Perhaps one of the most well-loved and decadent dishes is a classic steak. It’s a sure-to-impress option for dinner parties with friends or a special night with the family, but it can be hard to get right. If you’re a steak lover, you may know all too well the disappointment of cutting into your freshly cooked steak and realizing it’s over or under done. But you can get perfectly pink results every time with celebrity chef Curtis Stone’s tips and tricks to cooking steak on the stovetop—no shivering outside at the barbecue required!

Curtis Stone’s step-by-step process for the perfect steak:

• Take the steak out of the fridge at least half an hour before you’re going to cook it—this is called tempering the steak; season it before you put it in the pan.
• It’s essential to start with a hot pan—you want to hear that sizzle!
• Start cooking the steaks fat side down so that some of the fat has a chance to render down and caramelize.
• After about 45 seconds, check for caramelization and lay the steaks flat in the pan.
• Let the steaks sear. No need to add extra olive oil thanks to the rendered fat from the previous step.
• After a minute or two, check the undersides for a golden brown colour. Flip the steaks and cook for a couple of minutes on the other side until they have the same colour.
• Remove the steaks from the pan and sit them on a rack to let them to rest. This allows for carryover cooking: the heat continues to transfer through to the centre of the steak, giving it an even pink colour throughout. Let the steaks rest for five to six minutes before cutting them.

Pair your steaks with scrumptious sides such as fresh garlic Caesar salad, steamed seasonal veggies or hardy baked potatoes for a classic steak dinner.

Making restaurant-quality dishes doesn’t have to be hard—take your next dinner party to the next level with Curtis Stone’s collection of kitchen must-haves, available here at TSC!