From the chef: Jiří Štift

In our restaurant the most frequently requested steaks are beef. Typically, I order beef from Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina. You can get excellent quality meat from the Argentinean angus.

However, beef steaks are only one of many types that you should try. I recommend bison steaks, either the sirloin or tenderloin cuts, specifically from Canadian bison. While the highest-quality bison steaks frequently appear on our menu, it is a fairly costly meat for home preparation. Another good type of steak comes from caribou. Connoisseurs of caribou contend that these steaks are the most delicious. It has a bit milder taste than venison, and is even milder than the meat from fallow deer and roebuck.

Pork and veal steaks are not new and are usually found on most menus, but they still are not considered steaks in the classic sense. While the hotel uses veal primarily from the Netherlands, I prefer to get pork from Germany. We use the sallow bio-breed because of the quality breeding and the use of natural feed, which includes herbal additives. For this reason, the sallow meat is called "herbed pork."

Whichever meat you choose for steaks, it should be marinated first — preferably in olive oil. At our restaurant, the cooks also add ground pepper and fresh herbs based on which sauce and side dishes will accompany the meat.

What is the best way to cook a steak today? Modern technologies allow us to achieve the exact temperature. Stick a thermo-needle in the steak and the heat control unit will indicate when it's cooked just right. However, when steaks are prepared daily, an experienced cook can judge the time and temperature without using modern technology. The length of time will always depend on the kind of meat and its size, but with respect to steaks, they should always be cooked quickly at first — either on a grill or in a pan — on both sides to sear the outside and seal in the meat juices. After that, the heat can be reduced to cook the meat to its desired level. I recommend about three minutes of "resting" before cutting the steak. These few minutes are important, because they give the meat some time to balance the inside temperatures. It also prevents the juice from running out of the meat when cut.

When cooked properly, steaks are one of the most delicious and satisfying meats available. However, proper preparation requires time. If you're in a restaurant and you order a well-done steak weighing 250 grams, and then tell the waiter that you're in a hurry, the results cannot be good. Be patient.

Jiří Štift is executive chef at Alcron, Štěpánská 40, Prague 1–New Town (inside the Radisson SAS Alcron hotel). Tel. 222 820 038. Until Sunday, Nov. 27, the La Rotonde restaurant is serving a special steak menu, including bison, caribou, organic pork and beef.

Beef steak with green peppercorn sauce and potatoes au gratin