According to Executive Chef Oliver Hyde of Bistecca Tuscan Steakhouse, how to prepare greatly seared steak is surprisingly simple.
William Buckland, the Dean of Westminster in the 1700s loved consuming meat. So much that he would eat the most grotesque forms, like kangaroo ham or rhinoceros pie — the animals’ heads taxidermied by the man himself and displayed in his mansion. Socially, it is a little spine-chilling. Biologically, it makes sense because after all, we are homo sapiens programmed to crave meat. Simply put, our brains evolved on the African savanna where we were wired to seek out sources of protein for us to forage, hunt, and scavenge.
This brings about the topic of steak — great when it is done properly and questionable when poorly cooked. In Hyde’s words, “perfectly cooked” is very subjective.
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“However, there are a few basic rules to apply across the board. A perfectly cooked steak needs to first be tempered before getting cooked. The right amount of seasoning and a consistent heat source is also required. It can be cooked in a heavy-duty frying pan or over a fire as they retain heat the best. A steak also needs to be properly rested before finishing, which is a step many skip at home. Great food takes time. You can’t rush a well-cooked steak. Also, before cooking, you should always make sure your steaks are patted dry so there is no moisture left on the exterior.”
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Sure, one might own the variables above but does he have the chops that Hyde possesses? Firstly, Bistecca Tuscan Steakhouse works directly with farms in Australia to exclusively bring the best F1 and wagyu steak in town. Hyde has a solution for sourcing great steak. “Find a butcher, get to know them, and try a few different breeds or beef marbling scores until you find something to your liking. I buy my steaks from Butchers Box in Joo Chiat.”
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The answer to serving perfectly seared steak is simple — pat dry, maintain heat and rest it but there comes another problem. What if a house guest, we shudder to say, requests for his or her steak well done? Sacrilegious in some circles, bearable in others. “I love medium rare but I understand the redness on the inside of lesser cooked meats can put people off. It also depends on the cut of the meat. Medium-well is acceptable with fattier cuts because fat tastes better the more it’s cooked. So, for leaner steaks like a tenderloin, we would recommend cooking no more than medium doneness because it’s just a disservice to the steak. However, a nice F1 wagyu sirloin might be just nice medium-well to well-done.” says Hyde. The one thing he insists on is how one should season it — a light sprinkling of kosher or sea salt along with different spice rubs.
“With people you enjoy being around, the proper way to eat a steak must be done using sharp steak knives. A bottle of full-bodied Brunello doesn’t hurt either,” says Hyde but remember, Bistecca Tuscan Steakhouse closes during lunchtime on Monday.
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