The Tastiest Steak Features A Funky Cheese Crust

When you think about what to pair with steak for a delectable dinner, your mind probably jumps to red wine first. What's the best wine for steak, and should we break open the Spanish Tempranillo, Argentinian Malbec, or Portuguese Touriga Nacional? Now, we're not saying to put the corkscrew away, even though some experts controversially believe food-wine pairings are a load of rubbish. But the real staple you need to take your steak from "delicious" to "shut-up-and-eat-this" is actually cheese. Not just any cheese, of course, but rather a gloriously funky, crispy cheese crust. Steak purists might insist you only need some flavorful compound butter, salt, or maybe a drizzle of jus, but they clearly have never sunk their teeth into a cut crusted with tangy blue cheese or parmesan.

Here's the deal: Blue cheese knows how to handle a ribeye, with its creamy tang blending with the steak's rich marbled fat like a pro. Parmesan, on the other hand, gives tender filet mignon the salty crunch it never knew it needed. The sizzling, golden crust clings to the meat like it was meant to be there all along — and let's face it, it was. Timid at the skillet? Don't worry. Grilling up this masterpiece is actually surprisingly easy. Once your steak is seared how you like it, just pile on your cheese of choice and slide it under the broiler. In minutes, you'll be rewarded with a bubbling, golden crust of flavor that'll have your kitchen smelling like the inside of a five-star restaurant.

Adding cheese to your beef is all about balance. Funky cheeses definitely stand out flavorwise, but they're not too overwhelming for your taste buds, even if they do pack a punch to your nose. Instead, they enhance the steak's juicy and savory flavors without completely stealing the spotlight. And don't even get us started on how absolutely perfect the texture is. With the crust bubbling and crisping under high heat, it forms a layer so freaking good, it might make you forget the steak underneath. Well, almost.

To nail the perfect cheese crust, you'll want to start with a hot steak. Trust us on this one — it needs to be warm to get that cheese to melt evenly. Next, broil it until it's perfectly golden. If you're feeling fancy, toss in some breadcrumbs or garlic for extra flavor and crunch. Serve it up with a peppery arugula salad or, to make it even funkier, upgrade your steak with kimchi. The result? A steak so good it'll ruin plain ones for you forever.