Ordering and pairing your steak the right way will improve your experience and impress those around you. If that matters to you then you're in the right place. This article offers both tips and resources to turn you into a steak ordering champion!

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Levels of doneness
• How to pair steak with wine  
• What to say when ordering steak
• 5 must have tools to Make the Perfect Steak at Home

Introduction

Regardless of where you find yourself in the world of steak, by the time you finish with this article I can ensure that you will be left better off. Ordering steak like a pro requires that you know your options in terms of steaks, as well as the wine you choose to complement its succulent goodness! 

Below is a summary of the main points we will focus on in this article in order to place you at the top of your game!

Getting familiar with the Doneness

How would you like your steak? That's a chef's trick but you don't need to panic. All you need is to get familiar with the different levels to which your meat gets done. Lovers of steak often opt for rare, it's something close to raw. It has a sweet red color on the inside and light color on the outside. Medium rare is brown on the outside and has a pinkish-red color on the inside. To be on the safer side you should opt for Medium. If you are new to steak though, you'd want to go for well and medium-well.

Getting familiar with your cuts

There's the lure of going for the most popular cuts (fillet or rib-eye) when it comes to ordering your steak. Popularity doesn't always cut it, though (no pun intended). If you want to enjoy steak with juiciness and tenderness that melts in the mouth with ease, you should opt for cuts with connective tissues. They have high-fat content, and they help hold the meat together well. The connective tissue secretes juices to the meat while being cooked. It heightens the flavor. Rib-rye is one of those cuts with high connective tissue. That can account for its popularity.

Know your wine

There's a great chance you've heard this somewhere "what is a great steak without a great wine"?. You should know the wine that accompanies your steak. If you have no idea, no need for panic you can always simply ask if you’re eating out. If you don't want to ask, here's a tip, go for red wine. To fully appreciate the flavor of the steak, you should take it together with red wine.

How to pair steak with wine

Essentially you can drink whatever it is you prefer with your steak, whether it’s water or Sprite. However, I implore you not to sell yourself short on the experience of pairing a nice juicy strip of beef with the right glass of wine. There are a hundred ways to go about explaining the intricacies of pairing steak with wine, but I would like to keep it simple.

All you need to know when choosing a wine to pair with your steak is that your best options are going to fall into the Bold Red Wine category. This includes Cabernet, Malbec, Anglianico, Pinot Noir and Merlot. A good rule of thumb when ordering is to simply ask the waiter which red they recommend for the cut of meat you plan to order. Whatever they say, just make sure it falls within the list of bold options mentioned above. 

What to say when ordering steak

When ordering your steak it’s always a good idea to include your wine as well. This will demonstrate that you know what the hell you’re talking about, and depending on your audience you may care to sound competent in this regard.

“I’ll have your Filet, medium, with a malbec, please…”

And just like that you’re on your way to one spectacular meal, while looking and sounding amazing in the process! 

5 Must Have Tools for Making the Perfect Steak at Home

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