Importance Score: 60 / 100 🔵
Chef Unveils Key Technique for Restaurant-Quality Steak at Home
A seasoned culinary professional has revealed his expert method for preparing steak to achieve a “restaurant-quality” taste in your own kitchen. Chef Frank Proto, a culinary instructor, shared his tips in a popular YouTube video demonstrating how to cook the perfect steak at home. The tutorial, which has garnered over a million views, outlines a simple yet effective approach to elevate your steak cooking game, focusing on optimal seasoning and cooking techniques. Learn how to avoid common pitfalls and create a delicious, tender, and flavorful steak every time with this guide to achieving restaurant-quality steak.
Essential Steak Seasoning: The Ingredient to Avoid
In his instructional video, Chef Proto identifies a common seasoning ingredient that he considers detrimental to steak flavor, describing it as “horrible.” He advocates for substituting this ingredient with a superior alternative, readily available at specialty food stores or online retailers like Amazon. He emphasizes that proper seasoning is paramount to creating a truly exceptional steak.
Transforming Ordinary Steak into a Culinary Delight
Chef Proto begins the video by stating his objective: “We’re talking about how to transform a disappointing, gray, flabby piece of meat into a perfectly seasoned, expertly cooked, and satisfying steak. This is Steak 101.”
He elaborates on his ideal steak: “My perfect steak is a well-marbled cut with good fat content. It should have a flavorful, crusty exterior and a tender, juicy interior.”
Proto highlights the two critical elements for achieving steak perfection: “There are two secrets to getting your steak right: seasoning it correctly and cooking it to the correct internal temperature. Take your time, be patient, season your meat properly, and you will achieve great results.”
Patience is Paramount in Steak Preparation
When discussing the cooking process, Frank Proto stresses that “patience is key.” From achieving the ideal sear to allowing the meat to rest adequately, he assures viewers that following his method will ensure that “steaks will never be bland and dry again.”
The Foundation of Flavor: Salt and Pepper – But Choose Wisely
Explaining the significance of pre-cooking seasoning, Proto specifies that only two fundamental ingredients are necessary: salt and pepper. However, he emphasizes the importance of selecting a particular type of salt for optimal results.
“Before we cook this, we need to season it, and I’m going to demonstrate what I believe is the correct way to season,” Chef Proto explains to his audience. “I prefer to start with salt and pepper, using pepper sparingly. You’ll notice I season from a height.”
Technique for Even Seasoning Distribution
“Seasoning from a higher position allows for better dispersion of the pepper across the steak surface. Remember to season the top, bottom, and sides of your steak. I use pepper lightly as it can tend to burn during cooking, so I only want a subtle hint of its flavor.”
Kosher Salt: The Chef’s Preferred Choice
Revealing his preferred salt, Proto states, “I use kosher salt here. Some people might say, ‘I use table salt.’ In my opinion, table salt is undesirable. I find table salt to be excessively salty, surprisingly. So, I take a generous pinch of kosher salt and season from above, creating what resembles a light dusting of snow.”
Generous External Seasoning for Optimal Results
Proto emphasizes the importance of thoroughly seasoning all external surfaces of the steak. “I’m going to generously season the outside, but none of this salt will penetrate deep into the steak. The goal is to develop a flavorful, salty crust on the exterior, while the interior remains essentially unseasoned.”
The Secret to Balanced Flavor
Chef Proto explains the rationale behind this technique: “When you take a bite combining the crusty exterior and the juicy interior, the seasoning integrates perfectly in your mouth. The overall flavor is balanced and not overly salty.”
“I tend to favor a minimalist approach when seasoning steak. I generally avoid rubs or marinades for my steaks. For me, if I’ve invested in a high-quality steak, I want to savor the pure taste of the meat itself.”