When it comes to steak, there's a trade-off to be made between tenderness and taste.

Fillet, the most expensive of cuts, is rightly revered for its melt-in-the-mouth texture rather than its flavour.

Sirloin, rib eye and rump require an increasing amount of jaw work, but reward the taste buds more in return for the extra effort.

Cooking Times

The precise times will depend on the efficiency and heat of your pan, as well as the temperature of the meat when you start. Room temperature steak will have a significant head start on steak straight from the fridge.

Don't forget to season the meat before you cook it. A generous rubbing of Maldon Salt and some ground black pepper will make your steak a noticeably tastier piece of meat.

Approximate times for pan-frying steak, about 2cm thick:

Blue: 1 minute per side
Rare: 1.5 minutes per side
Medium-rare: 2 minutes per side
Medium: 2.5 minutes per side
Medium-well: 3 minutes per side
Well-done: 3.5 minutes per side

Experienced chefs tend to rely on feel, rather than exact timings, to judge the degree to which a piece a steak is cooked. When prodded with a finger, the more giving the meat, the rarer it is.

Once you've cooked your steak, leave it to rest for a few minutes before you eat it.

See How To... Buy and Cook Meat

• Share online