A treasured special occasion meal – Steak Dinner
One of my most darling traditions that Chris & I have established for our life together is celebrating special occasions & significant moments with a limited meal. The one special occasion meal we always come back to is steak dinner. It ’ second credibly in part due to nostalgia, as several of our first gear dates were at different steak houses throughout the Milwaukee area, but I besides think there ’ s something inherently particular about a beautiful steak dinner .
Over the years I ’ ve learned that it ’ mho pretty mend easy to make a beautiful steak dinner at home. That ’ s precisely what we ’ rhenium doing today. now, I ’ m the inaugural to admit that cooking nice steaks at home can be kind of intimidating. But honestly ? It couldn ’ thymine be simpler once you get the hang of it. The confidential ? A trustworthy ol ’ cast iron frying pan !
This Herb Butter Basted Cast Iron Skillet Steak is a recipe I ’ ve been tinkering with for years. It leans on a in truth straight-forward pan-sear to result in what I think is the perfect steak – one that is juicy & melt-in-your-mouth tender with a gloriously crusted hard scorch & has frightful fat spirit thanks to an herb & garlic butter baste .
absolutely perfect, every single time. ♡ Read on to learn more about this Cast Iron Skillet Steak, or jump straight to the recipe & get cookin ’ !
Grilled vs Cast Iron Steak
The privy to cooking restaurant-quality steaks at home ? A trusty ol ’ cast iron frying pan ! While it may seem boldface to state that cast cast-iron steak is indeed a lot better than broiled steak, I stand behind it 100 % ! Here’s why ⇢ There ’ s no quarrel that a grillroom absolutely imparts steak with fantastic smoky season. however, the beautifully golden & crusty sear you expect on a steakhouse steak is created when the steak comes into direct contact with an extremely hot surface ( thanks to the Maillard reaction ! ). That ’ s a job for which mold iron is built .
A good draw iron frying pan will retain its estrus well & evenly. When you place a steak in a very hot mold iron frying pan, its integral surface takes on a beautifully caramelized sear. When you grill a steak, the only part of the steak that takes on the dried-up is the little bit that comes into conduct reach with the grillroom grates .
Cast iron steak can not be beat. ( & the frosting on the cake ? It takes about 5 minutes to cook ! )
Key ingredients for this cast iron steak recipe & tips for choosing the right steak:
Note: full ingredients list & measurements provided in the Recipe Card, below. One of the amazing things about making mold iron frying pan steak is that you equitable need a couple of simple ingredients :
- Steak, of course! More info on choosing the right steak below.
- Seasoning – I like keeping things simple, using just kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper.
- Oil – It’s crucial to use an oil with a high smoke point since the goal is to maintain consistent high heat as you sear the steak. I like using avocado oil or grapeseed oil, but any neutral vegetable oil should work just fine.
- Flavor-boosters – Namely fresh herbs, garlic, & butter, which are added at the very end to create rich flavor.
Choosing the right steak: The pan-sear method acting used in this recipe will work well with a diverseness of different steaks, so you have some freedom here to choose the steak you ’ ll sexual love most. A match of things to keep in thinker :
- Quality: The steak is the star of the show here, so now’s the time buy the highest quality you can find. Whenever I’m prepping for steak night, I head to my favorite local butcher shop & ask what’s looking good that particular day. Trust the experts, they won’t lead you astray!
- Cut: At our house, we gravitate towards ribeye (for its flavor & marbling) & New York strip (for its tenderness), but this recipe will work great with T-bones, porterhouse steaks, filet mignon or even a nice sirloin.
- Thickness: It’s important that your steak be nice & thick, about 1 1/2 – 2 inches, to ensure that it doesn’t overcook as you build the sear. Fair warning, this usually means that the steak is pretty hefty, but you can easily share a 2-inch thick steak between 2 people. (It’s date night, after all!)
Faux Dry Aging (aka how to make your steaks taste better!)
The first thing I do when I bring my steak dinner steak home is give them a little faux dry age treatment. ( Note, there ’ s a fleshy emphasis on fake here, as real-deal dry aging is a very technical process that requires lots of clock & very well-controlled temperature & humidity. )
This is a flim-flam I first learned from Alton Brown wayyy back in the day, & it couldn ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate be easier :
- First, generously season the entire surface of your steak with kosher salt. A good rule of thumb is 1 teaspoon per pound.
- Next, loosely wrap the steak with paper towel & place it atop a rack fitted in a rimmed baking sheet.
- Set it in the coldest are of your fridge for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days.
