Perfect Steak Indoors Men's Journal

By John_Merillat

Ingredients

• Pan-Seared Steak
• Ingredients
• 1lb1 lb strip, rib eye, or porterhouse steak
• Peanut or vegetable oil (avoid olive oil; it has a lower smoking point, causing a burned flavor)
• 3tbsp3 tbsp butter, cut into chunks
• 2cloves2 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled (optional)
• 4sprigs4 sprigs fresh thyme (optional)
• Preparation
• Salt and Pepper the Meat
• Then set it on a wire rack and place it uncovered in the fridge. Ideally, do this 12 hours before cooking, so the salt is absorbed, locking in the internal juices. But even an hour will help.
• Take It Out of the Fridge
• Let the meat sit out for an hour, so it comes to room temperature. This ensures that the outer areas don't overcook while you're waiting for the interior to heat up.
• Sear Each Side Quickly
• Flip It Every 30 Seconds
• It's a little unorthodox, but this develops a deep-brown crust and lets the steak cook through evenly.
• Baste It in Butter
• When the steak is nearly done — about five minutes for medium rare — add the butter, garlic, and thyme. Tilt the pan and continuously spoon the butter on top of the steak for a minute or two, until the butter browns.
• Let It Rest Before Serving
• Cutting the steak too soon will cause the juices to leak out. Let it sit for five minutes, then serve with the butter drippings.

Details

Servings 1
Adapted from mensjournal.com

Preparation

Step 1

Grill marks look good, but the best steak you'll ever cook may come from the frying pan.

For most people, the platonic ideal of a steak involves a hot, smoky grill — the elemental meeting of fire and meat. But some of the best steaks you'll ever have will come out of a frying pan. The difference is in the crust. Most grilled steaks, when seared over extremely hot coals or gas burners, take on the intense flavor of the black-charred grill marks. But a hot pan distributes heat evenly over the surface of the steak, letting you get a rich, deeply flavored crust. Instead of charring it, pan-searing caramelizes the meat, locking in the juices. Here's how to make your next steak the best one you've ever had.

3 tbsp butter, cut into chunks

Then set it on a wire rack and place it uncovered in the fridge. Ideally, do this 12 hours before cooking, so the salt is absorbed, locking in the internal juices. But even an hour will help.

Take It Out of the Fridge

Let the meat sit out for an hour, so it comes to room temperature. This ensures that the outer areas don't overcook while you're waiting for the interior to heat up.

Set a heavy pan (cast iron is preferable) over high heat for five minutes. Coat it with oil, then lay the steak in the pan and cook for one minute. Flip the steak — it should be light golden — and sear the other side for one minute. A little smoke is unavoidable, but using a splatter screen will reduce most of the mess.

When the steak is nearly done — about five minutes for medium rare — add the butter, garlic, and thyme. Tilt the pan and continuously spoon the butter on top of the steak for a minute or two, until the butter browns.

Cutting the steak too soon will cause the juices to leak out. Let it sit for five minutes, then serve with the butter drippings.