The 3-Ingredient Cheat Code For Juicier Bites Of Steak

Overcooking steak is a common culinary faux pas. Fail to flip it at the perfect moment and you can end up with a ribeye that's tough and rubbery instead of buttery and succulent. One way to redeem a dry steak is to slice it up and stuff it into a sandwich smothered with condiments. However, there's another classier cheat code for making juicier bites of steak that's equally as low effort. Simply top your sliced or whole cut of sirloin with the three classic elements of a fresh and fruity Italian Caprese salad to create a vibrant dish where every morsel is lusciously moist and fragrant.

The perfect Caprese salad is mostly an assembly job. All you need to do plate overlapping rounds of creamy mozzarella and slices of tomato, with fresh basil leaves before drizzling over a fruity olive oil and a touch of seasoning. 

Serving your steak Caprese-style gives your protein heaps of extra moisture via the juicy tomatoes. Moreover, the tomatoes have a naturally sweet note and umami quality (due to the presence of savory amino acid, glutamate) that doubles down on the meaty texture of the steak to create a satisfying mouthful and rounded personality. The mellowness of the cheese and its creamy consistency also imbues each bite with a yielding softness and dampness, particularly if you're using a rich buffalo mozzarella that's been submerged in brine. Finally, the aroma of the basil, paired with the fruity olive oil, imbues the dish with an inviting fragrance and perky freshness.

Feel free to place your steak over your mozzarella and tomatoes if you want to make the protein look like the star of the show. This can be a great move if you're grilling steak for a crowd because you can prepare your salad beforehand and scatter over your slices of juicy steak at the last moment. That way the meaty juices can dribble onto the salad and create a yummy jus when combined with the dressing. Conversely, if you stack the elements of the salad on top of your steak it allows the moisture from the tomatoes and the flavor of the olive oil to trickle down onto the meat as you dig in. Plus, this option is perfect for individually plating up mini steaks because you can quicky create a series of cute little entrees that look restaurant worthy.

You could even toss all the roughly-chopped elements together and add a handful of fresh greens along with the basil to create a meaty mixed salad, scatter over grilled fruit, such as nectarines or peaches, or switch the cheese for verdant avocado. While a good quality EVOO is perfect for allowing the umami flavors in the steak to shine, consider combining it with a touch of balsamic glaze to give your dressing a sweet but tangy note that will cut through the overt richness of the meat.