1. Bring Steaks to Room Temperature: This is a crucial first step for even cooking. Remove your steaks from the refrigerator at least 20-30 minutes before you plan to cook them. This allows the meat to relax and ensures it cooks more evenly from edge to center, preventing a cold, undercooked middle with an overcooked exterior.
2. Heat the Pan to Perfection: Place a large cast-iron skillet or other heavy-bottomed, oven-safe pan over medium-high heat. Cast iron is ideal because it retains heat exceptionally well, ensuring a consistent sear. Allow the pan to heat for several minutes until it’s smoking slightly. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and swirl to coat the surface. The oil should shimmer and almost smoke, indicating it’s hot enough for a proper sear.
3. Season Generously: Just before placing them in the hot pan, generously season all sides of your steaks with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Don’t be shy with the salt; it’s essential for flavor and crust development. Pat the steaks dry with paper towels before seasoning for the best crust.
4. Sear the First Side: Carefully lay the seasoned steaks into the screaming hot pan, laying them away from you to avoid splashes. Do not overcrowd the pan; if cooking more than two steaks, work in batches. Sear for 2-3 minutes without moving the steak. You’re looking for a deep, golden-brown crust. Resist the urge to peek or move the steak too early.
5. Flip and Sear Again: Using tongs, flip the steaks and sear the second side for another 1-2 minutes. For an even, deep brown crust, you might flip them once more, allowing each side to develop maximum caramelization.
6. Sear the Edges (Optional but Recommended): For thicker cuts, use tongs to hold each steak upright and sear the fat caps and sides for about 1 minute. This renders the fat, releasing incredible flavor and creating an all-around crispy texture.

7. Add Butter and Aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add 2 tablespoons of butter, 3 lightly crushed garlic cloves, and a few sprigs of fresh thyme or rosemary to the pan. The butter should begin to melt and foam.
8. Infuse the Butter: Allow the butter to foam and gently fry the herbs and garlic for about 1 minute. This process releases their aromatic oils and deeply infuses the butter with incredible savory notes. Gently place the garlic cloves and herb sprigs on top of the steaks.
9. Baste the Steaks: Carefully tilt the pan towards you (using an oven mitt to hold the handle) so the flavored butter pools. Use a large spoon to continuously baste the steaks with the hot, aromatic butter for 1-3 more minutes, or until the steak reaches your desired level of doneness. This constant basting ensures the meat remains juicy and absorbs all those incredible flavors. For well-done steaks, you might flip them a couple more times during basting to ensure even cooking.
10. Rest and Repeat: Once your steaks are cooked to your liking, discard the spent aromatics. Transfer the steaks to a clean plate or cutting board. Immediately pour any remaining pan juices over them. This is a critical step: let the steaks rest for at least 5 minutes. Resting allows the juices, which have been pushed to the center by the heat, to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a supremely tender and juicy steak. If you have more steaks to cook, repeat the process, adding fresh oil, butter, garlic, and herbs for each batch.

When searing steak, it’s crucial to use an oil with a high smoke point to prevent it from burning and imparting a bitter flavor. Canola oil, grapeseed oil, vegetable oil, or refined coconut oil are excellent choices. Olive oil can also work, especially light olive oil, but extra virgin olive oil has a lower smoke point and is best reserved for finishing or dressings. We recommend adding oil directly to a hot, dry pan rather than oiling the steak itself, as this helps achieve a more even coating and prevents excess oil from smoking excessively.

While the “touch test” (feeling the firmness of the steak) can be useful with practice, the most accurate way to determine doneness is by using an instant-read meat thermometer. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the steak, avoiding any bones. Remove the steak from the pan when it’s 5°F below your desired final temperature, as it will continue to cook slightly while resting (this is called carryover cooking).
Here’s a guide to internal temperatures:
Rare: 120–125°F (50–52°C) – Very red, cool center.
Medium-Rare: 130–135°F (55–57°C) – Red, warm center (often preferred by steakhouses).
Medium: 140–145°F (60–63°C) – Pink, warm center.
Medium-Well: 150–155°F (65–68°C) – Slightly pink center.
Well-Done: 160°F+ (70°C+) – Little to no pink, firm throughout.

A heavy cast-iron skillet is by far the best choice for cooking steak on the stovetop. Its ability to retain and distribute heat evenly is unparalleled, which is essential for achieving a consistent, golden-brown crust (the Maillard reaction). Stainless steel pans are a good second option as they also handle high heat well. Avoid nonstick pans for searing steak; they generally don’t get hot enough to achieve proper browning, and the high heat required for searing can damage their nonstick coating.

Absolutely! This is a crucial step often overlooked. Patting your steak thoroughly dry with paper towels before seasoning and searing removes surface moisture. Moisture on the surface will cause the steak to steam rather than sear, preventing that desirable crispy crust from forming. A dry surface allows for direct contact with the hot pan, facilitating the Maillard reaction and a perfect crust.

For the best steakhouse-quality results with this pan-searing method, we recommend steaks that are at least 1 inch thick, ideally 1.25 to 1.5 inches. Thicker steaks allow more time for a beautiful crust to develop without overcooking the interior. Very thin steaks (less than 1 inch) tend to cook through too quickly, making it difficult to achieve a good sear while maintaining a medium-rare or medium center.