The Complete Guide to Cooking the Perfect Steak 

I really liked the tip you added about talking to your butcher. As a butcher myself, I can confidently tell you that the #1 thing we're concerned with is making sure you know what you're buying. I've about lost count at this point over the years how many times I've helped someone who has no idea what they're doing and are afraid to ask questions. I don't know a single butcher who makes commission so we're not going to upsell something to you. You're trying to buy something to take home and enjoy with yourself, friends, or family, and we want you to have a good experience. Please please please do not be afraid to ask us anything.

Tip from a pro French cook : let your meat rest covered (like with a bowl or a plate) for as long as it took to cook it before serving it. Taste and tenderness goes to another dimension.

The flatiron (oyster blade in Australia) is my favourite cut. Cheap, flavourful, tender and very forgiving. Slow cooked it can't be beat.

Great video. One of the best "everything about steak" videos I've ever seen. Masterclass material. Keep up the great work Max.

My wife bought a flat iron couple yrs ago…it’s now the steak we eat 95% of the time. It’s ridiculous how good and underrated this cut is.

In a previous career I sold 50-60 tons of meat a year and have to say that, in under 20 minutes, this was the best video on steak I’ve seen. Covered all the important points, amazing production value. I’m going out to buy a steak now.

This was really helpful, thank you Just wanted to add another searing technique not mentioned in the video, the double sear. Just tried it for the first time the other day on some cheap grocery story sirloins, and it turned out great 1. Season and dry brine for 1 day in the fridge 2. Take out of fridge and let rest for at least 1 hour (I wasn't using a cast iron pan, so I pre-heated the pan to the highest setting, and then immediately turned it down to medium heat after I put the steak in, this helped develop an amazing crust. I had read a bit that when putting a steak in a pan, it causes a "cold shock" effect where it will suck a lot of energy out, so I figured this would be alright. Probably don't try this if you're using a cast iron though) 3. Put the steak's in the pan with oil, I used olive oil though I'm sure any oil will work. 3a. Due to the previously mentioned strategy, I fried the side first that would be visible when serving the steak. 4. Fry both sides for 90 seconds each 5. Let rest for at least 10 minutes out of the pan (preferably on something grated, but I used a plate here) 6. Fry both sides again for 90 seconds each, I used the high heat technique again here. 7. Let stand for at least 5 minutes. 8. Serve

Boring??? Definitely one of the best vids out there!

I love this video! As a Hispanic, flank, skirt, and eye of round are absolute staples in Mexican food. The way to cook the meats in the Do Not But category, such as the eye of round, is to add it into a pot with water and bring it to a simmer to cook for a while, like an hour or two. Low and slow is the key. Then, you can shred the beef and add them to tacos, chalupas, tostadas, or nachos. Enjoy!

For those of you in a commonwealth country here's a quick translation of these cuts: I was confused, so I thought I might as well share them :) Rib Eye= Scotch Fillet Tenderloin= Eye Fillet Porterhouse= T-Bone OR American Porterhouse if it has a large Eye Fillet attached. New York Strip= Sirloin or Porterhouse Flat Iron= Oyster Steak/Butler Steak/Blade Steak Tri Tip= Triangle Roast/Bottom Sirloin Denver= Bottom Chuck Picanha= Rump Cap Top Sirloin= Rump Steak Bavette= Flank Steak/London Broil Hanger= Butcher's Cut Skirt= Skirt Top Round=Top side Bottom Round= Silverside

I've done a lot of reading and homework to become a better cook and one thing I've worked very hard on is mastering steak. This guy literally puts everything I've learned and then some into this video. Perfect advice from this guy.

I love this video! I've been eating and cooking steak consistently for a year now and now that I've watched this I can actually pick the right cut and cook it the way it should be cooked. I will still take mine at a medium well. You've changed my life though. Thank you!

Here in Brazil, the Picanha is considered as a primary cut, being way more expensive than the Striploin, for example. So I find it funny and interesting that, depending on the country and the culture, the price of meat or the preferences can change.

