Restaurants employ various techniques to make their steaks tender and delicious. While marinating and grilling on high heat are important steps, there are additional factors that contribute to the overall quality of the steak. Here are some key methods used by restaurants:

1. Quality of the meat: Restaurants often use high-quality cuts of beef, such as USDA Prime or Choice grade [2]. These grades are known for their tenderness and flavor. The demand for such premium beef makes it challenging to find them at regular grocery stores, but you can look for Choice grade beef as an alternative.

2. Aging: Many fine restaurants age their beef to enhance flavor and tenderness. Aging involves letting the meat sit in controlled conditions for several days or weeks [2]. This process intensifies the natural flavors and breaks down the connective tissues, resulting in a more tender steak. While aging can be difficult to replicate at home due to the risk of spoilage, you can check with local meat markets to find aged beef.

3. Seasoning: Seasoning plays a crucial role in enhancing the taste of the steak. Restaurants typically season their steaks with coarse ground black pepper, sea or kosher salt, parsley, and butter [2]. The combination of these ingredients adds depth and richness to the flavor profile.

4. Cooking equipment: Many steakhouses use overhead, infrared broilers that produce high temperatures for cooking steaks [2]. While this equipment may not be necessary for home cooking, it is essential to have a good quality pan that can withstand high heat. A cast iron pan is often recommended as it retains and distributes heat evenly, resulting in a perfectly cooked steak.

5. Cooking process: The cooking process itself is crucial for achieving a tender and delicious steak. Restaurants often sear the steak on high heat to create a flavorful crust, and then finish cooking it in the oven to ensure even doneness [2]. This combination of high heat searing and controlled oven cooking helps to lock in the juices and maintain tenderness.

Learn more:

1. How do restaurants make their steaks so tender and delicious ...
2. How to Make Restaurant-Quality Steak at Home
3. The Secret To A Tender Steak - Stanford's