Cooking Steak

Actually the steaks I purchased at the local market were much prettier than those pictured above,nice and marbled, good color.

So tonight dinner consisted of baked potatoes, three bean salad, garlic bread and steak.

I baked the potatoes oiled and salted, wrapped in aluminium foil for 60 minutes in a 350 degree oven. They were not done at 60 minutes, so I let them continue to bake while I washed up some dishes and pre-heated two frying pans; one at medium for the well done steak and one heated to medium/high for the medium rare steak. I cooked the meat 12 minutes and 6 minutes each, turning at the half way mark for seasoning with salt and pepper. The steaks were cooked perfectly, his was done,mine was pink.

I was pleased that I attained a lovely grilled look however the fat bloomed and made the steak all deformed and cutting that off was quite beyond my poor under powered steak knife. I guess I should have trimmed the fat off before I cook the meat, but how do you cut out the gristly bits?

I would like to somehow have lessons on how to select the perfect meat from the meat department. I realize I will not be able to purchase restaurant grade beef but criminy I hate to pair that lovely baked potato with the cow that would not die properly. Where is Alton Brown when you need him!?