The way we cook steak usually comes down to personal preference, whether you like it rare, well-done or anything in between.
But most people would agree that when it comes to preparing it, sticking it in a pan over the job is usually the way to go.
However, according to scientists, we’re actually missing out one vital step that must be done before frying the steak in order to make it taste better – and that’s putting it in the microwave.
George Vekinis, research director at the National Centre for Scientific Research, in Greece, appeared on the BBC podcast, Instant Genius, saying that steak should be put in the microwave before frying.
He also said that adding salt could ruin it, Wales Online reports.
Speaking on the podcast, he said: “Salt must never be put on a steak before frying. Salt has this osmotic ability to drag out as much water as possible from the meat and you’re going to get [something] tough and inedible.”
He said that the microwave is a vital step in preparing a steak, and you should be putting each piece in for between one and two minutes.
George added: “Put steak in the microwave for one or two minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat, then you fry it quickly, a very short time, as short a time as possible, just to give it that little bit of reaction on the surface.
“When I say short, I’m talking about a minute maximum. You take a steak or beef or whatever it is and you just fry it on both sides as little as possible.”
The temperature inside your steak should reach 55-60C ‘at least’ before serving.
If the method is followed correctly, for a medium-rare steak, the meat should be “slightly red and cooked on the outside”, he says. His book ‘Physics in the Kitchen’ is due to be released later this year.
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