How to Cook Steak
Like Duolingo, but for How to Cook Steak. Tomo turns the whole topic into a game you play five minutes a day, until it actually sticks.
For the part of you with thirty open tabs that never became anything.
21 levels across 3 sections, about 42 minutes end to end, roughly 8 days at five minutes a day. It moves through The Pan-Seared Medium Rare; Marinades, Salt, and Surface Prep; and Technique, Basting, and Cut Selection. It starts from scratch.
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Key ideas in How to Cook Steak
- Surface moisture boils into steam when hitting the hot pan, turning the steak gray instead of browning it
- Patting the steak thoroughly dry with paper towels removes moisture so the crust forms rapidly
- A cold steak draws massive heat out of the pan the second it touches the surface
- Thick cast iron stores enough heat to stay screaming hot when the meat hits, preventing the steak from simmering in its own juices
- Neutral oils with high smoke points like avocado, canola, or vegetable oil withstand high sear temperatures cleanly
- Extra virgin olive oil and unclarified butter burn rapidly and leave acrid, bitter flavors on the steak surface
- Flipping the steak every 30 to 60 seconds builds up the crust gradually while preventing the heat from penetrating too aggressively
- Leaving a steak untouched on one side for several minutes creates a deep gray, overcooked layer beneath the surface
- Heat squeezes muscle fibers tightly, pushing liquid toward the center while cooking
- Resting for five minutes allows the fibers to relax and reabsorb moisture, keeping the steak juicy instead of bleeding all over the board
- Inserting the probe horizontally from the side reaches the true thermal center of the steak
- Poking straight down from the top often measures the hotter surface or hits the pan
- Target internal temperature for medium-rare is 130°F to 135°F
- Different beef cuts have different natural firmness and fat contents (e.g., tenderloin vs. strip)
- Human hands vary widely in tension and thickness, making the touch test completely subjective
- A thermometer is the only reliable way to confirm doneness
You've tried the other tabs
Thirty open tabs. Four facts you actually kept.
You watched. You nodded. By Sunday it was gone.
One answer, then back to scrolling.
Eight weeks. You meant to finish. You didn't.
Tomo gives How to Cook Steak the Duolingo treatment: levels, streaks, and quick quizzes that test what you just learned. That game loop is what the tabs above never had, so it's the one you actually finish.
Here's what playing it feels like
A real question from this course. Take your best guess.
What is the best way to get your steak ready for a quick, crispy crust?
Get it right to open this lesson and 20 more in the app.
Where How to Cook Steak takes you
Learn the essential techniques to prepare, marinate, and cook tender medium-rare steaks at home. From high-heat pan searing to balance in marinades, gain the confidence to serve steakhouse-quality beef every time.
- 1
The Pan-Seared Medium Rare
- The Fast Path to a Classic Sear
- Nailing Medium-Rare Doneness
- 2
Marinades, Salt, and Surface Prep
- The Science of Salting and Dry Brining
- Crafting Effective Steak Marinades
- 3
Technique, Basting, and Cut Selection
- Choosing the Right Cut for the Method
- Butter Basting with Aromatics
- Two-Zone Cooking and Thick Steaks
3 sections · 7 units · 21 levels. Built to play, not to enroll.
You pick the voice
How to Cook Steak is taught in the Explain Like I'm 5 style: no big words. promise.. Want a different feel? In the app you can spin up the same topic in any of Tomo's teaching styles. Same facts, totally different vibe.
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Start How to Cook Steak today.
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