What Is The 3-3-2-2 Rule For Cooking Steak, And Does It Actually Work?

Much has been said on cooking shows, recipe blogs, and restaurant menus about the beauty of a perfectly cooked steak. So if you feel a little intimidated about the prospect of cooking steak at home, whether on the stovetop or grill, you're not alone. Still, you shouldn't let your worry keep you from enjoying a juicy, home-cooked steak for dinner. Using the 3-3-2-2 rule is one of the best ways to cook steak to achieve the perfect sear and doneness.

The 3-3-2-2 rule is a simple method for cooking restaurant-quality steak at home. Start by heating a cast-iron pan and 2 tablespoons of cooking oil on your stovetop on medium heat, or heating your grill to about 335 degrees Fahrenheit. Place your steaks on the pan or grill and let them cook for 3 minutes without moving them at all. Then flip them over and cook them for 3 minutes on the other side (again, without moving them).

Flip them over twice more, letting them cook for an additional 2 minutes on each side without moving them. Then remove the pan from the heat or take the steaks off the grill and let them rest for 5 minutes. This gives the juices time to redistribute so that your steak is as juicy and flavorful as possible. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the steak after resting and make sure it is done. Steak should be 130 degrees Fahrenheit for medium-rare, 140 degrees for medium, and 150 degrees for medium-well.

The 3-3-2-2 method works best for cuts of steak that are between ½ to 1 inch thick. The initial 3-minute sear on each side allows you to achieve the Maillard reaction. This is a chemical reaction that occurs between the amino acids and reducing sugars in the steak that allows you to achieve browning and crust while enhancing the meat's flavor and aroma. The Maillard reaction requires exposure to heat between 280-330 degrees Fahrenheit. Higher temperatures will achieve caramelization rather than browning.

During the 3 minutes the steak cooks on each side, you're giving the meat a nice, even distribution of heat. This helps you avoid overcooking it, which is one of the big mistakes people make when grilling steak. Overcooking steak makes it tougher, drier, and harder to digest.

The second 2-minute sear on each side helps you get that nice, crispy crust on the outside of the steak. It also ensures that the steak is done properly so that you don't risk serving undercooked meat. You can use the 3-3-2-2 method to cook steaks on the grill or to pan-sear steaks in your kitchen. It's the ideal method for making all of your favorite steak recipes, from coffee-rubbed steak to grilled Tomahawk rib-eye steak.