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This is the easiest and best way to cook a perfect pan seared steak at home! Keep reading for my key tips and techniques on nailing this simple but staple dish in every home cook’s arsenal!
Watch the How to Cook a Perfect Pan Seared Steak Video!
Table of Contents
Three Key Notes
- Salting your steak liberally BEFORE cooking and allowing enough time (ideally overnight to 24 hours) is my #1 tip and a key step in cooking a delicious pan seared steak at home. This allows for two things: 1. the salt is able to penetrate the meat and properly season it (which is very important because steaks are thick) and 2. leaving it overnight in the refrigerator allows the exterior to dry out, which will create a delicious crust when cooked. I developed a specific calculation to figure out exactly how much salt to use, so make sure to check out the recipe!
- Use a thermometer! I actually like to use two – an infrared thermometer for heat management of the pan (for example, you don’t want the pan to be too hot, otherwise you might burn the butter), and a meat thermometer to know when to pull the steak off to rest. You don’t need to use either (and I hate to recommend buying more kitchen gadgets) but I would recommend it if you want to really nail a pan seared steak at home.
- A perfect steak is only as perfect as your preference – don’t forget to adjust to how you like your steak! For example, I took my steak off to rest at 130F, which will bring it to a nice medium level of doneness. I often buy USDA Prime steaks, so I like a bit of the marbling to render throughout the steak when cooked to medium. You may prefer your steak to be more or less done – add in a 10 degree (F) buffer while resting for the recommended 10 minutes and pull yours off so it rests to your preferred doneness! I’ve included below a handy breakdown of the levels of doneness and their temperatures.
STEAK TEMPERATURE GUIDE
- Rare: 120–125°F, with a red center that’s cool to the touch
- Medium rare: 130–135°F, with a warm red center and thin brown stripes on top and bottom
- Medium: 140–145°F, with a pinkish center and a slightly firm texture
- Medium well: 150–155°F, with a bit of pink in the center and mostly brown throughout
- Well done: 160–165°F, with little or no pink and a firm texture
Ingredient Tips
Refer to the recipe card for the measurements!
- Ribeye or New York Strip – I think the best results for a pan seared steak are with a ribeye or NY strip that is approximately 1.5″ thick. You can use another cut if you prefer but this recipe is written specifically for a ribeye or NY strip. (Ribeye is one of my favorite cuts – like my Grilled Steak recipe!)
- kosher salt – salting is a crucial step in making a delicious pan seared steak at home. See note above and make sure to use kosher salt. This is a technique I use for my Baked Chicken Breast and Baked Chicken Thighs recipes, as well!
- avocado oil – my go to neutral oil is avocado oil; you can use another neutral. high smoke point oil like canola, vegetable, or grapeseed. Don’t use olive oil, as the smoke point is too low and will not work well with a steak.
- black pepper – freshly ground is always best.
- unsalted butter – make sure to use unsalted butter – do not make the mistake of using salted! We are already liberally salting the steak with kosher salt in step 1, so if you use salted butter, you may find that your steak is too salty. Using unsalted butter allows YOU to control the salt level of your dish.
- fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, garlic – I highly recommend using fresh herbs and unpeeled garlic (whole cloves); it makes a world of difference in the final dish! Alternatively, you can also use my Garlic Herb Compound Butter, which makes every dish better!
Recipe Instructions
1. Salt the Steak and Season
Everyone says to salt the steak well but what do they really mean by that? I’ve developed a calculation that will tell you exactly how much salt to use.
Using a kitchen scale, weigh the steak in grams. Take that number and multiply it by .015 to .02. (This is up to you and how much salt you like!) For example, 1lb is approximately 450g – so 450g x .02 = 9 grams of salt.
Season the steak on all sides (don’t forget the edges) and place on a wire rack to be left in the refrigerator uncovered overnight. Leaving it uncovered in the refrigerator will help it dry out, which helps create a delicious crust when cooked!
Once you’re ready to cook (ideally 12-24 hours after you’ve salted the steak), pat the steak dry with a paper towel (you don’t want any moisture). Coat the steak with avocado oil and season with freshly ground black pepper.
2. Sear the Steak
On a stove over high heat, add 1 tbsp of avocado oil to a carbon steel pan or cast iron pan (these are my preferred pans when searing a steak at home). Sear the fat cap of the steak for 30 seconds. Continue to sear each side of the steak for 90 seconds. You should start to see a crust form.
If you are using an infrared thermometer for heat management (highly recommend!), the oil temperature should be around 500F.
3. Cook the Steak
Once a crust has formed on the steak, turn the heat to low. You don’t want the heat too high before you add the butter, otherwise the butter will bubble and possibly burn. If you’re using an infrared thermometer, the pan should be around 225F before you add the butter.
