How to cook a steak

A golden crust and a juicy middle, in a pan you already own.

Time: 25 min · Difficulty: Medium · 7 steps

What you need

Steps

  1. Pat it dry

    A hand pressing a paper towel onto a raw steak on a plate

    Take the steak out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you cook. Pat both sides dry with paper towels.

    Tip: dry steak = golden crust

  2. Season both sides

    Fingers sprinkling salt and pepper over a steak on a board

    Sprinkle salt and pepper over both sides and the edges, then press it in with your fingertips.

    Tip: more salt than you think

  3. Get the pan really hot

    A dark pan smoking gently over a flame

    Heat a heavy pan over medium-high heat with a thin layer of oil. It’s ready when the oil shimmers and a wisp of smoke appears.

    Tip: turn the fan on!

  4. Sear the first side

    Lay the steak in the pan, away from you. Don’t poke or move it. Pick how you like it and start the timer.

    Tip: hands off = better crust

  5. Flip and baste with butter

    Flip it, add a big knob of butter, and tilt the pan. Spoon the foaming butter over the top for the same time as side one. Medium-rare reads 130°F / 54°C inside.

    Tip: same time as side one

  6. Let it rest

    Move the steak to a board and leave it alone for 5 minutes so the juices settle back in.

    Tip: patience = juicy

  7. Slice against the grain

    A knife slicing a rested steak into pink slices on a board

    Find the lines running through the meat and cut across them, not along them, into finger-thick slices.

    Tip: across the lines, not along

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