How To Cook Steak In A Skillet
When you love cooking but hardly had enough time, a steak is an excellent recipe for fast cooking. Like any other recipe, cooking a steak in a skillet may be easy and takes a few minutes to prepare. A properly cooked steak provides a juicy and crusty layer of meat flavor. With a few ingredients and a cast-iron skillet, you can cook a steak right at your home without ordering in a steakhouse. Here’s how to cook steak in a skillet.
How To Cook Steak In A Skillet
This recipe is a simple steakhouse recipe which is ideal for fast home cooks. You will not get tired of eating steak with the combination of salt, meat, and cast iron skillet that cooks a crusty, juicy steak.
Ingredients:
- Two one-inch-thick Ribeye or New York steaks
- One teaspoon kosher salt
- Three tablespoons unsalted butter
- Three smashed garlic
- 2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary
Instructions on how to cook steak in a skillet:
- Pat the meat with paper towels and place it on a plate to dry further.
- Prepare the ingredients, a kitchen thermometer, and a clean plate to place the steak. Since the cooking time is fast, it only requires a few flavorings.
- Season the steak with salt. Make sure you coat the steak well.
- Switch the stove on high heat, and place the cast-iron skillet over for ten minutes. You should see a bit of smoke in the pan when it’s heated properly.
- Place the steak on the hot pan carefully. Cook the steak with low heat until you see enough crust and it’s no longer sticking to the pan. Flip the steak and cook the other side. Continue flipping the steak for four minutes.
- Pour in the butter, garlic, and herbs on the steak. Then turn over the steak, and tilt the pan so the butter can stay on one side of the pan. Baste the steak with the butter using a spatula or large spoon.
- Flip and repeat, basting the steak.
- Cook the steak for another five minutes, and check the steak temperature depending on your preferred doneness. Medium rare cook should be around 125 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove the skillet from the stove and place it on a large plate. Let it rest for three minutes. While resting the steak, you can opt to prepare a pan sauce.
- Move the steak to a cutting board and slice the meat across thinly.
- Serve the steak with pan sauce.
Best Tips for Cooking Steak
Here are some tips on how to cook steak in a skillet to add flavor to your food.
- Choose the right meat prime. A good quality steak part is essential. Ribeye or New York strip steak is the best choice for this recipe.
- Use a heavy cast-iron skillet that holds the heat well to cook the steak. It should brown meat nicely and cooks the steak evenly.
- Make sure to preheat the skillet first before cooking the steak. It will give the steak a good char or sear. It usually takes three to four minutes to preheat the pan on a stove, but it may take eight minutes for an electric stove.
- Remember to keep the oil in heat that it should be near smoking.
- Dry the meat with paper towels to make the steak crust and crispier when it’s cooked.
- Pour in salts and your favorite seasoning to add flavor to the meat.
- You may add butter when the meat is close to being done, or the steak will burn.
- You should use a meat thermometer, making sure you won’t undercook or overcook your steak.
How To Determine The Steak Doneness
The easiest way to find out if your steak is done is by using a probe thermometer. Heat plays a factor in how to cook steak in a skillet, so is the pan and thickness of the meat. Taking temperature is the only way to make sure of the steak doneness.
When you’re halfway finished cooking the steak, begin piercing the thermometer on the meat. Some use the four minutes guideline to see how much cooking the steak to be done.
- If you want a rare steak done, you should remove the steak at 125 degrees Fahrenheit. It should only take you six minutes to cook the meat.
- For medium-rare doneness, remove the steak at 130 degrees Fahrenheit at about eight minutes cooking.
- The medium steak needs to reach 140 degrees Fahrenheit and about ten minutes of total cooking.
- It takes twelve minutes cooking to get a well-done steak.
How Long Should You Season Your Steak
Salting the steak is like a magic seasoning. If you add salt to your steak before searing it, you will have a finely seasoned steak. However, if you season it for a whole day, you will have a well-seasoned steak. The salt pulls out the moisture from the meat making the steak have a good sear, and any time given provides the best result.
Thirty minutes salting the steak is the best option for quick steak cooking. It also helps you to cook the seasons fast and to dry the surface for charring.
Twenty-four hours of salting the steak provide a dry meat surface, which allows the steak to char when cooking. It also adds a more concentrated taste to the meat. You also need a large refrigerator space if you want the salt to air-dry and sip inside the meat. You will need a cooling rack on top of a tray to salt the steak overnight. Here's how to learn more about skillets.
Conclusion
Steak is an all-time favorite American food. The secret on how to cook steak in a skillet is to keep it moving, turning to create a thin, crusty, and evenly cooked meat. The butter, herbs, and flavorings also play a major role in the doneness of your steak. Now that you know how to cook steak in a skillet, it's time for you to prepare that delicious meal for your family. Happy cooking.
