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If you want a restaurant-quality, perfect pan-cooked steak every time, you’ve landed on the right recipe. Season the steak with kosher salt and black pepper and cook it in olive oil, butter, garlic, and fresh herbs, and you’ll have a perfect juicy steak with a gorgeous caramelized crust!
Serve steak with a beautiful pear gorgonzola salad, crispy Brussels sprouts, or red skin mashed potatoes to make a special meal.
Quick Look at This Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Servings: 4 people
- Dietary Info: Gluten Free
- Method: Pan sear the steak on both sides in a cast iron skillet.
- Technique: Cook it until the meat’s internal temperature is 10°F less than your desired temperature, as the temp will rise 10°F as it rests.
- Flavor & Texture: You’ll love the crispy caramelized crust on the outside of the steak, and its perfectly juicy interior. Use any leftovers to make a steak version of this Prime Rib Sandwich!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Cooking the perfect steak is easier than you think. With this recipe guide, your steak won’t stick to the pan, get overcooked, or have you wondering- should I flip it yet? After making many mistakes, I’ve done the work for you, so you can achieve the perfect pan-seared steak whenever you want.
If you love steak, you won’t want to miss my other showstopping beef recipes, like Cooking a Small Prime Rib Roast, Roasted Beef Tenderloin, Seared T-Bone Steak, and Steak Pizzaiola!
Made With Amore,
Featured Comment
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I love the detailed information in the doneness guide. The butter, garlic, and herbs are perfect. Thank you!”
– JD
Table of Contents
Ingredients
There are only a few ingredients in this recipe, so make sure they are of good quality for the best results.
- Steak: I recommend using cuts like New York strip, ribeye, or top sirloin steaks. Try to get either choice or prime quality for the best results.
- Butter: Adding butter creates a rich sauce with the pan juices that tastes divine when spooned over the meat. Putting it in the pan towards the end of the cooking time prevents the milk solids from burning.
- Garlic: This aromatic ingredient pairs perfectly with the butter to create a wonderful sauce. (Serve the steak with easy pan-seared garlic butter shrimp for a wonderful surf-and-turf dinner!)
- Fresh Herbs: I like to use a blend of fresh rosemary and thyme to enhance the garlic-butter sauce in the pan. Plus, the herbs help create a lovely flavored crust on the meat!
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Use your favorite steak rub. (You’ll also love my dry rub for pork ribs!)
- Make a compound butter to serve on top of the steak. Get a simple recipe for compound butter in my grilled filet mignon recipe.
- Apply your favorite marinade to the steak an hour or more before cooking.
- Sear on the outside and try finishing in the oven.
How to Perfectly Cook Steak in a Pan
Follow these easy step-by-step photos. The complete instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Rest the steaks at room temperature for 30 minutes. Thoroughly pat the steaks dry with a paper towel. Just before cooking, generously season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the cast iron pan until hot, then add the olive oil over medium-high heat, swirling to coat the pan. Ensure the oil is hot before adding the steaks to the skillet. (If using a smaller pan, cook steaks one at a time and use half of the butter, olive oil, and herbs for each one.)
- Sear the steaks on the first side for 4 minutes until a brown crust has formed, then flip and cook another 3-4 minutes. Using tongs, turn the steak on its sides to sear the fat edges and sides (1 minute per edge).
- Reduce medium-low heat and add the butter, quartered garlic cloves, thyme, and rosemary to the pan.
- Tilt the pan slightly and spoon the butter sauce over the steak. Continue spooning the melted butter over the steak for a minute, or until the steak is about 10 degrees below your desired doneness (the temperature will continue to rise another 10 degrees while the steaks rest).
- Transfer cooked steak to a cutting board, loosely cover with foil and let rest 15 minutes before slicing.
- Cut into 1/2″ strips. Serve with the extra butter sauce on the side.
- Enjoy this perfectly cooked, juicy steak with your favorite side dishes!
Recipe FAQs
Any variety of good quality steak will work with this cooking method; I used prime-grade ribeye steak. If you want the best quality, get prime or choice grade.
Some popular steak choices are New York strip steak (similar to sirloin and porterhouse), filet mignon (a more expensive and tender option), boneless ribeye (excellent fat marbling and juicy flavor), or bone-in ribeye (has more flavor from the bone marrow but takes up more space in the pan).
I’m a minimalist with salt and pepper before cooking steak because I add some fresh herbs when cooking in the pan.
Choose a coarse salt and liberally coat the steak with it before cooking. If you salt it 1-2 hours before cooking, it will help tenderize the meat; if you can’t let it sit this long, salt it just a few minutes before cooking. Letting it sit longer than a few minutes will pull water out of the meat fibers but not give enough time to reabsorb back into the fibers like a longer wait does.
A word of caution about pepper: it will carbonize and give a bitter flavor when used at very high temperatures. This can ruin your delicious steak!
If you are using my pan-searing method, you can add the pepper before cooking your steak on the pan since it won’t reach 500°F. If you are cooking steak on a fire or gas grill and it will touch an open flame, wait until after you cook the steak to season it with pepper.
The most critical measurements are internal temperature and thickness rather than an exact time. The cooking time depends on the thickness of your steak and how you like your steak cooked (a medium well steak takes longer than a medium rare steak).
