Cooking the perfect naked steak

The essential steps for the absolute prime bite of meat

Many people worry when they cook very expensive steaks because there is minimal room for error. At $30+ per lb (or more), there’s nothing worse than messing up good meat.

Yesterday, I came across some beautiful marbled wagyu strip steaks and created a quick recipe for the perfect naked steak (no sauce, no garnish). This recipe is simple with no frills, but timing is essential.

These steps apply to two 2-inch thick-cut NY Strip steaks. Of course, you can use this for various cuts. However, if you follow the timing to the second, you will end up with the perfect medium-rare steak with the right amount of seasoning.

Step 1: Pre-Salt

Pre-salt your steak. I do this at least 2 hours ahead of time so that the salt can work its magic. You can allow the salt to dry brine the meat for up to 24 hours, but 2 hours is enough to get it working. Season it as you would normally, not more not less but enough to evenly disperse over the steak.

During this stage the salt will go into the meat and back out multiple times, both seasoning the inside and breaking the proteins down a touch. Don’t be alarmed as the moisture beads up to the surface, it will go back into the meat. Leave the steak in the fridge during this process.

Step 2: Cook in a 350F oven for 8 minutes

This initial “slow cook” breaks the meat down and allows for a better finishing sear. Rub the meat down with a small amount of avocado oil or olive oil, then place on a sheet pan and put in a pre-heated oven. Do not salt the steak again, as the salt is already on and inside the meat from the pre-salt. I do not add black pepper until the meat is cooked, as seared black pepper can taste bitter and burned.

Step 3: Sear in a hot pan for 4 minutes, flipping every 30 seconds.

After the meat has slow roasted, remove from the oven and place on the counter. You will want to gently dry the steak with a paper towel at this stage.

This is the critical performance step. You want your pan blazing hot but not smoking. I use avocado oil for this stage as it has a higher smoke point. Get the pan out first, then add a tablespoon of oil. It should shimmer in the pan like water but not fully smoke.

By flipping the steak every 30 seconds you are actually cooking it both faster and more evenly.

Step 4: Allow the steak to rest for at least 10 minutes covered in butter.

This is the often-forgotten step. You MUST allow your meat to rest so the juices can properly circulate throughout the meat. If you cut it too early, all of those juices will run out onto your cutting board. I also smother the steak in whole butter at this point to both insulate the heat and add a bit more fat to the exterior for a richer bite. As the steak cools, the butter will melt down perfectly.

At this point you can slice your meat and finish with more whole butter or olive oil, freshly cracked black pepper and some sea salt. If you want to go 1 step further, take any of the juices that are left over from the resting stage, place them in a pan with a touch of cold butter, and bring them together over medium heat for a simple pan sauce.