In Nicaragua, we cook eye of round in a a pressure cooker with onion, green bell peppers, garlic, salt and water. Once it's cooked, we process the meat, add finely chopped onions and green peppers, salt & pepper, and lime juice. This recipe is called Salpicón and it's DELICIOUS. We typically eat salpicón at room temperature or cold.

I am not sure if you'll see this message but, I am fifteen and I do a competition that is known as Meats Judging or Meats evaluation, but I have learned a lot and I thought I would share somethings with you like one of my personal most favorite cuts which would be the Beef Chuck Chuck eye steak it is essentially a cheaper ribeye that is as good if not better than the Beef loin ribeye steak. And the second thing is about the cut that I know as the mock tender and you lay it it out and cut it open you will see that huge piece of connective tissue that is one of the main determining factors of where it comes from but to get it to be tender enough to eat willingly I would treat it as a stew meat and cook it in broth and vegetables with your choice of seasoning. But that I have learned over the years and love your videos. Thank you!

This is the first time ever I have liked, subscribed, and left a comment in 20 years the quality of the content is just paramount.

The moment you mentioned jerkey, i knew you were a man of class and character. I love buying those tough cuts, run them through a meat slicer, marinade, and dehydrate. Great values abound.

I love the "teach me everything I need to know about steak like I am 10 years old" kind of content! You got a subscriber!

This video is so amazingly useful and helpful. Thank you so much!

HUGE help for someone looking to up their steak game - thank you SO much!

Can we appreciate how much money he spends when he wants to make a video?

Wow this is the ultimate Masterclass! Doug and I watched it through, and I feel less intimidated by steaks now lol

Dude! What a presentation. Well outlined, well delivered, notes taken!!! Thank you!

Not boring, full of essential basics for steak cooking. Great video

Tri-tip tip that I've found to be pretty useful: if you're planning to buy a whole Tri-tip toast and cut it into steaks, cut them WITH the grain first. Like the picanha, this method will allow you to slice each steak against the grain once you're done cooking it. Great vid overall Max, I've been itching for a comprehensive guide on buying and cooking steaks these days and this hits all the right notes ^^

I'm in Europe so the names and exact cuts are sometimes a bit difference, but the chuck tender looks PERFECT to stew. Making a carbonade, you actually want that tougher cut that will still hold together a little after spending 5 hours simmering in a stew pot.

Very informative and brilliantly narrated . Thank You Sir.

I always have bought ribeye. I marinate overnight in a salt, honey, pepper and mustard blend. I usually cook them to rare, let them cool, refrigerate over night and then cut them up and vacuum seal into 6oz packages then freeze. My wife and I are truck drivers so we like to cook in the truck out on the road. I found if we prep like mentioned above we can take a package out of the freezer in the truck, throw the steak on the george foreman for a few minutes along with some fresh cut bell pepper and either make a salad bowl or tacos. In a minute or two you can medium well steak taco meat thats serves us well. All that being said I learned a ton watching this video and will be trying out some of the methods I learned. Thanks for the tips! We love steak!

Dude you hit the nail on the head. Always use your eyes people. I'm a butcher for over 30 years and I can honestly tell you that I've seen meat come in as Prime that didn't look as good as some of the choice grade that we get. Don't worry so much about what the label says. Always give it the eye test.

Love the video. I think the biggest takeaway you mentioned was going to a store and being flexible in what you get based off of the best piece of beef you can find at the best price.

I bought some flat iron steaks at a farmers market years ago. Never had it before but the guy selling it told me it was his favorite cut. I had to try it. Been buying it ever since.

thank you so so so much for the info omg. I've been vegetarian for most of my life and only recently started trying to eat meat regularly to attempt to knock out my persistent anemia issues and this has been such a huge help. Trying to buy a cut of meat at a store when you have no earthly idea what you are looking for is such a nightmare and most of the other breakdowns on different cuts of meat i've looked at have been pretty hard to understand with little actual description of what each cut is/used for

At the butcher store I worked, we used chuck tenders for tartare. Best raw meat, all lean and juicy. The eye of round we froze and sliced thin into Chinese fondue. Bottom round was mixed into stewing cubes. Top round was cubed in its hardest part, cut into roasts in the tender part. And just next to the inside round there is a tiny, pear-shaped muscle called poire 🍐which is almost as tender as filet.

