Radcliffe Butchers

  Pan frying 

Perfect for small to medium sized cuts

Cooking the perfect steak can be a challenge, even for top chefs. That’s because smaller cuts of meat can dry out easily or cook too quickly so they become dry, tough or leathery. We recommend using a heavy frying pan or griddle (ridged pan) rather than an electric grill as you can control the temperature more easily.
  
1. Prepare the meat

About twenty minutes before you start cooking, remove the meat from its vacuum packaging and pat dry with kitchen paper. Spread out your steaks on a board in a single layer. This will allow the meat to ‘bloom’ and come to room temperature.

Tip: If you need to defrost in a hurry, place the packs under cold running water.

2. Preheat your pan

Make sure your griddle or frying pan is preheated to the highest temperature before you start to cook your steaks. It should be hot enough that you hear a sizzle when you place the meat into the pan. Using a pan which is not hot enough can cause toughness. Add a little olive oil to the pan.

Tip: For a healthier option, brush oil directly onto the steaks - you will use less.
   
3. Cook to your liking

Use the table below to fry the steaks for the recommended time, for rare, medium or well done. Cook one side first and then the other. Turn your steaks gently and only once to avoid letting out precious juices and drying out the meat. Be careful not to overcook, as this can make your meat dry and tough.

Tip: Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of your steaks.

4. Rest your meat

Use the press-test (see how to cook steak)  to check if your steaks are done and then rest them. During resting the juices move evenly through the whole steak and the full flavour and tenderness develops. Place the steaks on a rack so they don’t lie in their own juice, cover with foil and leave in a warm place.

Tip: You can rest a steak for up to ten minutes. It’s always better to over-rest than under-rest them.

5. Use a good steak knife

Finally, always use a razor-sharp, unserrated knife to cut your steaks. A serrated blade encourages diners to ‘saw’ at their steak which gives the impression of toughness on even the most tender meat. A sharp blade slices cleanly through the steak and enhances the whole eating experience.