The Ultimate Guide To Good Steak: From Cuts To Cooking

Steak is always going to a British favourite, but do you know the difference between a sirloin and a flat iron? It's not just in the price. And learning how to cook different types of steak will open up a much more affordable world of good meat.

We asked the experts at the Quality Standard Mark for their tips.

They advise when buying steaks, always ask your Quality Standard Mark butcher for advice.  The QSM assurance scheme for beef and lamb provides you with high levels of assurance about the meat you buy and has a strict selection process to ensure it is succulent and tender.

Cooking your steak

Whichever steak you buy, make sure you follow the golden rules of steak cooking:

1. Remove steaks from the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking to bring up to room temperature.  Simply pop on a plate, cover and set aside until required

2. Make sure the pan is extremely hot before cooking the steaks.

3. Where possible always use tongs rather than a fork to minimise any loss of meat juices

4. Always oil then season steak on both sides just before cooking.  Try not to overload your pan with steaks; this will lower the temperature of the pan and increase the likelihood of the steaks `stewing’ in their own meat juices.

5. Finally, always rest your steaks for a few minutes after cooking before eating….it really will be worth it!

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Beginnger's guide to different cuts of steak:

Nowadays, many cuts are sold with less fat, but the aims of good husbandry and butchery remain the same: to ensure that each cut cooks consistently.

Flat Iron Steak:
•    Good value and alternative steak
•    Very popular new steak on the UK market
•    Tender with moderate beef flavour
•    Best way to enjoy the flavours is eating this rare or medium rare- never well done
•    Takes to marinades really well.

Cooking instructions:
Flat iron steaks lend themselves to shallow frying, grilling or cooking on the barbecue.  After cooking, it is important to cover and rest the steaks for 5-10 minutes on a warm plate. This allows the muscles in the steaks to relax and the meat juices to be reabsorbed into the steak.

Rare - cook for two minutes on each side
Medium/Rare - cook for three to four minutes on each side
Medium - cook for five to seven minutes on each side

Rib Eye Steak:
•    A wonderful flavour
•    Very tender with moderate beef flavour
•    Pockets of fat in the Rib Eye so therefore also great for roasting as a joint
•    Best enjoyed medium rare to medium

Cooking instructions:
Rib eye steaks lend themselves to shallow frying, grilling or cooking on the barbecue

Rare - cook for two and a half minutes on each side
Medium/Rare - cook for three minutes on each side
Medium - cook for four minutes on each side
Medium/Well-done - cook for five minutes on each side
Well-done - cook for six minutes on each side

Sirloin Steak:
•    Great flavour and very popular
•    Very tender with moderate beef flavour

Cooking instructions:
Sirloin steaks lend themselves to shallow frying, grilling or cooking on the barbecue

Rare - cook for two and a half minutes on each side
Medium Rare - cook for three minutes on each side
Medium - cook for four minutes on each side
Medium/Well-done - cook for five minutes on each side
Well-done - cook for six minutes on each side

Fillet Steak:
•    The most lean and tender of all the steaks, but lack flavour
•    Very tender with moderate flavour
•    The fillet tail is usually cut off and used for dishes such as stroganoff or can be flattened for Sandwich steaks
•    The butt end is normally for Chateaubriand
•    The centre cut fillet is the prime part of the fillet and often the most expensive

Cooking instructions:
Fillet steaks lend themselves to shallow frying and grilling
Rare - cook for three to four minutes on each side
Medium - cook for four to five minutes on each side
Medium/Well done - cook for six to seven minutes on each side

These times are based on a 2-3cm/¾-1¼inch thick fillet

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Onglet Steak:
•    Tender with rich beef favour

Cooking instructions:
Onglet steaks lend themselves to shallow frying

This steak should be flash fried (one to two minutes on each side) very quickly and best eaten rare

Picanha Rump Steak (otherwise known as the top Sirloin cap)
•    Succulent and tender cut from the rump
•    Extremely popular and prized in South America
•    Always cut the Picanha steak across the grain

Cooking instructions:
Picanha Rump steaks lend themselves to shallow frying, grilling or cooking on the barbecue

Rare - cook for two and a half minutes on each side
Medium Rare - cook for three minutes on each side
Medium - cook for four minutes on each side
Medium/Well done - cook for five minutes on each side
Well-done - cook for six minutes on each side

Prime Rump Steak:
•    Considered to have more flavour
•    Tender with moderate beef flavour
•    A good everyday steak
•    Always should be cut against the grain

Cooking instructions:
Prime Rump steaks lend themselves to shallow frying, grilling or cooking on the barbecue

Rare - cook for two and a half minutes on each side
Medium/Rare - cook for three minutes on each side
Medium - cook for four minutes on each side
Medium/Well done - cook for five minutes on each side
Well-done - cook for six minutes on each side

Bistro Rump Steak:
•    Great for both tenderness and flavour
•    Very Tender and rich beef flavour
•    Often lower price than fillet, sirloin and rib steaks.
•    Packs the flavour of a rump with close to the tenderness of fillet.

Cooking instructions:
Bistro Rump steaks lend themselves to shallow frying, grilling or cooking on the barbecue

Rare - cook for two and a half minutes on each side
Medium Rare - cook for three minutes on each side
Medium - cook for four minutes on each side
Medium/ Well done - cook for five minutes on each side
Well-done - cook for six minutes on each side

Enjoy!