The Fats That Give You The Most Succulent Steak

Cooking steak to juicy perfection is a balancing act. A broiled steak can quickly become tough and dry if it loses too much of its natural fat during preparation. However, a steak's succulent texture can be preserved by using cooking oils, which restore fat to the meat. To uncover the proper balance, The Takeout asked Matthew Kreider, Executive Chef at Steak 954 in Fort Lauderdale, FL, what's the best fat to use when cooking a steak at home.

Kreider suggests you "cook in a neutral fat with a high smoke point. Olive oil (not extra virgin), grapeseed, [or] avocado." An oil's smoke point is when it loses its shimmery surface and starts to burn off. As steak needs to be cooked on high heat, you need to cook with an oil that can withstand higher temperatures for a longer time without scorching. Neutral oils also allow the steak's natural flavors to shine through.

Most high-quality steaks already contain fat — the white lines known as marbling. As a steak cooks, the marbling melts, coating the steak with fat and making it taste richer. (This is not to be confused with the fat cap on the edge of a steak, which won't render and is usually trimmed away.) Lean steaks with less marbling will dry out quicker so using extra fat is essential. You can also top your steak with additional fat as it finishes cooking. Chef Kreider recommends that you "finish with something tasty like butter, tallow, [or] nice extra virgin olive oil." He also notes that fat flashing gives a great finish.

A common way to cook steak at home is to place it in the broiler section of your oven. While this is a good method for sealing in moisture, the heat element of a broiler is positioned at the top, which means the heat will not distribute throughout the steak, leading to an uneven finish. The Takeout asked Chef Matthew Kreider if pan-frying or broiling is a better option when cooking steaks. He noted that "most home broilers do not get hot enough to sear a steak nicely. I would use a cast iron pan."

A cast iron pan is a kitchen tool that can last for generations. You can even skip coating the pan with oil – a process known as seasoning – if you have a pre-seasoned cast iron. It's designed to be used on high heat, which makes it ideal for steak preparation. Using a cast iron pan to fry nicely marbled meat and choosing a neutral oil with a high smoke point will contribute to a deliciously succulent steak.