Having a sizzling plate of seared steak, with some delectable sides, in the company of family and friends, on a warm, breezy, Saturday night, AH!
What more can a person ask for?
Living here in the UK, where finding halal food options can sometimes be a bit tricky. And don’t get me started on finding halal meat delivery options.
If you want to experience fine dining, then the halal options quickly run out. And the far-and-between options left are either way too expensive or located at a two-hour drive or more.
I have resorted to making my perfect halal steak dinner at home. I was encouraged by the fact that I have found options to purchase halal steak near my place at the local grocery store, Save Co.
Cooking Steak At Home ǀ Not A Joke
Even though I found options for buying halal steak nearby, perfecting the technique of cooking restaurant-quality steak was no joke.
I caused a mini fire while searing the steak, splattering oil all over the kitchen when I put a frozen piece of steak, over-seasoning the steak, and even overcooking once.
These are just a few of the many mistakes I made. But the determined ME did not let me lose hope. And with every mistake I perfected the flaws.
Now, I can confidently say that I have nailed the perfect technique to cook a restaurant-like steak at home.
So, If I can do it. So can you.
Pro Tips To Master The Technique Of Cooking Steak
Steak should be at room temperature: remove the steak from the refrigerator at least half an hour before marinating. Then pat dry with paper towels to remove any excess water.
Avoid over-seasoning: the best kind of steaks are just seasoned with a generous amount of salt and pepper. More masalas mean the steak will lose its natural flavour. However, you may season the steak as per your preference after all it is YOUR steak that you are making.
Rub the steak with oil that has a high smoke point, therefore you should avoid olive oil.
Then sprinkle a generous amount of salt and pepper on both sides including the edges.
Flip and Baste Action, flip the steak every 30-40 seconds, and let each side baste in the melted brown butter. Repeat the flip and baste action repeatedly every 30-40 seconds until the steak is cooked to your preference:
- For medium-rare, flip and baste 6 to 8 times, (8-10 minutes)
- For medium, flip and baste 12-14 times (10-12 minutes)
- For a medium-well to well done, flip and baste 15-16 times (12-15 minutes)
Let it rest, the 5-7 minutes resting period after the steak is cooked is very important, it lets the juices in the steak settle down. You can then slice it or serve it as you require with sides of your choice.
Best Cuts For The Perfect Halal Steak
This is a never-ending debate among steak lovers, some prefer their steaks to be flavourful, hearty, and tender. While others prefer it to be more tender, juicy, and moist. Hence, it all depends upon your personal preference.
Ribeye
Ribeye is a large, round cut of beef steak. It is famous among steak lovers due to its extensive marbling throughout. This marbling effect makes it the most sought-after steak cut as it gives an excellent hearty flavour to your steak.
Tenderloin
It is a longer cut of steak but without marbling. Hence, it is not as flavourful as a ribeye. However, it is more tender than the ribeye. Fillet mignon is cut from the smaller part of this tenderloin, is the most tender of all steaks, and is often cooked in a buttery sauce. It is the most expensive cut of steak.
Sirloin
Sirloin has a more robust beefy texture and flavour than the rest of the two. It is slightly chewy so beef lovers enjoy it. It is the least expensive cut of steak. But if you ask me, I prefer the ribeye the best, due to its extensive marbling and juicy taste. Although it isn’t as tender as the tenderloin, its flavours raise the bar and take it to the next level.
Best Halal Steak Recipe
While making beef steak marinades, it is often easy to create a flavorful marinade that infuses flavour into the steak.
But it is difficult to strike a chord between maintaining the taste of beef and not overpowering it with flavours.
Try this recipe to make your economical steaks taste restaurant-like.
Marinade
- Steak - 2
- Balsamic vinegar - 1 tbsp
- Worcestershire sauce - 1 tbsp
- Soy sauce - 2 tbsp
- Oil - 1 tbsp (I use rosemary oil)
- Black pepper - 1 tsp
- Kosher salt - as per taste
- Garlic powder - ½ tsp
- Onion powder - ½ tsp
- Mustard paste - 1 tsp
- Garlic butter - 1 tbsp
Directions
- Pat dry the steak to remove any extra moisture, then apply a coat of oil on the steak.
- Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl and then rub evenly onto the steaks.
- Place the beef into a ziplock bag and refrigerate. For best results, marinade the beef for 12-24 hours.
- Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking time to bring the steak to room temperature.
- You can either grill this steak or sear it in a pan.
For grilling, brush the grills with oil and heat them until you see smoke coming out, place the steak on the grill and rotate every 40 seconds. Cook until both sides turn into a seared brown shade. It will take around 8-10 minutes. Drop a dab of garlic butter and wrap it in foil paper for 5-7 minutes for its resting period.
For pan searing, heat a cast iron skillet on high heat and add garlic butter. Let the butter melt then place your steaks into the skillet and let it cook with the butter. Cook until you achieve the perfect sear on your steak, which will take around 8-10 minutes.
Serve the steak after resting it for 5-7 minutes. You can serve it with the sides of your choice, I prefer mashed potatoes with some grilled veggies as my sides.
Wrap Up
With a lot of hard work and dedication, I can now say that I have perfected the technique for cooking restaurant-like steak at home. My friends are often eagerly waiting for that occasional steak party at my place.
However, this would never have been possible if I hadn’t found the perfect halal steak cut at my local grocery shop. What’s even better is that SaveCo provides same-day Express Delivery options as well as nationwide delivery.
So, the next time you feel like having a fancy steak dinner, just order the perfect halal steak and follow my tips and techniques. I’m sure you will be able to create something amazing.