This video really explains a lot. With so many cuts out there, it's nice to see the actual meat you refer to. Because of you and your willingness to share what you know, we won't be wasting money on cuts we won't be happy with. Thank you. Great video!

Central coast of California here, and I smoke a prime tri-tip at 220 to around 80% done, then direct flame for that perfectly seared crust with a medium rare end to end. At least once a week. Hard to beat and I love my rib eyes, filets, and hangers.

The best type of video to watch; just the facts, and moving right along from part to part. Good info through out!

As a butcher, I am surprised you dislike the chuck tender so much. It is one of my go to steaks. Calculating price and what I can do with it, I like it more than most steaks. All I do is keep it simple with seasoning, sear it and let it rest. Slice thin, and it is incredibly delicious.

Fun fact! The beautiful Flat Iron steak sits RIGHT beside the chuck tender on top of the shoulder blade. Only separated by a thin bone with rises up about an inch through the middle of the shoulder blade. The difference between these two steaks which was so well described in this video is insane when you realise they live right beside each other. The Flat Iron muscle doesn't do as much work during it's lifetime as its neighbour which in turn leaves a much more tender and beautiful steak.

Tremendously helpful and concise. Thank you so much!! 🙏🙏

This is the best cooking video I've ever seen for steak. Thanks a ton for the info

Dope video. I've been buying the top sirloin a lot lately because of local sales but have had zero luck searing without completely over cooking and ruining it. Literally have half my freezer frozen steaks and had no idea about dry brining. Sounds like a game changer. I know what I'm eating tomorrow... glad I stumbled on this video for sure.

That was great! Most steak videos just talk about a single way to cook "steak", but they come in all size and flavors, so their treatments should be different. You really make that clear! Thanks.

I cooked up some hanger steak for the first time last week. I absolutely loved it. It was amazing! Easily the most underrated cut of beef

Pretty much agree with everything; what I have learned over years of backyard grilling and home cooking. Well done. Pardon the pun. I will say a chuck cut is great for boeuf borguignon. And also of course the ultimate beef from a flavor standpoint, in my humble opinion: the properly slow smoked full packer brisket, Texas style with SPG. The King.

I've learned more in less than 20 minutes than in a 2 hour cooking class. nice job!

You’re so good at teaching! I just made the saddest steak today and then, I came across from your video. This is my steak science 101 and makes me willing to try to cook steak more lol!

Filet is my asbolute favorite cut. I dont understand how people say it doesnt have flavor. IMO its the most flavorful steak there is and it melts in your mouth.

I’m a newby to steak cooking, almost intimidated by the task, and this video provides the best clear instructions! Thank you !!!!

I worked in a small slaughterhouse when I was young, then also in retail meat markets later. Also, being a hunter and cutting up a lot of deer and hogs, rabbits etc. Your video will serve to educate a lot people who really have no reason to have any knowledge of cut selection. Excellent presentation!

Chuck, top and bottom rounds, London broil, whatever... I use them for making chili Colorado and other long braised dishes at low heat for long time. I've also cooked them sous vide for a full day before slicing them extremely thin to used for roast beef sandwiches. They're great choices for those types of recipes. Completely agree about the hanger steak. I've been on a steak cooking journey for the last 5 years...my biggest challenges these days is cooking standing rib roast and smoking brisket in my Webber.

I Just Want to Say This Was Truly an Ultimate Guide & Not Boring at All 👏 🥩

I don't really like and subscribe much, but this was well done (no pun intended)!! Starting with pretty much direct alignment to what I have found in my own steak-trying journey to the logical and well-organized testing and analysis of results. Kudos, Max! You did a great job and I look forward to seeing your other output.

