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How to Cook a Perfect Steak at Home

Name: How to Cook a Perfect Steak at Home
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 1 steak; salt salt; thin layer neutral oil with high smoke point

A perfect steak comes down to three things: room temperature meat, a screaming hot pan, and knowing when to stop. Salt your steak 30 minutes before cooking, heat a cast iron or heavy pan until it smokes, then sear hard on both sides before finishing in a 400°F oven if thick, or just letting it rest if thin.

Total time: 1 hr
Hands-on: 20 min
Serves: 1
Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

1 steak
salt salt
thin layer neutral oil with high smoke point

Step by step

Prep the steak. Take your steak out 30-45 minutes before cooking so it reaches room temperature. Pat completely dry with paper towels. Salt generously on both sides and let it sit on a plate.
Heat your pan. Use cast iron or heavy stainless steel. Heat over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes until a drop of water sizzles and evaporates immediately. Add a thin layer of neutral oil with high smoke point.
Sear the first side. Lay the steak away from you to avoid splatter. Don't move it. You'll hear aggressive sizzling. For a 1-inch steak, sear 3-4 minutes until a golden crust forms.
Flip and sear. Flip once. The first side should release easily and have a deep brown crust. Sear the second side for 3-4 minutes for medium-rare on a 1-inch steak.
Check doneness. Press the center with your finger. Medium-rare feels like the flesh between your thumb and forefinger when you make an OK sign. For thicker steaks, transfer to a 400°F oven for 3-5 minutes.
Rest the steak. Move to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Let rest 5-10 minutes. The internal temperature will rise 5 degrees and juices will redistribute.

Tips & troubleshooting

Use a meat thermometer if you're learning: 125°F for rare, 135°F for medium-rare, 145°F for medium
Never press down on the steak with a spatula while cooking - you'll squeeze out the juices
Save expensive cuts for special occasions; a well-cooked sirloin beats a poorly-cooked ribeye every time
If your steak is thinner than 3/4 inch, skip the oven and just pan-sear
Let your pan heat properly - rushing this step ruins more steaks than anything else

Variations

Butter Basted. After flipping, add butter, garlic, and fresh thyme to the pan. Tilt pan and spoon the foaming butter over the steak repeatedly for the last minute of cooking.
Reverse Sear. Start thick steaks in a 275°F oven until they reach 10 degrees below target temperature, then sear in a hot pan for 1-2 minutes per side for the crust.
Herb Crusted. Mix minced garlic, rosemary, and thyme with coarse salt. Press this mixture into the steak before searing for an aromatic crust.

Questions

Should I oil the steak or the pan?: Oil the pan. Oiling the steak can cause uneven cooking and burning. A thin layer of neutral oil in the hot pan creates the perfect searing surface.
How do I know when my pan is hot enough?: The pan is ready when a drop of water hits it and immediately sizzles and evaporates. You should also see the oil shimmer and move freely across the surface.
Why do I need to let the steak come to room temperature?: Cold steak cooks unevenly - the outside overcooks while the inside stays cold. Room temperature steak cooks evenly and reaches the right doneness at the same time inside and out.
Can I cook steak in a regular non-stick pan?: Non-stick won't get hot enough for a proper sear and can release harmful fumes at high heat. Use cast iron, carbon steel, or heavy stainless steel for the best crust.