How To Cook A Steak (with video!)

Jump to Recipe

Pan searing

How to cook a steak? We need to pan sear it! Pan searing is a cooking technique that involves using a good frying pan and a fat to cook the meat at a high temperature which develops a beautiful brown crust on the outside. The crispy crust locks in the seasonings and natural flavors of the steak, giving us the perfectly juicy bite! My favorite pan to use is my cast iron skillet but you can also use a stainless steel pan. Cast iron skillets help meat cook evenly and the crust is outta this world! There’s plenty of methods to making a mouthwatering steak, but if you can master this classic method you will be amazed!

What temperature should I cook my steak to?

I personally like my steak cooked medium. Nothing more, nothing less. This may be controversial, but I feel like steak cooked past medium is cardboard! Can you believe I USED to be a cardboard eater? Yes, in my early years I liked my steak well done. That was until I tried a medium cooked steak in culinary school -that’s when everything changed! While medium is cooked to an internal temperature of 140-150 degrees, here are the key temperatures to cooking your steak to your liking using a food thermometer or by timing the cooking:

Steak doneness	Cooking time	Temperature
Rare	1 1/2 min per side	120-130 degrees Fahrenheit
Medium rare	2 mins per side	130-140 degrees Fahrenheit
Medium	3 mins per side	140-150 degrees Fahrenheit
Medium well	4 mins per side	150-155 degrees Fahrenheit
Well done	5 mins per side	160-165 degrees Fahrenheit

Although using a food thermometer is most accurate, you can still cook the perfect steak without one.

What cut of steak should I use?

This too, may be controversial but the best cut is a ribeye. Ribeyes are special because of the different textures you get all in one steak. They have some really nice marbling making them super tender and let’s not forget the beloved fat cap. Not everyone likes fat on their steak, but when I eat at a hibachi restaurant I ask them not to trim off the fat! Other cuts of beef that would work for pan searing are filet mignon of course, New York strip, t-bone, and skirt steak. I also recommend purchasing a boneless steak if you’re still mastering the art of cooking steak. The meat connected to the bone can be undercooked.

Simple ingredients

Pan seared steak calls for 5 simple ingredients so the steak can remain the star of the show. First we need a high heat cooking oil. I like to use olive oil but any high heat cooking oil like vegetable or canola will work. For the seasonings, we need salt and pepper. Fine sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper are the best! Fine sea salt dissolves easily into the meat versus coarse salt and fresh cracked black pepper add vibrant flavor. Finally for that mouthwatering umami flavor, we add fresh garlic. And nothing compliments garlic better than butter! Garlic has an aromatic, spicy flavor that mellows and sweetens the steak as it’s cooked. The butter then mixes with the garlicky flavor and steak juices to create the umami pan drippings that we use to pour over top of the steak after slicing!

What sides pair well with steak?

one of the reasons I love steak is the versatility! Pan seared steak can be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. You can’t go wrong with a classic plate of steak and eggs! Or how about a steak sandwich for lunch? Or (my favorite) steak, creamy mashed potatoes, and juicy asparagus for dinner? By the way, I have the best recipe for asparagus ever!!