The Overlooked Cut Of Meat Jamie Oliver Loves To Cook

Jamie Oliver has long since stopped calling himself the Naked Chef (you might see how that could be misinterpreted), but this fully-clothed cook is still very much involved in the food business. One of the tips he's recently shared online is how to cook a perfect steak. In his veteran opinion, it all starts with his favorite cut: the flat iron. (Or as he calls it, feather steak, since he's British.) Flat iron steak comes from a cow's shoulder and slightly resembles the old-timey laundry tool for which it was named. We're inclined to agree with Oliver, as the flat iron is on our list of the best budget-friendly steak cuts.

Oliver's perfect steak is first warmed to room temperature then rubbed with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. He then heats up a frying pan, adds the steak to the pan, and flips it once per minute for a total of six minutes (for medium-rare). That's about it. For added flavor, Oliver recommends rubbing the steak with butter, garlic, or a sprig of rosemary every time you flip it. Once the steak is cooked, let it rest for two minutes. After that, Oliver will typically add more oil or butter then eat it served in the pan juices.

Jamie Oliver's pan-seared steak is a nice, simple preparation. But the flat iron is a sufficiently versatile cut that it can be cooked in more than one way. Two other ways to cook a flat iron steak for maximum tenderness are to grill it and broil it. Flat iron is one cut that could benefit from some pre-grill marinating, so you might want to give it a couple of hours in our easy three-ingredient marinade blend. Sear it on a preheated grill for about five minutes per side, and you should be good to go.

If you're broiling instead, still start with a marinade. Flat iron is known as a lean cut, but it's sufficiently marbled that it shouldn't need much tenderizing. Of course, extra flavor is always welcome. Preheat the broiler, then cook the steak six inches away from the heating element for six minutes on each side. (Double sixes, that should be easy to remember.) Whether the steak is grilled or broiled, let it rest a few minutes once it's done cooking then slice it against the grain. You may not have pan juices to serve with it the way Jamie Oliver likes, but if you boil the leftover marinade (yes, even the stuff that's been in contact with the steak), it'll be safe to use as a sauce.