When I first came to the U.S. and went to the grocery store, I was most surprised by the meat section I saw at Costco.

In Korea, steak was something you ate at a restaurant on special occasions, but here it's just a regular menu item where you can choose different cuts and grill them.

So, I thought that if I bought thick beef over 3 centimeters and grilled it roughly, it would all be steak.

However, after grilling various things for a few years, I realized that steak is actually quite complex, from choosing the meat to the cooking method.

First of all, the cut is important. Ribeye has great marbling and is rich in flavor, while New York strip has a good chew and meat aroma.

Tenderloin is soft but has a bit less fat flavor. T-bone or porterhouse offers the fun of eating both tenderloin and strip loin together.

When buying meat at American grocery stores, you also need to check the grade.

Select grade has less fat and can be a bit dry, while Choice offers a good balance of price and flavor, making it the most common choice for home cooking.

Prime has a lot of marbling and is delicious, but it also comes with a higher price tag.

Wagyu melts in your mouth, but it can be rich and heavy for regular consumption.

As you may know, Wagyu refers to a breed of cattle that has been developed in Japan specifically for steak.

It's not just expensive beef; its most notable feature is the excellent marbling with white fat distributed between the muscles.

You can easily find both Japanese Wagyu and American Wagyu in the U.S.

The price for American Wagyu steak is about $30 to $80 per pound, while Japanese A5 Wagyu can go over $100 to $200 for the same weight.

These days, steak has really become quite expensive.

When I planned a nice meal and bought two servings, it cost over $150. I even saw places charging $299 for a single serving in restaurants.

As a result, even foodies often choose to eat only about 100 to 200 grams of Wagyu and opt for USDA Choice or Prime grade steaks more frequently.

Personally, I think USDA Choice offers the best value.

Before cooking, take the steak out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, and make sure to pat the surface dry with a paper towel.

Generously sprinkle salt and pepper, and heat the pan until it's just starting to smoke.

This will create a nice brown crust on the outside and enhance the flavor of the meat.

If the steak is about 1 inch thick, grill it for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare.

At the end, add butter, garlic, and rosemary or thyme, and drizzle the melted butter over the meat to enhance the flavor.

And the most important part is resting. If you cut it right after cooking, all the juices will escape.

Let it sit on a plate for about 5 to 10 minutes.

This waiting time enhances the flavor of the steak.

To eat it the American way, you can serve it with grilled asparagus, mashed potatoes, mushrooms, salad, and red wine.

But honestly, I prefer eating it with rice.

Choosing a good cut, cooking it well, and waiting a bit before enjoying it—that's the real way to enjoy steak.