How Many Times Should You Flip A Steak?

Cooking a steak can be one of the most daunting tasks in the kitchen. From the moment you buy your beef at the grocery store to the second it’s served, there are several technical considerations that can make or break your meal.

There’s choosing the right cut of steak and deciding if and how you’re going to marinate it. You need to determine whether you’re grilling, pan-searing, or broiling. And of course, you have to figure out the ideal internal temperature.

Steak enthusiasts are often in different camps when it comes to the correct techniques, but few subjects are as polarizing as flipping a steak.

Some chefs argue that you should never flip a steak more than once. Others claim that you should actually be flipping your steaks constantly. With so many competing ideas, it’s almost impossible for the home cook to decide.

How many times should we be flipping a steak? Like with most seemingly black-and-white issues, the truth is more gray. I consulted associate food editor and technical titan Taylor Ann Spencer to unpack Delish's take on the best—and worst!—ways to flip a steak.

But before we delve any deeper, it’s worth making a disclaimer: the right way to make a steak is the one that you personally prefer. Whether you like it extra, extra well done or still mooing, no judgement here. Those who want to hone their techniques should read on.

How Many Times Should You Flip A Steak?

gettyimages-1419692831

Our team believes that the best way to get a deep brown exterior on a steak is to leave it alone. In fact, we follow this same principle when searing any food—from chicken to fish to vegetables.

The science behind searing is known as the Maillard reaction, where amino acids and sugars rearrange and take on new flavors, smells, and colors. You can reasonably expect the surface of your steak to adhere to your pan until this process is complete. If you attempt to flip it any earlier, you’ll likely experience some serious stickage.

That initial, uninterrupted Maillard reaction is also your safest bet for an evenly browned surface. “You'll never get it as good if you try to flip it and sear it again,” says Spencer. “That moment of first contact in a clean pan always yields the best caramelization.”

We recommend leaving your steak in the pan and letting the crust develop until it's where you want it before you flip it (Spencer recommends using tongs instead of a spatula). At the same time, we also don't necessarily believe the single flip is a hard and fast rule.

If you're working with cuts like the New York Strip, we strongly recommend taking the time to cook the fat cap along the side. The fat cap needs exposure to heat to break down and render until it achieves the ideal melt-in-your-mouth texture. Ignoring it will leave it chewy and unappetizing, so don't skip this step!

What Should You Do If Your Steak Is Unevenly Browned?

gettyimages-1454834993

There are a couple other considerations that can help avoid a patchy, uneven sear. First, bring your steak to room temperature before cooking it. Rapid changes in temperature can cause proteins to contract in the pan, which can alter the shape of your steak and separate some sections from the heating mechanism. This can leave certain areas more pale than others.

You should also take the time to pat your steak of any residual moisture before you cook it. Water is the enemy of the Maillard reaction and will leave you with a steamed steak instead of a seared one.

Even with the right preparation, however, you may end up with an uneven sear. There are some steps you can take after the fact to boost the browning. Depending on the cut of steak you’re working with, there’s likely a pool of grease at the base of your pan that you can use to your advantage. Carefully tilt the pan to collect the fat in one spot, scoop some of it up with a spoon, and toss it over the pale patches. That hot fat should sizzle on the surface of your steak and give it a little more color.

In theory, you could also flip it over to sear it again, placing light pressure in the spotty areas. But it’s not exactly worth the effort. “Honestly, I wouldn't bother,” Spencer says. “It's important that it's cooked through evenly inside too, and messing around like that can mess up the evenness of the interior cook.”

In our opinion, a patchy exterior with a nicely cooked center is far more enjoyable than the other way around. And if you’re dousing it in butter or sauce (and you should!), it ultimately doesn’t matter much.