For the traditionalist: frying
Great for fatty cuts like rump or rib-eye, the trick to pan-frying steaks is to go hot and fast – in a good pan. For a piece of rib-eye or rump that’s about 4 cm thick, allow the steak to come to room temperature, then rub it with butter, duck fat or clarified butter. Heat a cast-iron or stainless steel pan until piping hot, then cook it for about 3 ½ minutes each side, only turning once – for a medium-rare steak. Add 1 T of fat to the pan with 1 T pesto and melt for a quick sauce.
For the nervous cook: roasting
If the pressure of cooking steak at your dinner party is too much, take the edge off with this make-ahead trick. Sear a 600 g piece of thick-cut sirloin on the hob. Lay the steak on top of about 500 g mixed mushrooms in a roasting tray, then drizzle with a marinade of rice wine vinegar, ginger, soy sauce, garlic, sriracha sauce and sesame oil. Refrigerate for a couple of hours, then bring it back to room temperature before cooking. Roast in an oven preheated to 200°C for 10 minutes, rest for 50 minutes, carve and serve with egg noodles.
For the show-off: clinching
All the rage right now, clinching or “dirty grilling” as the Yanks sometimes call it, means cooking meat directly on the coals – perfect for leaner cuts like fillet and sirloin. For a 1 kg beef fillet, season with salt, let it stand at room temperature for half an hour, then lace it directly onto hot coals and cook for 2 minutes, turning slightly every few minutes to cook evenly. Remove from the heat, rest and slice, and serving with anchovy butter and tomato toasts.
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