Searing a Steak
To get a steak with a deep, crusty brown exterior and a tender center, you need a heavy pan, high heat, and patience. Start with a dry surface, sear hard in a thin layer of oil, and finish by basting with butter and herbs until the meat yields to the touch just as a rare steak should.
Control the moisture, control the crust.
Pull the meat from the refrigerator thirty minutes before cooking to take the chill off. Wipe it bone-dry with paper towels, otherwise, the steak will steam instead of sear.
- Cast iron skillet
- Tongs
- Heavy-duty paper towels
- Basting spoon
What goes in.
- 1.5 inchthick ribeye or strip steak
- 1 tbsphigh-smoke point oil like grapeseed or avocado
- 1 tbspunsalted butter
- 2 clovesgarlic, smashed
- 2 sprigsfresh thyme or rosemary
- to tastekosher salt and coarse black pepper
Thermal Shock
When your oil ripples and smokes faintly, lay the steak away from you. The goal is an immediate, violent reaction between the proteins and the iron, creating a uniform, bronze-colored crust.
The method.
Season heavily
Salt the steak liberally on all sides, including the edges, just before it touches the pan.
Heat the pan
Place your cast iron over high heat. Add the oil and wait until it shimmers and moves like water.
Sear the faces
Lay the steak into the oil. Do not move it for at least 2 minutes. Once a deep, mahogany crust has formed, flip it.
Baste
Lower the heat slightly. Add the butter, garlic, and herbs. Tilt the pan and use your spoon to continuously pour the foaming, nut-brown butter over the steak for the final minute.
Rest
Transfer to a warm plate and let it sit undisturbed for at least 8 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute back into the muscle fibers.
Other turns to take.
Steak au Poivre
Press cracked peppercorns into the surface of the steak before searing for a sharp, biting crust.
Compound Butter Finish
Top the resting steak with a disk of butter mixed with blue cheese or parsley to melt into the surface.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If your pan starts smoking heavily, turn the heat down; you want a sear, not burnt carbon.
Use a probe thermometer if you are unsure: 125°F is a solid target for medium-rare.
Never overcrowd the pan; the temperature will drop and the meat will turn grey.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why does my steak turn grey instead of brown?
The pan was not hot enough, or there was too much moisture on the surface of the meat. Dry the steak thoroughly before it hits the oil.
Do I have to use cast iron?
It is preferred because of its heat retention, but any heavy-bottomed stainless steel pan will work. Avoid non-stick pans, as they cannot handle the high heat required.