Why it works ⇢ The salt draws out some of the steak ’ s lifelike water content, which will either be absorbed by the paper towel or drip down onto the bake plane below. Since moisture is the natural enemy of a good hard dried-up, drawing the water out makes it easier to create a beautiful crust on your steak. additionally, it concentrates the natural flavor of the kernel, making for an even tastier steak. duplicate win !
How to cook steak in a cast iron skillet – Creating the perfect sear with the frequent-turning method!
once you get the hang of it, a form iron frying pan will be your go-to method for cooking steak at home. It ’ s incredibly easy, consisting of 3 key steps : preheating the skillet, searing the steak, & finishing with a baste .
note : Full Recipe Directions with bit-by-bit photos are provided in the Recipe Card, below .
If your steak has a nice fat cap, you can begin by rendering it slightly.
First, preheat the skillet:
Place a 12-inch draw iron frying pan over high heat. Preheat for a well 5-7 minutes, until the casting iron is very hot. Why it works ⇢ As discussed above, a hot surface is crucial in building a gloriously thick & crusty scorch. Because mold iron is so heavyweight, it takes a bite of time to preheat. A good 5-minute preheat make both the come on & the core of the frying pan roaring hot, ensuring it maintains its temperature once the steak is placed in it. eminence : For these reasons, it ’ randomness important to use a good, well-constructed cast iron frying pan. This one ( pictured ) is my front-runner .
Sear with the frequent-turning method:
place the steak on one side of the frying pan & cook for 30 seconds. Carefully flip the steak to the diametric side of the frying pan & cook for 30 seconds more. Continue flipping the steak to the face-to-face side of the frying pan in 30 second increments .
Why it works ⇢ By frequently turning, you have better control over the temperature of the steak ’ second surface, preventing it from getting besides hot or excessively cold between flips. This results in a more flush & gradual cook, & besides builds a delicious crust on the surface of the steak with each turn .
A helpful analogy is to think of patronize turning in terms of sun. If you sunbathe for an hour, you ’ ll get a more even & golden tan if you turn every 10 minutes. If you only turn once 30 minutes through, you ’ ll probably end up with a gnarled tan .
Finish with a baste:
After you give the steak its last flip, reduce the heat to medium-low. Carefully add butter, garlic, & fresh herb to the frying pan. Tilt the frying pan toward you & use a big smooch to endlessly baste the butter over the steak. Why it works ⇢ first, basting infuses the relish of the brown butter, herb, & garlic into the steak ( which, up until this point, has barely been very merely seasoned ). second, it allows you to spot treat any areas of the steak that might hush be a little picket since the hot butter will promptly brown them up .
How long to cook steak in a cast iron skillet & steak doneness temperatures:
The fudge clock time for draw iron frying pan steak varies greatly based on the temperature of your frying pan, the thickness of your steak, & your coveted level of doneness .
Nothing ’ s worse than spending a fortune of money on a courteous steak & incidentally overcooking it ! Eliminate all of the guess by using an instant-read thermometer to measure the inner temperature of the steak. ( notice : the steak ’ s transfer hotness will cause its internal temperature to increase by 10-15 degrees as it rests. Pull the steak from the heat well before it reaches your desire temperature ! )
A quick guide to steak doneness temperatures:
- Rare (red & cool center): Cook to an internal temperature of 105-110 degrees F. The steak’s carry-over heat will cause the internal temperature to rise to a final internal temperature of 120-125 degrees F. Approximately 4 minutes total cooking time.
- Medium-rare (red & warm center): Cook to an internal temperature of 115-120 degrees F. The steak’s carry-over heat will cause the internal temperature to rise to a final internal temperature of 130-135 degrees F. Approximately 5 minutes total cooking time.
- Medium (pink & warm center): Cook to an internal temperature of 125-130 degrees F. The steak’s carry-over heat will cause the internal temperature to rise to a final internal temperature of 140-145 degrees F. Approximately 6 minutes total cooking time.
- Medium-well (slightly pink center): Cook to an internal temperature of 135-140 degrees F. The steak’s carry-over heat will cause the internal temperature to rise to a final internal temperature of 140-145 degrees F. Approximately 7 minutes total cooking time.
- Well-done (cooked through with little to no pink): Cook to an internal temperature of 145-150 degrees F. The steak’s carry-over heat will cause the internal temperature to rise to a final internal temperature of 150+ degrees F. Approximately 8 minutes total cooking time.
What to serve with your steak dinner:
once rested to perfection, next comes the best part of making form iron steak : carve & serve !
