I’m a relative newcomer to the “knowledge” that the secret to cooking a perfect steak requires that you flip it only once, halfway through cooking. The theory is one of physics: reintroducing cooked beef to heat makes it tough.
But is the theory true? Does the technique actually create a noticeable improvement in the way your meat comes out? According to J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s list of Top 6 Food Myths, it isn’t. From the list:
3. When Grilling, It’s Best to Flip Just Once
No! Flipping your meat multiple times produces meat that’s noticeably more evenly cooked (there’s about 40% less overcooked meat in a burger flipped every 15 seconds vs. one flipped once), browns just as well (just don’t expect distinct hash marks), and to top it all off, ends up cooking in about 2/3rds of the time. Faster and better? You betcha!
Moral of the story: if you see your buddy doing that multiple flip thing, don’t get on their case. They’re doing good.
Myth or not, I have no intention of changing my steak grilling technique. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. 😀
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