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Stovetop

How to Cook the Perfect Steak in a Stainless Steel Pan

Get a deep brown crust, check doneness with a thermometer, and finish with garlic butter.

A cook working over stainless steel skillets on a stovetop

A great pan-seared steak starts with a dry surface, a pan with room around the meat, and a thermometer. New York strip and boneless ribeye are good choices for this method. Look for a steak about 1 to 1½ inches thick, so there’s time to build a crust before the center finishes cooking.

What you’ll need

  • 1 boneless ribeye or New York strip steak, about 1 to 1½ inches thick
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil, such as canola or avocado oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 crushed garlic clove, and a sprig of thyme (optional)

Dry and salt the steak

Blot the steak thoroughly with paper towels. Salt both sides just before cooking. If you’re prepping ahead, salt it and leave it uncovered on a rack in the refrigerator for a few hours, then blot away any surface moisture before it goes into the pan.

Preheat the pan and sear both sides

Heat a stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat, then add enough oil to film the bottom. When the oil shimmers, use tongs to lay the steak into the pan away from you. Leave it in place until the underside browns and releases with a gentle nudge, usually a couple of minutes. Turn it and brown the other side.

If the oil smokes heavily or the browned bits start to blacken, lower the heat. For more than one steak, cook in batches if there’s no room between them.

Finish with butter and check the center

Once both sides are brown, lower the heat to medium. If you’re adding butter, garlic, and thyme, add them now and spoon the foaming butter over the steak. Continue cooking, flipping as needed for even browning.

Slide an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part from the side, avoiding pockets of fat. USDA recommends bringing whole beef steaks to at least 145°F (63°C) before taking them off the heat, then resting for at least three minutes. Pan heat and steak thickness vary, so use the thermometer to decide when it’s done.

Rest, slice, and use the good bits

Rest the steak on a clean plate so you can save any juices. Slice across the grain and finish with black pepper. If there are brown bits in the skillet, keep the pan handy. They’re the base for a quick pan sauce.

USDA guidance on safe meat temperatures

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