Are you struggling to get that perfect medium-rare steak? We take you through how to cook steak, including how to sear, pan-fry, and grill. Let's answer the biggest questions you may have next time you fire up the grill!

There are few things more controversial than the humble steak. Many love it, many hate it, and even more disagree on how it should be cooked. So what's the best way to prepare steak? Is that perfect medium-rare steak really "perfect," or is it better cooked a different way?

In this food guide, TAG24 dives into how to make the perfect steak. From how to get a fantastic sear to pan-frying and grilling, there's a lot to consider when "talking steak." Let's dive in!

There are many different ways to cook a steak. From more modern, fancy techniques like sous vide to the classic grill sear or a quick-'n-easy pan-fry, there are too many options to hope to cover them all. Don't worry, though, because preparing the perfect steak ultimately comes down to three things: buying the right cut, seasoning it properly, and getting that crust!

Pan frying is possibly the simplest and easiest way to cook a steak, but that doesn't mean it can't be flavorful. You have a lot of control with a pan and some burners, which you can certainly take advantage of.

Important steps when pan-frying a steak:

• Step 1: Place your non-stick pan on a burner and heat until it is scorching hot, waiting for a bit of a haze to form above the element.
• Step 2: Add a small amount of high smoke-point oil (sunflower oil works well, as do sesame oil, canola oil, and peanut oil) and spread across the bottom of the pan.
• Step 3: If the steak has a layer of fat at the top, place it fat-down and start to render that fat, crisping it up and melting it down for about 30 seconds.
• Step 4: Follow this up by searing one side for around 30 seconds to a minute, before flipping it over and searing the other side for another 30 seconds or so. When doing this, make sure there is always a little bit of oil beneath the steak.
• Step 5: Reduce the temperature and flip the steak again, add a knob of butter and whatever herbs you want, and start basting. To do this, allow the butter to melt and begin to froth up. Spoon this repeatedly over the upper side of the steak.
• Step 6: Continue to cook on both sides, basting while doing so, until the steak is cooked to your personal definition of "perfection."

Get yourself a nice non-stick pan, a decent red wine to make a sauce out of later (yum), and a perfectly seasoned steak, and dive in.

There are a variety of ways to cook a steak on the grill, all of which will impart a delicious flavor and a smokiness to die for. For the sake of this recipe, though, we are going for quick and easy and will be using the "direct grilling" method.

Here's how to direct grill a steak:

• Step 1: Get your grill going so that it is very hot and, if it is charcoal, there are a few flames still shooting up.
• Step 2: When direct grilling, place the steak on the hottest area of your grill top. It will sizzle and spit like crazy, especially if the meat has plenty of fat, and that's okay.
• Step 3: Flip the steak once you have a beautiful sear, melting fat on the underside, and continue.
• Step 4: The most important point when direct searing is that you should be measuring the steak's temperature. Since you are heating the steak intensely on the outside, it will take a while for the interior to reach the right temperature.
• Step 5: Once that temperature has reached a little below your target temperature (depending on the cook you are looking for), remove it from the heat and make sure to let it rest for at least 10 minutes.

Cooking steak in the oven is all about temperature control. You need to get a good sear on the steak, short and sharp, and then plop it in the oven and watch its internal temperature like a hawk.

Here's how to use the oven when cooking a steak:

• Step 1: Get your steak perfectly seasoned and then sear it in a non-stick pan or on the grill, as described previously.
• Step 2: Put the steak onto an oven tray on a grate with foil beneath it to catch the fat. Make sure there is plenty of ventilation around the entire steak.
• Step 3: Place the steak into an oven heated to about 360°F and allow it to cook until it has reached your perfect internal temperature.
• Step 4: Take the steak out of the oven and allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes before slicing or eating.

The idea of a "sear" on a steak might seem a little scary, but it's actually not too hard at all. It's all about the temperature control, the seasoning, and the timing. Ultimately, you want to seal off the inside of the meat and form a delicious crust around the edges.

Searing is, more or less, when you expose a piece of meat to sudden and very high heat, usually on a flat surface. This causes a process called "caramelization" that melts the outside fat and intensifies the flavor of the seasoning.

To sear a steak, you need to do the following:

• Step 1: Heat your cooking surface (pan, grill, or broiler) to an extremely high heat, possibly the highest it can handle.
• Step 2: Place your steak on the hot surface with a small bit of low smoke-point oil, just to stop it from sticking.
• Step 3: Heat it briefly on both sides at this high temperature until it is caramelized and golden and has sealed all the juices inside.

The most important thing is to make sure you keep the searing as brief as possible, so that you don't burn the meat on the outside while leaving it completely raw in the center. One good way to avoid this is to use the "reverse sear" method, described below.

The reverse sear is pretty basic: simply cook the steak in the oven first until it is just below its optimal internal temperature, and then sear it for a minute or two afterwards.

This will raise the steak's internal temperature to the amount you want for it to be the cook you're looking for. On top of that, you will still get that caramelization and incredible flavor that comes from a good sear. In other words, you can avoid burning the outside, and you can avoid a raw steak on the inside.

This is the question you've all been asking: how long for a medium, a medium-rare, a well-done, or a rare steak? One of the most important things to know when cooking steak is the internal temperature at which your optimal cook will be achieved.

Everyone has a different opinion on the "perfect" steak. From that tenderness and juiciness of a rare or medium-rare, to the slightly drier and less confronting well-done, everyone wants something different, and that's okay!

Here is how long to cook your steak:

• Rare: Cook until about 120-125°F
• Medium-rare: Cook until about 130-135°F
• Medium: Cook until about 140-145°F
• Medium-well: Cook until about 145-150°F
• Well done: Cook until about 155-160°F

A medium-rare steak, when pan-fried, should take no longer than two-three minutes on each side if basted and cooked on the highest heat.

Yes, you can easily cook a great steak without the need for any fancy gadgets like thermometers. Do this by monitoring the amount of blood rising to the surface of the meat (the more blood, the more rare) and the firmness of the steak when you touch it with your finger. A perfect medium-rare should be a little bit bouncy when you tap it.

Steak can be one of the most delicious meals you'll ever have, but it's not all down to how you cook the protein. Getting a reasonable cut of beef is important as well, as something like a chuck roast will always be tough when served as a steak.

So, what are the best steak cuts?

• Strip steak
• Flank steak
• Sirloin steak
• T-bone steak
• Porterhouse steak
• Tenderloin steak (i.e., filet mignon)
• Rib-eye steak

Give your meat a good sear, and then baste, baste, baste. With well-balanced seasoning and some delicious sides and sauces, once you've learned how to make the perfect steak, you'll never look back.