A great steak is an art that’s easy to perfect. Use these tips to get the best results every time.

Before hitting the barbecue:

• Take the steaks out of the fridge 10 minutes before you cook them. This stops the meat tightening and becoming tough.
• Season the steaks lightly with salt and pepper.
• Oil the steak not the barbecue. This stops your steaks sticking and the oil burning on the hotplate.

The three essentials:

1. Heat the barbecue before you add the steaks. This ensures maximum flavour and tenderness. The steak should sizzle as it makes contact with the heat. If you’re cooking a thick steak (or like your steak well done), move it to a cooler part of the barbecue or lower the heat to moderately-high as it cooks.

2. Turn the steaks once only. The more you flip the steak, the tougher it gets. Let the steak cook on one side until moisture appears on top, then turn it.

3. Learn to test when your steaks are done. Knowing when your steak is ready to be removed from the heat is the key to a perfectly cooked steak. Use either the back of your tongs or fingertip (make sure your hands are clean) and press the centre of the steak. Rare is soft when pressed, medium is springy and well done is very firm.

Always rest the steaks after they come off the heat. This keeps the steaks juicy and tender. Just loosely cover with foil for 2 to 4 minutes before serving.