Tips for carving steak:
If you cooked bone-in steak, first slit the steak away from the bone. next, take a dear look at the steak to judge which management the grain* is running, & piece against the texture into 1/4-inch midst strips .
*To identify which commission the grain runs, attend for the latitude lines of muscle fiber that run throughout the steak. To cut against the grain, slice the steak vertical to the parallel lines. If needed, check out this post, which has helpful visuals & offers far explanation .
I can not wait for you to try this Cast Iron Steak. You ( & your honey ! ) will love it. If you do give it, be certain to let me know ! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can besides snap a photo & tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your PWWB creations !
Looking for more special date night meals? Be certain to check out these Individual Beef Wellington, these light up & fresh Seared Scallops, or my Best-Ever Bolognese ( it ’ s the best…seriously ! ). felicitous cooking ! ♡
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Herb Butter Basted Cast Iron Steak
5
from
11
reviews
- homework fourth dimension : 10 minutes
- cook prison term : 10 minutes
- entire time :
30 Minutes
- give : Serves
1
-2
1
x
- category : Steak, Cast Iron
- method : Stovetop, Skillet Recipes
- cuisine : American, french
- Diet : Gluten Free
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Description
The secret to cooking restaurant-quality steaks at home ? A draw iron frying pan ! This Herb Butter Basted Cast Iron Steak recipe will teach you how to use a form iron frying pan to cook the arrant steak every time – fat & melt-in-your-mouth tender with a beautifully browned & crusty dried-up, & finished with a rich, flavorful herby garlic butter baste. A go-to stovetop steak method !
Ingredients
Scale
- one (1) 1 1/2 – 2-inch steak of choice – ribeye, New York Strip, T-bone, etc. (see Recipe Notes, below)
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
- 1– 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or other high smoke point oil of choice)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced into small cubes
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed open
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 8– 10 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
- Steak prep: At least 2 hours (or up to 2 days) before you’d like to make your steak, prep the steak. If your steak has a nice fat cap, use a paring knife to cut score marks into the fat cap. Liberally season all sides of the steak with kosher salt. A good rule of thumb is 1 teaspoon per pound. Loosely wrap the steak in paper towel. Place on a rack fitted in a rimmed baking sheet. Set in the coldest area of your fridge. 30 minutes before cooking the steak, remove from the refrigerator & set on the counter to come up to room temperature.
- Preheat the cast iron: Place a 12-inch cast iron skillet over high heat. Preheat for 5-7 minutes, until the cast iron is very hot. Meanwhile, pat the steak completely dry with paper towel. Season with ground black pepper, as desired.
- Sear the steak, utilizing the frequent-turning method: If your steak has a nice fat cap, you can begin by rendering it slightly. Use long tongs to hold the steak upright, placing the fat cap in direct contact with the hot skillet. Cook 2-3 minutes, until the fat cap is rendered slightly & begins to develop nice golden brown color. Remove & set aside for a moment. Carefully add the avocado oil to skillet, adding just enough to coat the bottom of the skillet nicely. Once the oil is hot & begins to smoke, carefully place the steak on one side of the skillet. Cook for 30 seconds. Carefully flip the steak to the opposite side of the skillet & cook for 30 seconds more. Continue flipping the steak to the opposite side of the skillet in 30 second increments. Five minutes total cooking time will yield medium rare doneness. (Refer to the blog post, above, for more guidance on doneness temperatures.)
- Baste: After the last flip, reduce the heat to low. Carefully add the butter, garlic, rosemary, & thyme to the skillet. Tilt the skillet toward you, so the butter pools alongside the edge of the skillet nearest you. Use a large spoon to baste the butter over top the steak repeatedly for 30 seconds.
- Rest. Transfer the steak to a plate and set aside to rest for 10-15 minutes.
- Carve & serve. Cut the steak away from the bone. Slice against the grain into 1/4-inch thick strips. Serve immediately, topped with flaky sea salt & browned butter from the pan (or with another steak sauce you love, e.g. chimichurri).
Equipment
Staub Cast Iron 11-inch Frying Pan
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Instant-Read Meat thermometer
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Notes
- A note on steaks: Whenever you ’ ra making steak at home, buy the highest choice steaks you can find. The steak is actually the asterisk of the show here ! ( Plus, no matter what, I guarantee you ’ ll spend less on your steak than you would for a steak dinner at a decent restaurant ! ) We love New York strip or ribeye at our house, as both are tender with great relish. This method acting will work for tenderloin & sirloin, excessively .
Recipe & Food Styling by Jess Larson, Plays Well With Butter | Photography by Rachel Cook, Half Acre House .
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