Dude this video was phenomenal and gave me so much more of an understanding of cuts of meat. Great job bro! 👏🏼

Another tip for those on a budget: Max's point about meat ratings not fully being represented in the cut your looking at can happen inversely. Always look at the lesser grade cuts of meat, even select. I've often seen select cuts in stores have excellent prime levels of fat

learning to cook in general, but have been focusing on beef especially lately. This info Guide did an exemplary job of educating me in the way of Beef.

Thanks for the time and effort you put into this video. The amount of resource and information shared was super helpful.

Flat Iron has recently become my favorite go-to steak, it's incredibly affordable, tastes incredible, and is amazingly tender! Can also take a lot of flavor, but is just as good with just some salt and pepper

Max, I have to say thanks! These are the exact type of videos a person like me needs!

One of the many things I’m trying to learn on my journey of becoming a man without anyone to really teach me haha. Thank you for this video brother this was extremely informative and helpful and I am very excited to cook and take that first bite of a medium rare steak for the first time 🤝😁🥩

I think I've watched this videa half a dozen times already. So much good information, thanks for the vid.

I’ve been watching your videos for a while now and I’ve been obsessed with cooking steak. Awesome content! Keep up the great work!

Like Max said...they are all steaks and depending on how well the meat is prepared, cooked, and sliced, they can be hard to discern at the table. Thank you much for an awesome comprehensive and easy to follow video.

Bruh THANK YOU!!! I just started carnivore and I have destroyed a few steaks. HOWEVER I started to get a little better BUT THIS VIDEO right here got me hyped and motivated to go throw down AND I’ve learned about the different cuts AND I THANK YOU GOOD SIR. New subscriber!! THIS IS THE ULTIMATE BEEF MASTER CLASS. AND the cinematography is off the chain!!!!! 👊🏾👊🏾👊🏾👊🏾

Brilliant - starting carnivore & you answered so many of my questions & learned more in a quick vid than I thought possible!! Gracias!!

Eye of round is fantastic for Phó. Partially freeze & slice super thin. Also like it for an all day beef stew. Cook lots of it long and low with free fat scraps (remove later) and you’ll get a cheap, very beefy stew that doesn’t break the bank.

Finally a video that explains all the cuts and their differences, ways of cutting and prices. I try to eat a steak a day and man top sirloin was the cheapest I could find that I knew what to do with, thanks!

Excellent video thanks for the knowledge

Rounds, all of them, are awesome for slow cooking. Pulled beef tacos in beer, Beef Baron Roast, etc... Amazing for this.

As my favorite steak, I'm glad to hear the flat iron steak made your underrated list. I don't like the thick chunks of fat and gristle that are along the edge of many steaks, and I also prefer my steak cooked medium-well with no pink inside. This cut stays tender and flavorful even when cooked to a more well-done state. I have only ever cooked on a grill or under a broiler, so I'm interested in trying the dry brine and possibly the sous-vide.

Thank you for the info. The "rounds" of course, are for long slow cooking to tenderize them and the carrots cooking with them. Swiss steak is great with the rounds, and something I used to call beef punkles, from a quirky old movie.

Eye of round is the best when it’s clean out of blood, stewed with soy bean paste, sweet bean paste, salt (to adjust to suitable saltiness because some paste is salty), Sichuan peppercorn, dried chilies and spice that you like. Because it’s tough it doesn’t turn into a mash, you can cool it in the fridge and cut into thin slices, dip with sauce🤌. The texture and bean fragrant is just so nice.

Bro this video is golden from the production to the life lesson appreciate it💯

This video is one of the best videos I’ve ever seen. I learned so much about this and it’s so helpful. It was soso funny too, I laughed several times. Definitely saved to watch it again until I have everything memorized! So much effort!

For the eye of round, I get mines sliced super thin and I use it for hot pots or toppings for beef pho. Definitely recommend trying this. If possible get it sliced by your local butcher as thin as possible otherwise freeze it a bit to slice it easier.

Max you are so helpful, and your videos really help a lot of peaple keep the good videos !

