This Might Be The Best Way To Cook Steak

Just the aroma of a delicious steak being made can make your mouth start watering. However, getting a perfectly executed cut of beef at a steakhouse can come with a hefty price tag. Doing this at home on the other hand, can save time, money, and have people believing you're an impressive cook. But with so many ways to prepare a steak, which one do you choose? Well, according to award-winning chef, J. Kenji López-Alt, the best way is the reverse sear. This method involves roasting your steak in the oven followed by searing in a pan. 

López-Alt writes in Serious Eats that if you're looking to make a steak that is "medium-rare from edge to edge, with a crisp crust, there's no better technique." He explains that it's called the reverse sear because it goes against what chefs have done traditionally. Many steak experts believe that to lock in juices you have to sear first, but López-Alt says that is not true and that it merely adds flavor. 

So what are some of the better results you can expect from searing meat after it's been cooked?

López-Alt says the steak will be more evenly cooked because when you make it this way, you are cooking it slowly, versus the traditional way, which requires a higher temperature to initially sear. "By starting steaks in a low-temperature oven, you wind up with almost no overcooked meat whatsoever," he promises. "Juicier results are your reward." Most importantly, López-Alt says this technique makes your steak much more tender.

Food writer Becky Krystal for The Washington Post says this method also creates a perfectly brown crust. "The creation of the crust is further enhanced by the fact that the oven has done most of the work of drying the surface of the meat," she says. "That way the outside browns and crisps rather than steams. The heat and energy can focus on the meat rather than on driving off moisture." 

To get the perfect reverse sear, just cook your seasoned steak in a 200 to 275 degree oven on a baking sheet lined with a wire rack until it is about 10 to 15 degrees from your desired doneness. After that, pop it into a screaming hot skillet and let that delicious crust form. It's as simple as that. Bon appétit!