Whether you’re entertaining and looking to impress or you just want to cook a delicious home meal, a perfectly cooked steak is a fantastic way to go. Like many dishes, some people can be scared of cooking steak at home, through fear of over or undercooking. We’re here to guide you through the process and tell you exactly how to cook the perfect steak.

Traditionally, steak is cooked with a rub of olive oil, salt and pepper. But at Kikkoman we like to add a hit of flavour to all our meals. So next time you’re cooking steak try something a little different with our soy and chilli marinade, you’ll be converted.

Cooking the Perfect Steak

1. It’s important that the steak(s) you’re going to cook are at room temperature. Whether you’re cooking your steak plain or with a marinade, make sure you take it out of the fridge 30 minutes beforehand so that it cooks more evenly.

2. Season. It’s important to season the meat – but only do so at the last minute. Rub a good splash of olive oil and some salt and pepper onto the meat before putting into the pan. Alternatively add some extra flavour with a delicious marinade.

3. Heat a heavy based frying pan or griddle over a medium to high heat until it smokes. And then add the steak.

4. Cook the steak for 30 seconds to up to 3 minutes each side, depending on preference. An ideal way to measure if your steak is cooked to your liking is with a temperature thermometer. Alternatively, if you do not one you can use the thumb to finger method. This involves touching the lower, fleshy part of your thumb with one of your fingers on the same hand and then using your other hand to feel how hard this area of your thumb is. Pressing the steak should equate to the resistance you feel of the base of your thumb.

- Rare – 48-50 degrees C (Thumb to forefinger)

- Medium Rare – 52-55 degrees C (Thumb to middle finger)

- Medium – 58-60 degrees C (Thumb to fourth finger)

- Well Done – 64-70 degrees C (Thumb to little finger)

5. Once cooked to your liking, remove the steak from the pan and place on a board or plate to rest for 2-3 minutes. This process will let the steak relax and ultimately lead to a better, juicer texture when eating.

6. Serve your steak with a delicious side of salad and chips, or your favourite accompaniment.

Our favourite steak recipes