Steak is an expensive dinner, so it is important to make sure it is cooked perfectly to get your money’s worth, but it often becomes dry and rubbery if you just toss it in a pan. If you have ever stood in front of a stove trying to get a good golden crust on a steak, only for it to start smoking, then it is likely because you tried to cook it in olive oil or butter. Olive oil and butter have really low smoke points, meaning both ingredients will break down at high heat, and instead of browning the meat, they will cause a steak to become bitter and burned.
After experimenting with countless ingredients, I discovered that avocado oil is the clear winner for the tastiest steak possible. Avocado oil has a high smoke point of 260°C, which prevents the steak from burning while cooking. This means you can actually taste the steak without an awful acidic flavour, and you won’t end up wasting your money on a pricy cut of meat.
Why Cook a Steak With Avocado Oil?
I used to be put off cooking steak because my kitchen would become a smoky mess every time I tried, and I would end up with a charred steak. However, I was once flipping through one of my Mum’s old cookbooks and discovered that many chefs use avocado oil to cook steak because it has a high smoke point. Steaks need to be cooked over high heat to brown and develop a crust, so avocado oil will cook them properly without breaking down as oil or butter would. Using avocado oil is simply more forgiving and makes it much easier to cook a steak while also helping it get the best crispy texture, so you can cook it without worrying about burning it.
How to Cook a Better Steak
You will need one steak (ribeye, strip, sirloin, or filet), one tablespoon of avocado oil, and salt and pepper. If you wish, you can also add butter only for basting, but I do not recommend using it as your cooking fat, as it is likely to burn the steak. You can also add any seasonings you like, such as garlic, thyme, or rosemary.
To begin, take the steak out of the fridge beforehand, as this helps it reach room temperature so it cooks more evenly. If you cook a cold steak, the outside will cook much faster than the inside, which can make it chewy. All you need to do is season it with a good amount of salt and pepper, cover it with a paper towel, and leave it for around 30 to 60 minutes before cooking.
When you are ready to cook, heat the pan on the stove, then add a thin layer of avocado oil once it is hot. It should sizzle slightly but not be aggressively smoky. Next, you just have to add the steak to the pan and let it cook for two to three minutes, depending on how thick it is.
Flip the steak, and a deep golden crust should have formed. Let it cook for a few more minutes to brown the other side. If you are using a butter baste, then lower the heat and add it in the last two minutes of cooking time. Spoon the baste over the steak repeatedly to get the best flavour possible.
Once the steak has been cooked, remove it from the pan and let it rest for at least five minutes. When you cook a steak, all the liquid inside the meat rises to the surface, and if you cut it immediately, all those tasty juices will leak and cause it to dry out. When the time is up, your steak will be tender, juicy and with the perfect crispy crust so you can have a mouthwatering cut of meat with less than 10 minutes of effort.
