Subj: How to pan sear a steak (with recipe)
Since I talk about steak so much I figure it’s time to teach you how to cook one.
I recently bought a cast iron skillet and it’s awesome. It inspired me to write this article to teach you how to pan sear a steak of your very own.
There’s nothing quite like a juicy steak after a hard workout.
Why Pan Seared Steak?
Because it’s delicious, fast and easy. It’s the best meal $10 can buy and takes less than 10 minutes to cook and clean up after.
It’s faster than the grill and cheaper than eating out.
And if you haven’t heard by know steak is a superfood. An actual true, pure superfood.
Pan Seared Steak Recipe
We keep things simple. You’ll only need a few things before you can eat:
This may be obvious but you will need a STEAK. Any steak will do, but I prefer ribeye, porterhouse or New York Strip.
Steak seasoning – Season your steak with salt and pepper. Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt are both great options.
Butter – I like my pan seared steak in butter. Real butter. Don’t use margarine or any frankenfood nonsense. Use real food and enjoy it thoroughly.
Cast iron skillet and tongs – You’ll need the right tools for the job. Stainless steel tongs are the way to go. A metal spatula can be used in place of tongs. Tongs are preferred handle your meat with better dexterity.
How to Pan Seared Steak with a Cast Iron Skillet
Season both sides of the steak with a liberal amount of salt and pepper.
Set your skillet on the stove tops and turn heat to 7 to get the skillet nice and hot. When the skillet’s nice and hot add a knob of butter to the skillet. Once the butter melts put your steak in the skillet and crank the heat to ‘high’. You should hear it sizzle.
Cook steak for a 2-3 minutes, then flip the steak and cook the other side for a minute or two. You might want to add more butter when you flip the steak for more flavor. This is a good starting point if you want medium rare steak.
Pan Seared Steak Temperature
Depends on your preferred level of doneness. Get a meat thermometer so you cook your steak to a safe temperature and the correct level of doneness.
You know have a Pan seared steak Gordon Ramsey would be jealous of. Congrats!
Can you cook a pan seared steak without a cast iron skillet? Yes you can. I did it with a regular frying pan for years. No issues and it still tastes delicious. Cast iron cooking is just a treat. And I got sick of my non-stick pans starting to stick… Sure they lasted for years but a cast iron skillet can be passed down for generations.
Pan Seared Steak Side Dishes
A steak is great solo but can be pair with all kinds of good sides. Select a fresh garden vegetable like Asparagus, Brussel sprouts, or a green salad.
Steak and eggs of course are a great choice.
Potatoes of all kinds are a great side with steak. Roasted, baked and sweet potato are all fantastic choices.
Pan Seared Steak Tips
Use real butter – it might smoke or burn a bit but you’ll learn how long and how hot to make the pan with practice. Just don’t burn the house down.
Turn on the hood vent fan and open some windows to get the smoke out.
Cover pan with a lid if to prevent soot buildup on your ceiling / kitchen cabinets above the stove. This will also help the steak cook more evenly and more quickly.
Keep in mind your steak will keep cooking after removed from the heat.
Let you steak sit out for an hour before cooking. This cooks your steak evenly. Cooking a cold steak can be tricky. Taking it straight from the cold fridge to a hot pan can leave the middle of the steak undercooked. You can solve this problem by taking the pan off heat once it’s done and let it sit in the pan so the heat permeates there and cooks the steak a bit more.
Finish in oven if the meat is extra thick.
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