So, here's the deal: food safety is no joke, and when it comes to steak, you want to make sure you're handling it properly to avoid any, ahem, beef with bacteria. The general rule of thumb is to not leave steak out at room temperature for more than two hours - and that's being generous.
If you're looking to tenderize your steak, you might be wondering if leaving it out for a bit will do the trick. Well, yes and no: while letting it sit at room temperature can help the steak cook more evenly, it's not going to make a huge difference in the grand scheme of things. You're better off using a meat mallet or marinade to get the job done.
