• Remove steak from the fridge half an hour before you cook it to let it come to room temperature.
  Brush steak with a little oil to prevent it sticking.
  For a 2cm-thick steak, you need to cook it for 2-3 minutes each side for a rare steak; 4 minutes each side for medium; and 5-6 minutes each side if you want it well done.
  When cooking, turn your steak only once, otherwise it will dry out.
  Use tongs rather than a fork to handle the steak to avoid piercing the meat and letting the juices escape.
  To check the steak is cooked to your liking, press the tongs in the centre of the meat to test it: if it feels soft, it is rare; slightly firmer or springy, it is medium; if it feels very firm, it is well done.
  Transfer the steak to a plate, cover with foil, and allow it to rest for 2-3 minutes to let the juices to settle and the muscle fibres to relax, ensuring a tender steak.

Working in his shop off Leichhardt's main drag, butcher John Elvy has built a name for going the extra mile for his customers. His dad bought the shop in 1955, and Elvy started working there at 14. Customer favourites include his mince and sausages, but Elvy has noticed changes in shoppers' tastes: "People want cuts they can get more value out of, like shanks and chunky-cut steaks." Starting each day at 4am, Elvy tends the aged beef, prime lamb and free-range pork in his coolroom, and loves preparing exactly the cuts his customers are after. "I enjoy getting feedback from my customers about their meal successes," says Elvy, whose favourites are T-bone and roast shoulder of beef.

Elvy's Quality Meats, 79 Allen Street, Leichhardt, NSW. Call (02) 9569 5493.