See what I did there? There are a number of mistakes you can make when cooking or preparing steak. From too much seasoning to not enough, fiddling with it too much to cooking it in olive oil. We have tried them all.

For such a simple ingredient, you would think we would be a little better at cooking it. I was the same until we opened The Stone Grill and I got to see first-hand how a professional does it. Now, with those techniques in hand, I can cook the perfect steak every time.

If you follow these five tips, you can too!

Season your steak properly

There is still a lot of debate about whether to season your steak before cooking or after. I think as long as you season it right, it doesn’t really matter. Use a good quality rock or sea salt and crushed black pepper for best effect.

Warm it up

Another common mistake I see is people cooking their steak straight out of the fridge. You should always, always give your steak at least an hour at room temperature before cooking it. That way you get a proper sear and the right level of ‘done’ without compromising the taste and texture. A steak should be cooked for the minimum possible time so let it hit room temperature before it hits the pan.

Frying pan fire

As mentioned just now, a steak needs to be cooked as little as possible over a high heat. So while your steak is warming, get some oil into the pan or skillet and get it hot. Use vegetable oil over olive oil as the smoke point is higher. A very hot pan will sear the outside, caramelise the fat and get the perfect cook every time.

Fork off my steak

Never stab a steak and move it around with a fork. Use a fish slice or kitchen tongs. If you break the skin, the juice leaks out. The more juice you lose, the drier the steak will be. Once it’s in the pan, don’t mess with it. Leave it be until it’s time to flip or remove. Don’t move it around, slide it about or otherwise fiddle with it. You will lose juice every time.

Rest in peace

Finally, allow your steak to rest before serving. Resting is as important as cooking as it allows the meat fibres to relax. The result is a much nicer and juicier steak that imparts flavour and is easy to eat. Patience is very much a virtue when resting steak. Allow around half the cooking time to rest.

Follow those five simple rules for cooking steak and you should deliver first class dishes every time!