, a good pan, a meat thermometer and the best quality steak you can buy. You have developed an idea of ​​how to go about combining delicious roasted aromas with the right degree of doneness. The rest is experience. And experience grows from barbecue to barbecue. If that isn't a good prospect.

Do you want to know more? Then watch our video about the Tomahawk Steak !