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Two Methods:Making the SteakCreating a Quick Sauce from the DrippingsQuestions and Answers

Cooking a great tasting steak is half art and half science. It's no wonder that getting the steak to just the right balance of tenderness, juiciness, and heartiness can be an ordeal. But fret not. Below is a fool-proof way to cook a great steak by pan-frying it first and then quickly sticking it into the oven. All it requires is a great steak, a cast iron pan, and a hot oven. Let's get cooking.


Method 1
Making the Steak

  1. 1
    Choose your cut of meat. Choosing the right kind of steak is a very important step that many people overlook. You'll want a thicker cut of meat, at least an inch thick but hopefully thicker. You'll also want to choose a piece of meat with good marbling, which means thin little veins of fat in between the meat. Finally, be aware of the cut of meat you get.
    • Thicker is better. Why? A thinner steak is harder to cook well: Perfectly cooked on the outside often means overdone on the inside, because it's so thin. But not just this. Your steak will shrink a bit as it's cooked — the muscle fibers will tense up (like a balled fist) and some juices will be lost (although hopefully not too many). A thicker steak makes it easier to get a perfect crust on the outside and a juicy, pink center on the inside.
    • Marbling is the amount of intramuscular fat in a piece of red meat. Cuts with good marbling are often tender, luscious, and more flavorful.[1] Wagyu or Kobe beer, for example, are renowned across the world for their marbling and taste.[2] Look for a cut of meat with good marbling on it for best results. It's cost more, but it's worth it for a great-tasting steak.
    • What cut of meat are you going to spring for in your meal? This is a question that only you can answer. When you think of steak, you're probably thinking "ribeye," so that's a great start. T-bone, porterhouse, sirloin, and strip steak are all great options, too.
  2. 2
    Salt your steak generously and let it come to room temperature. The bigger the cut of meat, the more generously you should salt it. And be sure to salt it for at least 40 minutes.[3] If you salt immediately before cooking, the salt leeches moisture to the surface of the cut, leaving you with a drier steak. If you salt and let the cut wait for 40 minutes or longer, the moisture drawn out by the salt eventually seeps back into the meat, tenderizing it and giving it more flavor.
    • Be sure to let your steak come to room temperature, too. Steak that's at room temperature cooks more evenly and takes less time to cook.
  3. 3
    Preheat your oven to broil and place a cast iron skillet inside the oven while it heats. You want your cast iron skillet to be really hot when you take it out so that it sears the steak quickly. For best results, leave in the oven for at least 20 minutes.
    • Position the highest rack in your oven about 4 to 6 inches (10.2 to 15.2 cm) below the broiling range.
  4. 4
    After the steak has gotten to room temperature, brush about 1 tablespoon of canola or vegetable oil over its entire surface. Although olive oil is great for other types of cooking, it's a little too strong for this cut of meat. Best to choose a neutral oil.
  5. 5
    With sturdy oven mitts, take your skillet out of the oven and onto a burner set to high.
  6. 6
    With tongs carefully place your salted and oiled steak onto the hot pan for 30 seconds a side. If your skillet has raised ridges, place it at one diagonal for 15 seconds, and then on the same side, at the other diagonal for a crosshatch pattern. Do not cook for longer than 30 seconds per side. Your steak should begin to sizzle immediately on the hot pan.
  7. 7
    After both sides are slightly browned, place the skillet in the oven using your oven mitts. Cook on one side for 2 minutes, and then the other side for an additional 2 minutes. Flip using tongs, not a fork, as this will cause juices to leak out. Cooking the steak on each side for 2 minutes will give you a perfectly-cooked medium-rare steak.
    • If you prefer your steak medium, then add an additional one minute cooking time to each side. That means cooking at 3 minutes per side instead of two.[4]
  8. 8
    Take the pan out of the oven using mitts and turn off the oven.
  9. 9
    Season both sides literally with pepper. Why do this now and not before cooking in the oven? It's very possible that pepper placed on the steak before cooking will burn, causing a slightly acrid taste. Many professionals have taken to peppering their steak afterwards instead.
  10. 10
    Remove the steak from the pan, place on a warm plate, and cover with aluminum foil for at least five minutes. The steak will continue cooking somewhat during this time. Also, the juices that were sent into the middle of the steak during the cooking process will eventually spread out evenly throughout the steak, giving you a juicier piece of meat when you finally cut into it.

Method 2
Creating a Quick Sauce from the Drippings

  1. 1
    While the steak is resting, turn a burner on your stove to medium-high. Place your cast iron pan on the burner before cleaning. You'll use the drippings from the steak in this simple recipe.
  2. 2
    To the pan, add 1/2 cup of beef broth and 1/2 cup of red wine.
  3. 3
    Bring the broth and wine to a boil.
  4. 4
    Once at a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and reduce by half. While it's reducing, scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula in order to dig up any bits of meat that are caught on the pan.
  5. 5
    Pour the reduction over the steak and serve immediately. Accompany your perfectly-cooked steak with something out of the ordinary — garlic mushrooms and some steamed broccoli, perhaps?
  6. 6

Questions and Answers

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    • When you are tenderizing the steak tenderize it both up and down and diagonally.


    • Be careful taking the pan out of the oven. Always use an oven mitt or potholder to prevent being burned.

    Article Info

    Categories: Steak Dishes

    In other languages:

    Español: cocinar un bistec sabroso, Italiano: Cucinare una Bistecca dal Gusto Favoloso, Português: Preparar um Bife Bem Saboroso, Русский: приготовить вкусный стейк, Deutsch: Ein super schmeckendes Steak zubereiten, Français: préparer un steak succulent

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