How to Cook a Steak in a Cast Iron Skillet

Cast iron holds heat well, which makes it a very good pan for searing. This method works for most steaks about 1 to 1.5 inches thick.

What you need

• A steak, taken out of the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking
• Salt and pepper
• A high smoke point oil (such as canola or avocado oil)
• Optional: butter, garlic and herbs
• A meat thermometer

Steps

1. Dry the steak. Pat it very dry with paper towels, because a wet surface steams and doesn’t brown.
2. Season. Salt both sides generously.
3. Preheat the pan. Heat the skillet on medium to medium-high for several minutes, until it’s very hot and a drop of water sizzles away.
4. Add a little oil, then lay the steak in, away from you. It should sizzle loudly.
5. Sear without moving it. Leave it for roughly 2 to 4 minutes, until a deep brown crust forms, then flip.
6. Cook the other side, then optionally add butter, garlic and herbs and spoon the melted butter over the steak.
7. Check the temperature. Use a thermometer. Many cooks pull a steak a little before their target temperature and let it rest, but official food-safety guidance suggests 145°F (63°C) for whole cuts of beef followed by a rest. The temperature you cook to is your decision.
8. Rest for 5 minutes before cutting so the juices settle.

Tips

• Open a window or turn on the fan, because searing makes smoke.
• Don’t crowd the pan, or it cools down and the steak steams.
• Clean the pan while warm. See how to wash cast iron.

Watch

Further reading

• America’s Test Kitchen: sear steak on the stovetop: Preheat the skillet in a very hot oven, cook over medium-high heat with plenty of oil, flip often, then lower the heat to finish and rest the steak.