Truth be told, I simply cannot give up meat any time soon because of steaks! I usually order them at a restaurant and even make one at home when I want to. So yes, I’m a big carnivore! How can you even think of giving it up when it’s juicy, flavorful and a joy to eat? And one of my favorite ways of preparing my steak is pan searing it first on the stovetop and roasting it in the oven for a nicer finish. For some of you, cooking steak might be a tricky one, but once you nail it, you’ll become expert at it! You don’t even need a sauce to go along with it. A good pan seared steak is fantastic enough!
How to Cook Steak In A Pan?
A good steak usually starts with a good sear in a pan. But first, you have to master the art of choosing the perfect beef cut for a good quality. Rib-eye, sirloin or New York steak are my top 3 picks for seared steak. Try to also select a thick steak that is at least 1 1/2 inch thick with marbling (little veins of fat across the meat). Before you even start heating the pan, make sure that you remove the meat from the package and lay it down on a plate lined with a few paper towels at room temperature and season it with salt and with my homemade steak seasoning HERE. This method helps remove excess moisture and help intensify the flavor. For a better resulting pan-seared steak, I always use a cast iron pan, however, if you don’t have one, any oven-safe, uncoated with good heat retention pan will do. Do not use nonstick cookware. I start off by melting oil plus butter in my 12-inch cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Some would prefer oil alone due to the butter’s low smoking point, but I prefer that hint of buttery taste and smell on steak. Then sear both sides of the steak for 4-5 minutes per side until a slight dark crust is formed. And throw in the garlic and rosemary as aromatics. Lastly, transfer the pan to the preheated oven to finish cooking. Remember, the thickness of your steak determines how long you need to cook it.
How long to Cook Medium Rare Steak?
I love medium-rare steak!! Often times, I get those disapproving looks from my family whenever I slice through my steak with a warm red meat inside. I know!! To each his own I guess. Because of the variations in heat among stoves and ovens, I highly recommend that you have an instant read thermometer to insert to your steak and determine its doneness. It’ll cause you less than risking a badly cooked steak. For a medium rare steak roasted at 400 degrees F, it took me about 7-10 minutes to cook it.
You can pair your favorite steak with salads on the side, sauteed spinach, mashed potatoes or any form of starchy sides. I’ll have to go with fries by next time then. Enjoy! Cooking Time for Steak
Steak Cooked Rare: Internal temperature reads: 125°F , Color : Red Steak Cooked Medium-rare:Internal temperature reads: 135°F, Color : pink with a hint of red in the middle . Steak Cooked Medium: Internal temperature reads: 145°F, Color , pink Steak Cooked Medium-well: Internal temperature reads: 150°F, Color , hint of pink in the very middle Steak Cooked Well done: Internal temperature reads: 160°F, Color , not the faintest hint of pink in the middle Here is a good visual for ‘Degree of Doneness’ in this article
Allow the steak to rest at room temperature for 30-40 minutes, this helps to obtain final internal pressure easily. Preheat oven at 400F. Pat the meat dry using paper towels. Season steak generously with salt and steak seasoning and allow meat to sit at room temperature for about 1 hour. Melt butter and oil in a 12-inch cast iron (or oven safe pan) over medium high heat.
Sear both sides of the steak in the heated skillet until a slight dark crust has formed, about 4-5 minutes per side,
Reduce the heat if the meat is browning too quickly. If you prefer a lighter outside crust, then reduce the time slightly.
After searing, throw in crushed garlic and rosemary.
Transfer pan to the preheated oven. And cook until an instant read thermometer reads 135 F to 140F (for medium rare), about 7-10 minutes (cooking time will depend on the thickness of the steak). Remove from the oven and allow to rest for a few minutes before serving. Slice steak across the grain and serve.
