There are many ways to prepare steak but one of the best has to be with a heavy cast iron pan. Using extremely high temperatures to seare the meat produces a nice crisp crust on the steak's top & bottom with a tender juisy center.

Ingredients
Steak (1 to 1½ inches thick)
Peanut, Safflower or Canola Oil
Kosher Salt
Pepper
Optional: Cajun or Garlic Spice

 

 

 

 

  1. Place a cast iron pan in the oven & heat to 500 degrees. Note that this method should only be used with a heavy cast iron pan. Do not attempt with plastic or wooden handled pans.
  2. While the oven & pan are heating, prepare the steak by coating it lightly with oil. Season with salt & pepper or go with a good strong Cajun or Garlic based spice.
  3. Once the oven is at temperature, remove the pan. Place on stove top range & heat on high. The idea is to get the pan as hot as you can without burning the oil too much. See the oil chart below for appropriate oils.
  4. Place the steak in the pan & seare for 30 seconds. Flip it over & seare the other side for another 30 seconds.
  5. Next flip the steak a third time & place the pan & steak in the 500 degree oven for 2 minutes.
  6. Flip the steak a fourth time & cook in the oven for an additional 2 minutes.
  7. Check for doneness with an accurate thermometer. See the temperature chart below. I like to cut a small nick in the steak to check its color but this does tend to let some of the juise out.
  8. If the steak is done place it on an upside down plate & let it stand for 3 minutes before serving. Cover with aluminum foil to keep it warm while it stands. The upside down plate allows any excess juise to drain away insuring that the bottom of the steak retains it's crispy seared crust. Letting the steak stand is important as this helps the steak retain its juises when carved.
Steak Internal Temperature
Rare
120 to 129 degrees
Medium Rare
130 to 144 degrees
Medium
145 to 154 degrees
Ruined
155 degrees or higher

Burning Temperature for Oils
Safflower Oil
450 degrees
Peanut Oil
450 degrees
Canola Oil
435 degrees
Corn Oil
410 degrees
Olive Oil
375 degrees
Butter
350 degrees
Cooking - Steak Done Right