Add butter, the fresh thyme and rosemary, and unpeeled garlic. I prefer keepin the garlic unpeeled, so that the casings prevent the garlic from burning too quickly, but still impart that garlic flavor.
Keep the pan temperature to 225F and use a large spoon to baste the melted butter over the steak. Keep basting as the steak cooks!
4. Let the Steak Rest!
Because I was using a prime grade USDA steak, I prefer cooking my steak to a medium doneness to allow the internal fat to render, so I pull mine off the heat once the internal temperature reads 130F. When resting the steak, the internal temperature will increase by 10 degrees, so please account for this!
Resting is KEY to a delicious steak – it allows for the juices to destribute inside the steak (making it more moist and flavorful), allows the muscle fibers to relax (makes the steak more tender), and the residual heat will continue to cook the steak. As tempting as it is to cut into it immediately, please do not do this! Instead, remove the steak, place on a cutting board or plate, cover with foil, and LET IT REST for 10 minutes!
Once the 10 minutes has passed, I like to pour some of the hot, melted butter over the steak before eating.
What Should I Serve with Steak?
I always like to serve steaks with a side of Garlic Herb Compound Butter. Nothing goes better with steaks than super creamy Mashed Potatoes, and classic Baked Mac and Cheese with a Crispy Topping or Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese.
Don’t forget vegetables – try Roasted Brussels Sprouts (or Air Fryer Roasted Brussels Sprouts), Honey Roasted Carrots, Roasted Cauliflower, or Roasted Green Beans with Bacon!
PRO TIPS
Expert Tips for Making The Perfect Pan Seared Steak at Home!
- Ideally, use steaks that are marbled (like ribeye or NY strip) and 1.5″ in thickness for best results.
- Salt your steak liberally and leave in the fridge to dry out overnight – this will help season the steak properly (salt has enough time to be able to penetrate the meat) and the exterior can dry out, which will result in a delicious crust when the steak is cooked. Use my calculation to know exactly how much salt to use – .015 to .02 of the total weight of the steak, depending on your salt preference.
- If you don’t have enough time for the salted steak to sit in the refrigerator overnight, leave the salted steak on the counter until the salt is not visible. Make sure to pat the steak down dry before adding avocado oil and ground black pepper.
- Use two thermometers – an infrared thermometer for pan heat management and a meat thermometer to know when to pull the steak off the heat (according to your preferred level of doneness).
- The pan should be 225F before you add the butter – do NOT add the butter if the pan is hotter than 225F, as the butter will end up bubbling and possibly burn (which will ruin the flavor of the steak).
- Pull the steak off the heat once it is 10 degrees LESS than your desired doneness – when you let the steak rest, it will increase in temperature by approximately 10 degrees. I prefer my steak to be medium, so I take mine off to rest at 130F.
- DO NOT SKIP RESTING – this is a key step in a delicious steak at home!
- Resting allows the juices to redistribute inside the steak, making it more moist and flavorful
- Relaxes the muscle fibers, making the steak more tender
- Allows the residual heat to continue cooking the steak
Storage, Reheating, and Make Ahead Tips
I don’t recommend making steak ahead of time – it is one of those dishes that tastes best when made fresh and consumed immediately.
Any leftover steak slices can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
I like to reheat leftover steak on a hot pan – note, it will bring the level of doneness to ‘well’.
If you tried this Pan Seared Steak Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Perfect Pan Seared Steak
Ingredients
- 1 Ribeye or New York Strip, aim for 1.5" thick
- kosher salt, see note in step 1
- 1 tbsp avocado oil, or other neutral high smoke point oil
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed and unpeeled
Instructions
- Weigh the steak in grams then multiply by .015 or .02 to get the proper amount of kosher salt, depending on your preference. Season the steak on all sides with kosher salt, then place on a wire rack in the fridge uncovered overnight.
- Pat the steak dry with a paper towel, then coat with avocado oil. Season with black pepper.
- Over a carbon steel pan or cast iron pan on high heat, add 1 tablespoon of avocado oil. Sear the fat cap of the steak for 30 seconds, then sear each side of the steak for 90 seconds to form a crust. The oil temp should be around 500F.
- Once the crust has formed, turn the heat to low then add butter, the fresh thyme and rosemary, and unpeeled garlic. Manage the heat so the butter temperature is about 225F and use a large spoon to baste the butter over the steak.
- Remove once the internal temperature of the steak reads 120F for medium rare or 130F for medium. Cover with foil and rest for 10 minutes, then pour the hot butter over the steak and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this last week for my friend. He said it was well seasoned and delicious. I’m making one for myself and I usually pass on steak. As a child I know steak the reason I did not like it is because it was overcooked. The thermometer is key(I need to remove from pan to get a more accurate internal temp) and the 10 minute rest period is key to the perfect desired doneness.
Thanks for the great review AJ!
Great tips on the temperatures of the steak, pan, and butter! No one ever talks about this