How To Cook Steak In The Oven

You wouldn’t believe the amount of steaks I’ve cooked in my life! Between cooking them in the restaurants and at home, it’s been hundreds. Everything I’ve learned about cooking the best steaks for yourself, I will share right here.

Important Tips Before You Start Cooking

I you have about 20 minutes, you can make amazing steaks right at home!

• First: So the first thing to do when planning a steak dinner is to pick your favorite cut of beef. Everyone in my family prefers a different cuts of steak. Some like ribeye, some like NY Strip steak, others prefer a top sirloin steak, and of course, who would ever say no to a perfect filet mignon. Try to get prime or choice grade and remember that you will get what you pay for.
• Second: Another thing to consider when selecting steaks is the size, choose steaks between 1 and 1.5 inches. I usually ask my butcher to cut me thicker cuts because a pre-cut steaks at the grocery store tend to be thin. Feel free to ask the butcher in your grocery store’s meat department and most of them will be happy to cut you a new piece to your specifications. Ask for steaks to be equal is size too. 
• Third: No matter which cut you are choosing, try to pick out the piece with more fine marbling of fat throughout the piece. Marbling is fine lines of fat that runs throughout the meat. More fine marbling means juicier, more tender steaks. (You want more fine marbling and less concentrated chunks of fat.)

Key Ingredients

• Steak tips – For best tasting steak, you are looking for a lot of fine marbling of fat throughout the slice as opposed to thick fat lines concentrated in certain areas. Try to choose steaks between 1 and 1/5 inches thick.
• Grade choice – When choosing your steaks, try to get prime or choice grade and remember that you will get what you pay for.
• Seasoning For Steaks – When you have a good steak, DON’T overwhelm it with seasoning! All you need is salt and pepper.
• To finish the cooked steaks, you will need butter, salted or unsalted.

What Materials Are Needed

• Cast Iron Skillet – It is easy to go from stove-top to the oven, hold the heat very well, and cooks evenly throughout. (If you don’t have cast iron skillet, use another pan that is oven-safe to be able to go from stove to oven.)
• Leave-in Thermometer – if you ever cook meats at home, invest in a instant read leave-in thermometer. It’s actually not very expensive but a must-have to cook meats. The meat temperature is measured the whole time it’s cooking and the timer will alert you when the temperature is reached. (Note: If you do not have a leave-in thermometer, use a regular instant read digital meat thermometer, just make sure to take the skillet out of the oven and close the oven door to keep the heat in.) 
• Metal Tongs – tongs are best to use for flipping the steaks and holding it in place while inserting the meat thermometer. Use metal tongs to hold the steak in place while cutting it as well. 

How To Cook Steaks In The Oven: Visual Guide

This quick visual walkthrough shows what your steaks should look like at each stage, so you know you’re on the right track, from raw to perfectly cooked.

• Step 1: Bring Steaks to Room Temperature. Set the steaks out on a plate and let them rest at room temperature before cooking. This helps them cook more evenly once they hit the hot skillet.

Step 2: Pat Dry & Season. Use paper towels to pat the steaks dry on all sides. Dry surface = better sear. Season generously with coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper RIGHT before adding to preheated skillet!

Step 3: Insert the Thermometer (Optional but Best). If using a leave-in thermometer, insert it through the side of the steak toward the center. This gives the most accurate reading of doneness without cutting into the meat.

Step 4: Sear in a Hot Skillet. Heat your cast iron skillet for a few minutes over slightly above medium heat. Add oil, then place seasoned steaks in the pan. You should hear a strong sizzle right away.
Before flipping, visually you’re looking for:

• A deep golden-brown crust forming on the bottom.
• Steaks releasing easily from the pan once properly seared.
• Flip and briefly sear the second side.

Step 5: Finish Cooking in the Oven. Transfer the skillet straight into the preheated oven. The steaks will continue cooking gently and evenly. At this stage, the outside is nicely browned while the inside cooks to your desired doneness.

Step 6: Rest with Butter. Once the steaks come out of the oven, immediately transfer them to a plate or cutting board. Top each steak with butter and let them rest.

Step 7: Slice & Serve. Slice the steak against the grain for the most tender bite. Inside, you should see an even color from edge to edge, with just a thin seared crust on the outside.

Steak Temperatures Guide

PRO TIP: It is impossible to tell you how long it will take for the steak to reach the temperature because every steak is different in size, anatomy, and thickness. Time can vary for every steak, it could take as fast as 5-6 minutes or as long as 15 minutes. It depends on desired temperature as well as the steak itself:

• 125°-130° = Rare
• 135°-140° = Medium-rare
• 145°-150° = Medium
• 150°-155° = Medium-well
• 160°-165° = Well
• (*First number is when to take it out of the oven.)

How Long Does It Take To Cook Steaks – Approximate Time Guide

I get this question so often and it is actually my least favorite one. I can understand the ease of setting a timer and wanting the steak to take that exact time and voila, it’s perfect. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way, especially when making steaks in the oven.

REMEMBER: You have to track the steak’s temperature and not the time! Each steak is different in amount of fat, thickness, muscle structure, and simply the way it will react to cooking. 

The times that I will give you below is just the estimates and to be used as a guide and not exact measurement. 

For thick steaks that are around 1 1/2 inches thick and cooking at 450°F:

• Rare (125°) – 2 minutes to sear and 9-11 minutes in the oven
• Medium-rare (135­°) – 2 minutes to sear and 13-16 minutes in the oven
• Medium (145°) – 2 minutes to sear and 16-19 minutes in the oven
• Medium-well (150°) – 2 minutes to sear and 18-20 minutes in the oven
• Well (160°) – 2 minutes to sear and 20-24 in the oven

For steaks that are around 1 inch thick or less and cooking at 450°F:

• Rare (125°) – 2 minutes to sear and in 3-4 minutes the oven
• Medium-rare (135­°) – 2 minutes to sear and 5-7 minutes in the oven
• Medium (145°) – 2 minutes to sear and 8-10 minutes  in the oven
• Medium-well (150°) – 2 minutes to sear and 10-12 minutes in the oven
• Well (160°) – 2 minutes to sear and 12-15 minutes in the oven

PRO TIP: different steak thickness will take different amount of time!

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What Are Some Good Steak Sauces?

When you do want a nice steak sauce, you have several options like red wine steak sauce, a delicious creamy steak sauce, and our favorite peppercorn sauce. All are super fast and simple to cook right in the skillet after you take out the steaks.

Try Some More Steak Recipes

• Bacon Beef Brisket In The Oven
• Philly Cheesesteak
• Surf and Turf
• Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce

Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles on June 7th, 2019.