Savory Meals

THE PERFECT SEARED STEAK

What you’ll need:

Your preferred cut of steak (I tend to prefer a filet or sirloin steak)
Olive oil
Salt
Black pepper corns
Salted butter (Irish butter if you can!)
Garlic*
Chives, Cilantro, or herbs of your choice*

*Optional

There is no fancy technique or secret to a mouthwatering steak. Just simplicity and confidence. I’ve included the recipe to an herb butter I tried the last time as a variation, though in my opinion, a skillfully made steak shouldn’t require herbs or additional flavors to be delicious.

Marinate the steak in olive oil for about 20 minutes. A frozen or non-room-temperature steak should never hit the pan!
*Optional: As the steak marinates, finely chop garlic and combine with chives, cilantro, or other herbs with room temperature salted butter.
Heat a non-stick pan until hot to the touch. The steak should sizzle the moment it hits the pan.
Sprinkle salt (and/or steak seasoning) to both sides of the steak.
Place the steak on the pan and let sear for about 2-3 minutes per side for a rare steak, 4-6 minutes per side for a medium steak, and 7-10 minutes per side for a well-done steak (though I personally think the best steaks are medium-rare). These times are approximate based off my own stove and best suited for a steak about 1″-1.5″ thick; vary the time per side based on the temperature habits of your stove. BE SURE TO ONLY FLIP THE STEAK ONCE!
After you remove the steak from the pan, place it on a plate and put a (generous) bit of butter on top, then covering it with foil. *Here you can use your herb butter! As the butter soaks in and the steak settles (always allow your steak at least 5 minutes to settle after removing from the pan), crack black peppercorns with the wide face of a large knife, and sprinkle on top of the ready steak as desired.

This recipe is very straightforward, but does have some essential laws that, if broken, really jeopardize the flavor and texture of the steak. Go forth with gusto and enjoy your steak!