What an excellent video! Your thoughts mirror mine almost exactly (except I disagree a bit about frozen steak vs fresh, but I don't hold my nose at frozen steaks either) and just for context I've been a professional chef for many years. I really like how you talk about finding the best cut at the best price, some of my menu items started as a feature because there was a good price available on a particular cut, so when you see a good deal like that you grab it and then figure out something to do with it. I hope more home cooks start using this approach rather than having the meal planned and going to just get what the plan dictates. Although on the flip side its not quite as easy to wing it at home vs a professional kitchen with a huge variety of ingredients on hand. But the principle remains and can help the home cook become more creative and also get more and higher quality food for their budget.

This was so well presented. I've watched a bunch of other videos about cooking steak, and I've learned from them, but none of them have been as clear and easy to follow as this one. I'm bookmarking this.

I literally just put this video on so I had something to watch while I ate, but after I finished eating I just continued watching until the end! Such a great quality video! The amount of knowledge and great entertainment packed into this relatively short video has got me baffled in the best way

Absolutely a great video. Thank you.💯💯💯💯🔥🔥🔥🔥

Great video man, I appreciate all the value you put into this

Definitely going to work on that Dry Brining. I would season while the rest of the meal is being worked on, but I’ll start with the day before. I want that nice crust. Thanks for the tips on the different marbling to look for. Extremely helpful. Cheers 🥩🥩🥩

That was the best steak guide I have ever clearly understood. Thank you!

I dont think strip steaks are overrated at all. They"re pretty middle of the road. Not underrated or overrated.

Super helpful overview. Thank you!❤🙏🏻❤️

Hanger steaks are in my top 5, not really for tenderness but for the flavor (although a prime hanger is pretty damned tender though). Same goes for outer skirt steak, the beefy flavor is far beyond all other cuts, except for ribeye. A properly prepared wagyu skirt steak is something every steak lover needs to try at least once in their life, it's a mind-blowing experience.

Indeed, Picanha is super famous here in Brazil. Personally my favorite is hump steak, with Ribs being a close second. It's pretty hard to find people that know how to cook them to perfection, though!

Thanks for the upload...I learnt a lot.

Excellent tutorial. I'm saving this video for future reference. Thanks for sharing your expertise

First off thanks bro! Second I am definitely a loyal follower as I am a self taught chef that’s doing pretty well without these techniques so I am excited to see how I will do after implementing these ! Awesome

In addition to the recommended seasonings I also like to add some Montreal steak spice (or use whatever your local steak spice is) and some dill. The flavour definitely gets kicked up a few notches.

This is the absolute comprehensive entire video to everyone learning how to make the best steak, like, how to go from regular carne asada to full on restaurant-level steaks, this should be marked as the GUIDE for a perfect steak, period!!!

Few months late, but the Tenderloin here in Greece is very good, we call it "Ψαρονέφρι" and how we do it in my household at least is a la crème with dried fruits (apricots and blueberries)

This is so well done and really helpful. I picked up quite a few things that I didn't know before. I'll definitely be dry brineing more often.

Very well done video and I agree with you almost 100%. Highly recommend ALL of the underrated steaks. My main steaks are Flat iron, hanger and Picanha (also called sirloin cap, in my area it's easier to order it that way) Great video bro

Just bought a box full of prime GF cuts from the amazing Provenir meats (Victoria, Australia), this video has so many helpful tips about how to prep & cook them all, cheers my man 👏👏💥

I just admire the amount of work you put in your videos

I love your channel so much! Made my wife and I ribeyes last night , and doing new York strip tonight , in butter! I've learned alot from you, thank you brother!

Max I don't care who says what this is the most perfect steak video on the whole Internet you cover every detail for people who know very little about steaks this was incredible to watch I know know the new york strip is my favourite cut down where I'm from we get offered in restaurants serloin rump and ribeye that's all we get here!

very well made video Max ! good job :D

I just found this channel and I really am glad I did. That was so informative. Thank you. Geez, I'm hungry now. 🥩😋