Meat Master
Rump Steak Cooking Tips & Guide
Welcome to the Meat Master from The Meat & Wine Co – an exclusive guide where our expert chefs share top tips and essential tricks to elevating your steak cooking game.
We’ll be diving into the delicious world of rump steak. A favourite for its deep flavour and tenderness, you’ll find our best insights on how to cook rump steak, with secret strategies to achieve a perfect finish every time.
What is Rump Steak?
Rump steak is a flavourful cut of beef that comes from the rear of a cow. As a result, it offers a slightly firmer pre-cooking texture compared to other premium cuts like fillets and rib-eyes, and this provides a deeper beefier taste. With unique fat marbling, rump steak unveils its juiciness throughout the cooking process. It’s robust adaptability makes it a versatile cut that’s an excellent canvas for beef rump steak recipes, whether pan-seared, oven-roasted, or grilled!
Preparing Your Rump Steak
We all know that failing to prepare means preparing to fail – and cooking rump steak is no exception. Before you begin cooking, start your prep work by trimming any excess fat. Without this, your steak enjoys a more even cooking process, helping to ensure equal tenderness throughout.
Our second tip is to let your rump steak come to room temperature by taking it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you plan to cook it. This again helps the steak cook evenly, and it makes it easier for you to achieve the desired level of doneness.
Selecting the Best Cut
When it comes to choosing your perfect rump steak, you should look out for the following:
- Marbling: Fine lines of white or creamy fat within the meat will provide extra bouts of flavour and influence the tenderness of the steak.
- Colour: Fresh rump steak should be a vibrant red, indicating fresh, premium beef.
- Thickness: Look for a thickness of at least 2.5cm to ensure an even leveled cooking result.
Marinating Tips
Marinating is a superb way to tailor your steaks to different taste preferences! There’s lots of marinades that infuse beautifully with rump steak to create fantastic results. Here are some of our favourite marinades for rump steak:
- Classic Marinade: Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar and minced garlic with fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme. Let your steak marinate for between 1 to 4 hours for optimal flavour, depending on thickness.
- Spicy Marinade: For spice lovers, mix soy sauce with honey, and top with chili flakes and ginger for a tangy kick. Marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
- Classic Salt and Pepper: Enhance the natural flavours of rump steak with the simplistic salt and pepper combination. Generously season with sea salt and black pepper, then let sit for 30 minutes.
Cooking Techniques
Rump steak is a brilliantly versatile cut of meat, so there’s plenty of ways to highlight its rich flavour and hearty texture through different cooking techniques.
Grilling Rump Steak
Grilling a rump steak is a great way to enhance its barbecue smokiness that teases the senses. Here’s how to do it best:
- Heat your grill to a high temperature of around 220°C.
- Season the steak well with salt and pepper or use your preferred marinade of choice.
- Next, put the steak on the grill and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare, adjusting the time for your preferred doneness, as well as the steak’s thickness.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure the meat’s internal temperature reaches 54 to 57°C for a medium-rare finish.
- Then remove the steak from the grill and leave it to rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.
Pan-Searing Rump Steak
Pan-searing is a convenient way of cooking rump steak that helps to lock in the juices for a succulent, buttery finish:
- Use a cast-iron skillet and pre-heat it over medium to high heat until it’s hot.
- Add a tablespoon of vegetable or canola oil to the pan, and carefully swirl it to coat the surface.
- Gently place the steak in the pan and press down softly. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on one side without moving it, then flip and cook for an additional 4 minutes. Try to resist the urge to flip it too much—flipping just once locks in the delicious juices!
- If your steak size is slightly thicker, transfer the skillet to a 200°C preheated oven for a few minutes to finish cooking. Remove when it reaches your desired level of doneness.
- For medium rare, aim for an internal temperature of 54 to 57°C.
- Allow the steak to rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.
Oven-Roasting Rump Steak
Oven-roasting is an excellent method of cooking rump steak, especially for larger cuts where even cooking can be difficult. This cooking process also helps to infuse extra flavours, and you have the option of searing your rump steak after cooking if you wish!
- First, pre-heat your oven to 200°C.
- Gently rub the steak with a combination of olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Ensure it’s thoroughly covered.
- For added flavour, you have the option of searing the steak in a hot saucepan for 2 to 3 minutes on each side before roasting. You can also do this after, though the meat may be slightly more delicate to handle.
- Place the steak in a roasting pan and cook for between 15 to 20 minutes, paying special attention to the thickness.
- Check if you’ve reached your desired doneness with a meat thermometer. For medium-rare, aim for an internal temperature of around 55 to 60°C.
- Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.
Temperature Guide
The journey to cooking the perfect steak starts with understanding the different levels of doneness:
- Rare: Seared outside, but red and slightly cool inside
- Medium-Rare: A warm red centre, slightly firm texture
- Medium: A warm pink core contrasted by a more browned exterior
- Well-Done: Fully cooked through with no pink, has a firm texture
You can use a meat thermometer to gauge doneness. These valuable tools check the internal temperature, eliminating any need for guess work that could compromise the quality of your rump steak.
It’s also important to keep in mind that the steak’s temperature will continue to rise slightly during resting, so compensate for this by removing the steak from heat when it’s a few degrees below your target temperature.
Read our in-depth temperature guide for more information.
Resting and Serving
After completing the cooking process, patience is key! Allowing your beef rump steak to rest properly is essential for achieving the succulent, buttery texture.
Proper rest helps the meat’s juices to redistribute and settle evenly, keeping each bite as juicy as the next! Just place the steak on a cutting board and cover loosely with foil for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Once fully rested, consider using these serving suggestions to top off your steak in fine-dining fashion:
- Garnishing: Top your steak with a healthy dollop of herb-infused butter or a sprinkle of fresh fragrant herbs. We recommend parsley or chives!
- Sides: Pair your rump steak recipe with complementary sides like roasted vegetables, creamy mashed potatoes, or a leafy garden salad for a well-balanced meal.
- Sauces: Serve with a classic chimichurri or pair with a luxurious red wine reduction to bring a rich depth to your meal.
Other Meat Cuts
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