A good steak doesn't require much more than a light seasoning and proper cooking. Steakhouse quality is just a cast iron pan away. Here is how to cook the perfect steak in just a few simple steps.
Ingredients
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil , Olive Ranch is a good value and easy to find in your local grocery.
- Steak of choice, I like Ribeye and T-bone
- Sea salt, I like Redmonds
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Butter
Simple Steps to a Perfect Steak
- Season steak with salt and pepper
- Heat Pan with vegetable oil.
- Sear steak after seared, melt butter in a pan
- flip steak until cooked, basting with the melted butter
- When fully cooked, let steak rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting
My favorite pan for cooking pan frying steak is this inexpensive Lodge grill pan.
How do you prepare a steak before cooking?
About 20 minutes before you are ready to cook the steak, pat it dry by blotting it with paper towels. Moisture left on the steak will hinder proper browning, so you want to eliminate as much surface moisture as possible.
Next season with salt and pepper. This is the time to rub the steak with any other dry rub seasoning you may like.
How to Sear a Steak?
A seared steak has a nice brown crispy crust and a juicy tender inside, however, if the steak is 1 1/2 inches thick or more it's best to sear in the skillet then finish cooking the steak in the oven. The longer time needed to cook a thick steak in the skillet would burn the outside of the steak before the inside is fully cooked. At least this is my experience, I typically buy steak under 1 1/2 inches thick.
Pour a small amount of vegetable oil into the pan and heat over medium-high You can test the pan by dropping in a tiny bit of water, beads will form and the drops will dance then evaporate. Not scientific but it's how Mom tested and has worked for me. If you want to get fancy then try one of these surface thermometers, would make a nice inexpensive stocking stuffer.
Should I flip my steak more than once?
No angry letters please, but, yes, after searing, flip the steak a few times during cooking so it cooks evenly. Use tongs, don't puncture the meat with a fork while cooking.
How do I know when the steak is cooked the way I like?
The short and safe answer is to check with an instant-read meat thermometer. I know the finger pressing test is popular but, 1.) I don't want to poke my steak, and 2.) I don't want someone else poking at my steak, and 3.)! Really use a meat thermometer, to ensure your steak reaches a safe internal temperature.
How to use a meat thermometer.
To use a meat thermometer, insert the probe through the side of the steak, not through the top, and in the thickest part of the cut. Also, don't insert near the bone. The thermometer should go in at least 1/2 inch. If the steal is thick, you may need to insert it in further.
Don't worry about the juices flowing out, because the probes are too dull to puncture the muscle.
Why do I need to let the steak rest before cutting?
The longer a steak is left to rest, the more juices are retained resulting in a juicy steak. If you cut into a steak right after cooking the juices bleed out onto the plate. Depending on the size of the steak, I'll let my steaks rest for 5-10 minutes.
Reheating Steak
I don’t recommend the microwave, instead of heat a skillet over medium-high heat and reheat the steak for a couple of minutes on each side.
Another way is to heat up some beef broth in a pan and immerse the steak until warmed.
What to do with overcooked steak?
If you are like me and love a well-done steak, n overcooked steak is a risk, In the even your steak goes from juicy to tough all is not lost!
- Mince the meat and add it to a pasta sauce. A butter and pepper pasta sauce sprinkled with fine bits of steak, yum.
- Dice fine and use as a salad topping.
- Slice the meat extra thin and add to a vegetable stir-fry.
Thanks for coming! Let me know what you think or share a tip.