Finish Off Steak With Olive Oil For A Richer Tasting Experience

In essence, steak's a simple dish. Sear or grill up a nice cut of beef, and enjoy. Yet the preparation involves an abundance of nuance, with the potential of both the seasoning and technique to lend the meat extra flair. So, for a savvy way of upgrading your beef right before serving, turn to olive oil. Finishing your steak with a small spoonful pays off with flavor and moisture.

After all, few things are more disappointing than a steak that's dry and flavorless. Typically, techniques for tough steaks start before preparation begins. Olive oil instead imbues richness once cooking is completed, enhancing through a different route. The ingredient mimics fat that's melted during heating, seeping through the beef and enhancing succulence. Plus, it flavors with its distinct palate, too. Buy a high-quality bottle of minimally processed olive oil (using this guide to the best olive oil brands), and you can impart everything from grassy to fruity and herbaceous notes to beef. Not to mention you can even infuse olive oil for a further twist, flavoring your steak to delicious effect.

Imbuing steak with extra fat is a common technique. The myth that restaurant steak tastes better is often due to the dish being cooked in an abundance of butter and oil. Yet, while many recipes focus on making the combination less noticeable, an olive oil finish instead brings the fat to the forefront. Sure, the extra moisture does aid in the steak tasting more tender. However, the finish is more for the flavor.

Fat heavily contributes to a steak's taste — it's the reason cuts like ribeye, New York strip, and T-bone taste so delectably beefy. The olive oil finish is best suited for lean beef that can't offer such a palate. Cuts like top loin or sirloin, as well as roast steaks, come low in fat, so the olive oil presents an opportunity to compensate.

Reach for a high-quality extra virgin olive oil or an infusion like garlic or rosemary to best meld with such steaks. The precise taste is totally under your control — simply sample the olive oil prior to application, noting the taste differences in olive oil from different countries. And if you like your beef extra decadent, you can apply the finish to moderately fatty cuts, too. Let those beef and olive oil flavors mingle.