You can use a meat thermometer for a thick cut of steak and a kitchen timer for a thinner cut (¾-inch). A meat thermometer gives a more precise measurement of your steak’s doneness. Get more tips in my cooking guides for perfect filet mignon, broiled New York steak, tri-tip steak recipe, and pan-seared T-bone steak.
For Filet Mignon and Boneless Ribeye Steaks:
Rare: 110° to 120°F
1.5-inch steak, about 3 minutes on each side
1.75-inch steak, about 3 1/2 minutes on each side
2-inch steak, about 4 minutes on each side
Medium Rare: 120° to 130°F
1.5-inch steak, about 3 1/2 minutes on each side
1.75-inch steak, about 4 minutes on each side
2-inch steak, about 4 1/2 minutes on each side
Medium: 130° to 140°F
1.5-inch steak, about 4 minutes on each side
1.75-inch steak, about 4 minutes on each side
2-inch steak, about 5 minutes on each side
Remove steak from the heat at 10°F before desired temperature. Cover and let rest for 10-15 minutes, as the temperature will rise the remaining 10°F as the meat rests. This is called carryover cooking.
Check the temperature of your steak by using an instant-read thermometer and inserting it horizontally into the side of the steak. You want it to penetrate the thickest part of the center of the steak without touching the bone or fatty parts. This will provide the most accurate temperature reading.
If you aren’t using a meat thermometer you can touch the center of your steaks to check for doneness. This is not the most accurate way, but it is a method you can use as a last resort. A medium rare cook will spring back slightly yet still feel squishy. A medium steak cook will be more springy than squishy.
Serving Suggestions
Steak is so versatile! Some of my family’s favorite sides for the perfect steak dinner are asparagus, roasted green beans, creamy cauliflower bake, crispy potatoes, and Italian mashed potatoes. Make sure to serve some ciabatta bread on the side to sop up the sauce, and don’t forget to have some Classic Italian Tiramisu for dessert.
Make it a surf and turf dinner by serving this with my No Egg Crab Cakes, Classic Lobster Bisque, or Crispy Baked Cod with Panko.
My Pro Tips
Expert Tips
- Take the meat out of the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking, and pat it dry with paper towels before seasoning to get a perfect sear and to reduce oil splattering.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. If you have a large steak or small pan, you’ll want to cook one steak at a time; with a larger pan, two at a time is okay. This will keep the temperature consistent, and the steak will cook evenly.
- Avoid touching the steak except to turn it once! It is tempting to check to see if your steak is done on one side, but this only messes up the cooking process. Patience is key to a perfectly cooked steak.
- Cook your steak 10 degrees less than your desired doneness. It will continue cooking after it rests. For example, if you want a medium steak at 140°F, take it off the heat once it reaches 130°F.
- Let your steak rest tented with foil for 10 minutes before serving. This is an essential step to allow the juices can redistribute, making it more tender and juicy.
More Beef Dinner Recipes You’ll Love
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Perfect Pan Seared Steak Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 1-pound New York strip, ribeye, or top sirloin steaks, 1½ inches thick; preferably choice or prime grade
- 1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
- Rest the steaks at room temperature for 30 minutes. Thoroughly pat the steaks dry with a paper towel. Just before cooking, generously season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the cast iron pan until hot, then add the olive oil over medium-high heat, swirling to coat the pan. Ensure the oil is hot before adding the steaks to the skillet. (If using a smaller pan, cook steaks one at a time and use half of the butter, olive oil, and herbs for each one.)
- Sear the steaks on the first side for 4 minutes until a brown crust has formed, then flip and cook another 3-4 minutes. Using tongs, turn the steak on its sides to sear the fat edges and sides of the steak (1-minute per edge).
- Reduce medium-low heat and add the butter, quartered garlic cloves, thyme, and rosemary to the pan. Tilt the pan slightly and spoon the butter sauce over the steak.
- Continue spooning the melted butter over the steak for 1 minute, or until the steak is about 10°F below your desired doneness (the temperature will continue to rise another 10°F while the steaks rest).Rare is 110-120°F, medium rare is 120-130°F, and medium is 130-140°F. (Filet mignon and boneless ribeye steaks that are 1½ inches thick will take approximately 4 minutes on each side to reach medium heat.)
- Transfer the cooked steak to a grooved cutting board or platter, loosely cover with foil, and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.
- Use a sharp knife to cut into ½-inch strips across the grain. Serve with the extra butter sauce on the side and with your favorite side dishes.
Notes
- Take the meat out of the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking, and pat it dry with paper towels before seasoning to get a perfect sear and to reduce oil splattering.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. If you have a large steak or small pan, you’ll want to cook one steak at a time; with a larger pan, two at a time is okay. This will keep the temperature consistent, and the steak will cook evenly.
- Avoid touching the steak except to turn it once! It is tempting to check to see if your steak is done on one side, but this only messes up the cooking process. Patience is key to a perfectly cooked steak.
- Cook your steak 10 degrees less than your desired doneness. It will continue cooking after it rests. For example, if you want a medium steak at 140°F, take it off the heat once it reaches 130°F.
- Let your steak rest tented with foil for 10 minutes before serving. This is an essential step to allow the juices can redistribute, making it more tender and juicy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love the detailed information in the doneness guide. The butter, garlic, and herbs are perfect. Thank you!
Thank you!!
This recipe is doable and delicious! Juicy, tender steak cooked to perfection!