Ojo de Bife Argentino

Ojo de bife is the opposite of vacío: here the heat is high and the time is short. It's a well-marbled cut, so it's fairly forgiving — but hitting the right doneness is what separates a good steak from a memorable one.

Before it hits the grill

Take it out of the fridge 30 minutes ahead: a steak that's cold in the middle never cooks evenly. Pat it dry if it's damp (moisture steams instead of browning) and salt it with coarse salt right before it goes on.

High heat, minimal fussing

With your hand at grill height you should only last 3 or 4 seconds: that's high heat. Lay the steak down and leave it alone for 4 to 6 minutes, depending on thickness (a 3 cm steak is closer to 6). Turn it once with tongs and repeat on the other side.

Judging doneness without cutting it

• Rare: press with the tongs and it gives softly, like the base of your thumb with your hand relaxed.
• Medium: it gives but springs back, with some resistance.
• Well done: firm. If you got here by accident there's no going back — better to pull it off early.

Resting isn't negotiable

Give it 3 to 5 minutes on a board before slicing. Cut it straight away and all the juice ends up on the board instead of in the steak. A spoonful of chimichurri on top and you're done.

You don't need a grill to eat a proper steak. In a really hot pan, ojo de bife develops a crust that the grill, with its more open heat, doesn't always manage.

The pan is what matters

Cast iron if you have it. Heat it over a high flame until it smokes — it takes longer than people think, about 4 or 5 minutes. A lukewarm pan steams the meat instead of searing it, and it comes out grey and sad.

Step by step

• Steak at room temperature and patted dry with paper. Moisture is the enemy of the crust.
• A drizzle of oil in the pan, not on the meat. Coarse salt as it goes in.
• 3 to 4 minutes a side for a 3 cm steak, without touching it between turns.
• In the last minute add a knob of butter, a crushed clove of garlic and a sprig of rosemary, and spoon that butter over the steak.
• Rest for 4 minutes on a board before slicing.

Two mistakes that cost you

Putting two steaks in a small pan at once — the temperature drops and both steam instead of searing; do them one at a time. And adding the butter at the start: it burns and turns bitter. Butter always goes in at the end.