All right , home cooks .
It's time for you to demonstrate another classic French technique .
Are you primed to see what it is ?
You look terrified .
Just need to know what it is this time , your survival depends on a butter basted steak perfectly cooked to medium rare .
The French term for this technique is arose .
We're looking for a beautifully brown crust , a tender pink interior with just a hint of red .
This is what I'm looking for .
Exactly .
You got it .
Yes .
Yes .
Yes .
I make butter basted steak fairly often .
So I have a really good shot at making it up to the balcony after this round .
The first thing I do is get my pan searing hot .
One of the most important aspects of this dish is getting a beautiful sear on the steak .
I'm very happy that it's steak and not a French omelet again .
Two minutes to bring the pan up to high heat , eight minutes to cook and five minutes to let your steak relax and you'll be cooking a perfect medium rare .
I'm extremely focused just trying to get this done in a timely manner .
So I have more than enough time to rest my steak .
It's very important when you season meat to be liberal because a lot of that seasoning will be lost to the pan .
I have to amp this salt up and butter .
I do not want to let the judges down .
I'm secretly rooting for Jonathan .
He's an amazing charismatic guy and has a good soul .
I really do want this , but I'm also missing my family .
My mom taught me how to cook .
She was a single mother , raised my brother and I , and I want them to be proud of what I'm gonna put on the plate today .
All the seasonings been wiped off at John Holmes .
He's wiping all the seasoning off just waiting for my oil to smoke .
I wanted to rip my hair out .
Oh , come on when the state goes in , you want to hear it sizzle .
If you don't get that sizzle , you are in trouble right out of the gate .
I love the intensity of the pressure test , but I can see the fear in their eyes and it's kind of exciting to see .
I know Marissa is a bad ass with steaks .
So I'm really happy to be up on the balcony because the difference between having a perfect steak and being underdone or overdone is really minute .
I've got adrenaline going through my veins .
This is it .
I want to be up there with my buds .
I need to be up there .
I don't want to wait any longer .
I'm pretty confident in Marissa cause she's into proteins and the rest are a bit iffy .
You want the exterior of that state to caramelize , add more butter baste and base to keep it moist .
Everything they do matters here the way they season them , the way they see her , the way they rest , everything matters .
Hr Has too much about you .
Look at Nadia's pan is spewing off lots of big smoke there .
that concerns me .
She could be burning her herbs .
She could be burning the steak .
She could be burning them garlic one second can ruin white if I do not get the heat right in this pan .
I'm done .
Five minutes , five minutes left .
Make sure you leave enough time to rest your state .
The sear on the outside is perfection .
I just want to see a beautiful pink center .
I lay my stake down very carefully and I just wait .
Patience is a virtue 54321 and I'm feeling very unsure like here's unsure and I'm like here , I'm only gonna find out if I nailed it when the judges sliced that bad boy open .
Jonathan .
What is the color that you're trying to achieve in the center of the steak ?
The medium rare .
You miss some of the caramelization here .
You can see that .
See how it's gray .
Yeah , see that .
Let's make the cut and see if you actually made the cut .
Boom .
Look at that .
That's perfect thing .
Of beauty .
Thank you .
How's it taste ?
Hm .
Could use more salt but overall really solid performance .
Thank you .
I'm thrilled .
I'm feeling a bit more confident .
I Marissa , chef Michael , you a steak lover .
I am a steak lover .
I actually heard you have a dog by the name of Porterhouse .
Porterhouse is my dog .
Interesting .
And are you pleased with the outcome using this classic French technique ?
Yes , I am .
I achieved a nice sear on all sides of the steak .
So let's see how you did on the cook .
Very good .
I think it could have been pushed just a little bit more with the seasoning .
You lose a lot of salt and pepper when you're cooking and basting , but not bad at all .
Just wish it was a porterhouse .
Thank you , Mara .
Thank you , Nadia .
Hello , Chef Alvin Pan with smoking .
You cook a lot of steak .
I have , but usually I do it on my grill in the middle of a park .
Well , how do you think you done ?
I'm hoping that it's a beautiful , medium rare .
How did you know it's medium rare ?
I used a small hin .
I just put it in then I just put it right your most sensitive part of your body right there .
Where did you get that trick from a wonderful chef ?
I didn't recall telling you that .
Ok .
Well , very good colonization .
Thank you chef .
So the moment of truth , please open it .
You are killing me right now .
Sounds good .
So , did you season it ?
Yeah , definitely .
I was liberal with the salt .
It's nice to season .
You know what I like about you , Nadia ?
Tell me you don't do things halfway .
Thank you , Chef Alford .
I'm feeling pretty happy .
There is a very good chance that I'm going up to the gallery now .
I want to pass out like my legs feel like they're gonna go .
And I have to think with every ounce of my being don't fall over .
I just , I just have to keep going .
Hi there , Jen .
How are you feeling ?
Nervous as usual .
I like what I'm seeing .
Great .
Even caramelization all over .
Well , let's see how you did .
That looks terrific .
Thank you .
Nice .
Even color , nice , blushing pink with a touch of red in the center .
Nicely seasoned , well done , Jen .
Nice job .
That one .
Yeah , it's about as close to a photo finish as I think you're ever going to see when it comes to full stakes .
Yeah , I'm thinking ok , I might have a good chance here .
Possibly .
I don't want to battle with one other person .
It's gonna be down to that last grain of salt .
That's how close it is .
I feel a little bit nervous but excited at the same time .
Nobody knows what to expect .
Uh , my stomach's in knots .
All right .
Let's do it .
You are four of the top eight home cooks in the country and you proved it with this challenge .
This decision came down to the finest of details .
Taking everything into account .
Two home cooks had the slightest edge and they are Nadia and Jen nicely done .
Please head up to the gallery and my friends .
I'm so happy .
I'm going home to the gallery and I just made the top seven .
Yeah , I would say if I cooked a perfect steak .