Curtis Stone's Secret To Perfectly Pink Steak

Everyone has their own preference of doneness when it comes to steak. Some like theirs rare, others would rather it be well done, and then of course there's medium rare, medium, and medium well. According to Curtis Stone, however, the perfect steak is simply one that has an "even pinkness." The former butcher shop employee turned celebrity chef shared with Us Weekly that the key to achieving this involves two stages of cooking and resting. 

As Stone explained, the first step is cooking the steak on each side for 60 to 90 seconds depending on the thickness. He then removes it from the heat and lets it rest. After five minutes of resting, Stone returns the steak to the grill and repeats the process, searing it for an additional 60 to 90 seconds, then letting it rest for a final five minutes. 

"That's how you get that beautiful, even pinkness through your steak, and of course giving it that last rest before cutting into it is really key," he explained to Us Weekly.

Curtis Stone's steak technique relies on two other factors

Curtis Stone's method of cooking steak in 60 to 90 seconds intervals then resting in between may be a great rule of thumb for doneness. However, it isn't exactly foolproof. Stone explains in a TSC demonstration (via YouTube) that it won't work properly unless the meat is tempered. Instead of cooking steak straight from the refrigerator, let it sit out for about 30 minutes before you plan to cook it.

When the meat is the right temperature, get the pan at the right temperature too. Crank up the heat and wait for the stove to fully heat up, Stone says. As soon as the pan is hot enough, he puts the steak in on its side rather than flat, allowing the fat to cook first. After 45 seconds, the fat on the edges will caramelize and you can proceed to cooking the steak according to his directions, with two stages of cooking and resting. As a result, the steak is sure to turn out "perfectly pink" every time.