How To Cook The Perfect Steak

By Lavoy Caldwell

The Perfect Steak And No Grill

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The right cut of steak at room temperature

skillet drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with kosher or sea salt

Caron placing the steak in hot pan

​I have been cooking steak for most of my adult life, and have eaten it in more than my fair share of restaurants across the country. But, one of the best steaks I have ever put in my mouth was this past Christmas when Lake Wedowee Life went to Flora’s Table.

Caron Duckworth knows how to cook a steak y’all, and we sweet talked her into telling us how to do it too!

First things first the cut of steak matters. You want one with some great marbling (in other words fat). We, as a family, love a good ribeye so that’s what we choose more often that not.

You want it to get to room temperature because cooking a cold steak will make it tough. While, it’s resting go ahead and salt one side with some flaky kosher salt or sea salt. Don’t waste your time with that regular old table salt. Another thing to do while your steak is getting ready is to preheat your oven and get your cast iron skillet hot. That’s right we aren’t taking this steak outside. You can do this year round no matter the weather conditions!

​We have a medium size skillet and drizzle some olive oil and put more kosher salt or course sea salt in the pan turn the stove top to medium high heat.

Place your steak in the center of the pan (salt side down) and let it cook. Season the top while the steak is cooking for three minutes (this is for a medium steak). Once the three minutes are up… Flip her over with some metal tongs and cook for another three minutes. There should be a nice char on the steak at this point. But, we are not done. After the second three minutes get an oven mitt and transfer your skillet to the oven that has been preheating at 500 degrees and cook for the final three minutes.

When time is up check for doneness and put on your plate. Finish with a dollop of butter. (we like to mix it up with some garlic, pepper and a few other herbs) the butter melts into the cooked steak and it’s Slap Yo Mama good. Let it rest so the juices distribute about five minutes and then dig in! You can thank us all later! 

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For a medium steak cook for 3 minutes on one side

Flip steak with tongs and cook on other side for 3 minutes

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then place steak/skillet into a preheated oven at 500 degrees for another 3 minutes

Special thanks to Chef Caron Duckworth