Brew day for an extract recipe - UPDATED

This is a quick overview of the steps to go through for a typical brew day for an extract recipe (including steeping of grains).  Most recipes you get here and on other sites don't include the actual steps. However, in most cases the steps are the same regardless of the recipe, so you can use this post as a general guide for all extract beer recipes.

I would also strongly recommend reading through How to Brew by John Palmer for a more complete explanation of the process.

Steps for preparing an extract beer recipe

1. Freeze plenty of ice a few days beforehand. You'll need this for cooling the wort in your ice-bath. Alternatively you can always buy a big bag of party ice on the day.
2. Get your ingredients and equipment together
3. Pre-boil the water that's not going into the brew pot. e.g. if you're making 19 litres and using a 10 litre brew pot, you'll need at least 9 litres of pre-boiled and cooled water but it's always better to have more. This water should be put in a cleaned and sanitised container. Put it in the fridge if you have space.
4. Clean and sanitise your equipment. This includes everything that will touch the wort after it's been boiled, and everything that will touch the yeast before pitching. The following should be cleaned:
• Brewpot
• Stirring spoon
The following should be cleaned AND sanitised:
• Tablespoon
• Measuring cup
• Yeast starter jar
• Fermentor and lid
• Sieve or strainer
• Airlock
• Thermometer
I simply clean and then fill the fermentor with my sanitising solution, then dump everything in there. I then have a large bowl with more sanitising solution on the bench top and plenty of boiled water in the jug for rinsing as required.
5. Fill the brew pot with the required amount of water and steep your crushed specialty grains in a nylon or muslin bag for 30 mins at 65 - 75 degrees celsius (150 - 170 F). Discard the grains when finished.
6. Assuming you're using a dry yeast packet, rehydrate and proof your yeast while the grains are steeping. To do this: 
• Boil 1 teaspoon of dextrose or malt extract in a small amount of water and let it cool down to about (30C).
• Put 250ml boiled and cooled (to about 30C) water in a sanitised jar or measuring cup and stir in the yeast. Cover and let sit for 15 mins.
• Pour the sugared water into the jar with the yeast, cover and shake to aerate.
• Let this sit for about 30 mins. It should start showing signs of activity. If not, your yeast may not be viable. 
7. Add the extract and any sugars to your brew pot and turn up the heat. You're now starting the boil. This is generally done for 60 mins.
8. Add your hops during the boil as per the recipe. e.g. 60 mins means add them at the start (these will be adding bitterness), 15 mins means add them with 15 mins to go (these will be adding more flavour than bitterness).
9. Once the boil time is finished, you need to cool down the wort to pitching temperature as quickly as possible. Fill your sink (if it's big enough) with cold water and the ice you made in step 1, then carefully transfer the brew pot to the sink. A sanitised thermometer is useful for this step. I gently stir the wort to help cool it down faster. Don't splash and don't let anything drip into the pot. You want to get it down to about 27C within 30 mins.
10. Once it's cooled down to yeast pitching temperature, pour the wort vigorously into the fermenting barrel. Avoid pouring the dregs in. Use a large sieve or strainer (make sure it's sanitised). Top the fermenting barrel up to your total brew volume.
11. Take your O.G. reading with your hydrometer and note it down.
12. Aerate the wort: You need to get plenty of oxygen into the wort for the yeast. The easiest way is to vigorously shake the barrel, for a few minutes (10 minutes). It may be easier to shake the barrel with only the top-up water, then pouring the cooled wort in. 
13. Pitch the re-hydrated yeast and give it a stir (with a sanitised spoon/stick). You can also just pitch the yeast dry, but there's the risk it's no good.  The yeast is also more effective at getting to work if it's been rehydrated first..
14. Pop the lid back on and secure the airlock and place the fermenting barrel in a cool place to start working its magic. The ideal fermenting temperature depends on the type of beer you're making, but I've found it's important to pick your temperature and stay within a couple of degrees of it. There are a few inexpensive ways to do this, depending on the time of year you're brewing.
15. Clean up after yourself. Your wife/girlfriend will appreciate it if you leave no evidence of your brew session in "her" kitchen :)