Book excerpt: Whenever steak is on the menu, it’s a special occasion. The most frequent question we get is: How do the great steakhouses do it? How do they cook perfect steaks every time, with sizzling, dark, flavorful crusts, evenly done from edge to edge on the inside, tender and juicy, with big, bold, beefy flavor? In these pages, we share everything we have learned over the years about making great steak. We cover everything from choosing the grade and cut of meat to aging steaks, trimming and tying, dry brining, seasoning, direct searing, reverse searing, and even slicing. So pull up a chair, preferably near the fire, and settle in for a deep discussion of what goes into a truly exceptional steak.