How To Cook Medium Rare Steak In 5 Steps

In this article we show you how to cook medium rare steak perfectly it’s so simple! Steak is a classic, easy and undeniably delicious dish that is a favourite meal for many around the globe, whether it’s served up with crispy fries, sauteed vegetables or smothered in a punchy peppercorn sauce.

So, what exactly is the best way to cook it a steak?

The topic has been up for debate for decades, with answers varying depending on where in the world you are. But ask almost any chef how they like their steak, and chances are they’ll say medium-rare. With a tasty, crisp outside and a buttery, juicy middle, it’s easy to see why.

Many home cooks shy away from making steak at home, worried about the precise nature of the cooking times and the chance of ruining a rather pricey ingredient. But getting that perfect steak at home is easier than you might think. Just wrap your head around a few key principles and you’ll be recreating your restaurant favourite in no time. Here’s everything you need to know about how to cook medium rare steak.

How To Cook Medium Rare Steak

Medium Rare Steak Recipe

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Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 6 mins

Course Main Course

Servings 2 People

Ingredients

  

• 2 Sirloin Steaks
• ½ tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Pepper
• 1 tsp Minced Garlic
• 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil

Instructions

 

• Before marinating the steak, allow it to rest at room temperature for up to an hour – this is optional but enhances the flavour of the steak if it is cooked from room temperature.
• Place The steak in a medium sized bowl and add Salt, pepper, garlic and paprika into the bowl. Mix and rub the ingredients into the steak ensuring it is evenly spread across the steak.
• Leave the steak to rest in the marinade for 30 minutes or longer.
• Using a griddle pan, or olive boil onto the pan and heat until the pan is hot. Place the stakes onto the hot griddle pan and cook to the requirements of how you like your steak. We like our steaks medium rare so we cooked it for about 2½ minutes each side. 
• Remove the steaks from the griddle pan and let them rest for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.

Keyword Meat, Medium Rare Steak, Steak

What Does Medium Rare Mean?

When it comes to how ‘done’ you like your steak, medium rare is one step up from rare, and is followed by medium, medium well and finally well done. To be medium rare, a steak should have a fully red, warm centre. It should be soft and juicy in the middle, but with a firm, crisp outer layer.

Officially, your steak has reached medium rare when the meat reaches a temperature of between 54.44° to 57.22°C. It’s at this magical temperature that the meat’s proteins have started to break down, resulting in its marvelous texture, and perfect amount of tender chewiness.

Is Medium Rare Steak Safe To Eat?

Absolutely. As long as you have bought your meat from a reputable source, there is no danger of sickness even when it is cooked medium rare. As steak is a whole muscle, the inside has not been exposed to open air, meaning there are no harmful bacteria inside. Even if you were to cook a steak rare, the meat has reached such a temperature that any potential “nasties” will have long been killed off.

5 Tips for A Perfect Medium Rare Steak

For extra peace of mind, you might prefer to buy your meat from a butcher instead of your local supermarket. After all, meat is their business, and they will take extra care in sourcing the highest quality cuts they can find from producers that they trust.

When it comes to how to cook medium rare steak perfectly, there are 5 tips you should bear in mind.

1. Cut: Different cuts of beef behave in different ways, so some are better suited to being cooked medium rare than others. Our favourite is sirloin. It’s a lean cut of meat which makes it great for cooking for short periods of time, and is also tender as it comes from a large area of back muscles. It also works as the perfect vehicle to take on the flavours of the marinade. If you can’t get hold of sirloin, you might like to use rib-eye instead, though it tends to be a little more expensive, it’s well worth the cost. As this cut has quite a bit more fat, it’s worth amping up the temperature of the pan to make sure it renders down.
2. Marinade: Marinating your steak before cooking helps to enhance the flavour of the meat. We like a simple mixture of olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and smoked paprika to complement the steak’s natural flavours while not being too overpowering. Make sure your marinade is rubbed evenly into the steak to ensure deliciousness with every bite, and marinade it for at least 30 minutes before cooking (but longer if you can manage it).
3. Heat: However you like your steak cooked, you should always start with a hot pan. If the pan doesn’t sizzle when the meat hits it, it’s not hot enough! However, you don’t want it to be searing unless you’re using a high-fat cut (like rib eye). If the temperature in the pan is too high then the outside of your steak will burn or cook too quickly before the middle warms up. Too cool, on the other hand, and you won’t get that lovely sear that locks in all the meaty flavour.
4. Cooking Time: Timing is everything when it comes to getting that perfect medium rare steak. We have found that the best results come from cooking it for two and a half minutes on each side. If you’re not sure if the steak is done, you can always check using the finger test. Gently press the tip of your middle finger to the tip of your thumb. This is what a medium rare steak should feel like. Alternatively, if you want to be extra precise, you can use a thermometer to test the temperature of your steak.
5. Resting Time: All meat is better when rested, and steak is no exception. Resting is a vital final step to the cooking process, allowing the delicious juices inside to redistribute throughout the meat as they slightly cool. If you serve the steak straight away, the juices will just spill out onto the plate as you cut into it, taking all that flavour with them. We have found a good resting time for medium rare steak to be between three and five minutes before serving. We promise it will be worth the wait!

How To Cook Medium Rare Steak – Please let us know if you have tried this recipe please share any comments or images through Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest @simpleyummiesfood .

Please check out our Ratatouille recipe, it makes a very tasty side dish to go with this steak!