Cooking the Perfect Steak
So many of us, so often, are completely baffled about how to cook the perfect steak. Apart from that, it can be confusing to decide what cut of steak to use, as well as the grade of beef, to marinate or not, and how long to even cook the steak. I am here to take the guesswork out of how to cook the perfect steak every single time. Not only will you love digging into a perfectly cooked steak however you personally define perfect, but your friends and family will also be impressed with your steak superstar cooking powers! Now you won’t need to rely on an overpriced or fancy steakhouse in order to enjoy a great steak when you can do it at home, on your stovetop and oven.
Ingredients for the Best Steak
There are endless ways to cook steak, but my favorite failproof method is to use a marinade. Luckily, it comes together with a handful of simple ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
Optional Steak Marinade – My homemade marinade includes olive oil, minced garlic cloves, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce (I use lite or reduced-sodium), Dijon mustard, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, black pepper, and lime juice Steak – Use any cut steak you like best. For the best result, look for steaks that are roughly equal in size Olive oil Butter – Salted or unsalted butter is fine Garlic Salt Black pepper
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Cook the Perfect Steak on the Stove
Cooking steak on the stove and then finishing it in the oven is the best method for cooking steak, in my experience. Before you begin, Preheat the oven to 450°F, and heat a cast iron pan or skillet to sizzling, either in the hot oven or on the stovetop. You’ll know it’s hot enough when a water droplet will sizzle and evaporate immediately. Here’s an overview of the best way to cook steak on the stove:
Important Tips For Cooking a Perfect Steak
To warm the skillet, you can heat the oven to 400°F, put the skillet inside, and heat it up that way as well. Remove the skillet (remember to use a hot mitt) and put it on a hot burner to cook the steak. Do not use a nonstick pan, it doesn’t hold the heat enough for a steak and doesn’t cook evenly. Cast iron is best. If using a frozen steak, completely thaw first. Let a refrigerated steak sit out for 30 minutes before cooking. A cold steak doesn’t cook evenly. The inside won’t cook while the outside may get overdone. Don’t spray or oil the pan. A dry pan is best! Place the steak in the sizzling hot pan and let it be. Don’t push down on it or poke it. When you flip the steak, add a pat of butter (seasoned butter is nice as well). This will melt into the steak and help baste it and it helps to caramelize the crust. For an evenly cooked steak, once you have seared the steak, you can place the pan in a 450° oven for 3-10 minutes. Always remove the steak when it is 5°F below the desired final cooked temperature. Meat will continue to cook (carryover cooking) even once removed from the heat, so don’t overcook. Always let a steak rest for 3 to 5 minutes before cutting. This will keep the meat moist. If you cut it too soon, the juices will run out leaving a dryer steak.
How to Grill a Perfect Steak
While this post is dedicated to going into great detail about how to cook a perfect steak on the stovetop and then finishing it in the oven if desired, here a couple notes about grilling steak. After you’ve finished cooking steak on the stove, here are the next steps to finishing off a perfect pan-seared steak: – After using tongs to get some char on all sides, place the skillet in the oven for 3 to 10 minutes.– Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. The meat should be 5° less than the temperature you want. It will continue to cook even when it is removed from the oven, a process known as carryover cooking. For example, if you want a steak that is well done, meaning 155°F to 164°F the thermometer should read 150°F.– Remove the pan from the oven, remove the steak from the pan, place it on a cutting board or plate, and allow it to sit for 5 minutes, and your steak will carryover-cook, it will come up to temperature, and it should be perfect. When you remove the steak from the oven, put butter and garlic on top and let it melt and this will add to the caramelization and the flavor. – As the butter melts, you can spoon some back on top for a bit to keep it marinating in the butter.
First, pay attention to how hot your grill is. Grills have hot spots and cooler spots. Cook your steak on the hot spot although you don’t want your grill to be at 600F or anything. Try to keep it in the 450F range. Don’t try to force-flipping it. The same goes here as for indoor cooking on your stove. If it’s sticking, it’s not ready. Don’t force it, just let it be. Don’t press on it with tongs either since you will just be forcing the juices out creating a dryer, tougher steak. Cook it until the internal temp reaches what you are desiring in terms of a steak, such as medium rare or well done or however you like your steak. Remember to take it off the grill 5 degrees below the final desired temperature range. Use a thermometer to make sure you’re not just guessing! And finally, let that baby rest because if not, you’re just going to be letting those great natural juices run out all over your cutting board which is not where they belong.
Favorite Beef Recipes:
Teriyaki Steak Tips – Tri-tip steak tips cook to perfection and are topped with a thick and sticky homemade pineapple teriyaki sauce! A family favorite that everyone will love and is FAST and EASY to make! In the Freezer: Cooked steak is best served freshly cooked, but you can freeze leftovers for up to 2 months. To Serve: Thaw frozen steak in the fridge overnight. Enjoy cold, or warm it for a few seconds in the microwave or in a skillet over medium heat. Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes! Grilled Steak Kabobs — Juicy steak with sweet bell peppers, onions, zucchini, and pineapple for the PERFECT sweet-and-savory kabob! You’ll want to fire up your grill for these! Fast, EASY, zero cleanup, and DELISH! Mongolian Beef Bowls – These EASY Chinese-inspired Mongolian beef bowls are ready in just 10 minutes! Loaded with rich savory flavor, crisp-tender vegetables, and served over rice! Faster than calling for takeout when you’re craving Asian food! Better-Than-Takeout Beef and Broccoli — It really is BETTER than takeout and it’s definitely FASTER! This EASY Chinese restaurant copycat recipe is a family favorite that’ll go into your regular rotation! 15-Minute Sheet Pan Chinese Beef and Broccoli — EASY, HEALTHIER than going out for Chinese because it’s baked, and FASTER than calling for takeout! So much FLAVOR in this family favorite! It’ll go into your regular rotation! Copycat P.F. Chang’s Mongolian Beef — Comes together in 20 minutes and makes for a great weeknight meal! Even picky eaters will love this, and any leftover sauce can be served over rice.
