Neglecting to pat your steak dry before cooking it

The most mouthwatering contrasts can be found in the best steakhouse steaks. You know the one—the one with the gorgeously crisp, blackened skin and the juicy, sensitive interior. Your opponent in achieving the same flawless equilibrium at home is dampness. The Maillard reaction, which makes a charred steak so tasty, is sabotaged by water. The steak will steam rather than sear if there is any moisture left on the outside of it after you take it from the plastic or butcher paper, resulting in a crust that is much grayer and less crispy than you might have intended.

In fact, according to Cooking Light, how dry a steak is before it is placed in the pan is one of the most crucial aspects of cooking a perfect steak. Although using a paper towel to wipe the outside of the steak may seem little, the outlet claims that it is a crucial step in transforming a good steak into something spectacular.