Lately, it seems the cost of going out to dinner at our favorite steakhouse is astronomical. Good thing you can make the perfect medium rare steak recipe at home! It’s quick enough for any night, but on a weekend or when we have company, this is what I make. I always get rave reviews for this juicy, perfectly cooked cast iron steak that will turn your home into the steakhouse you love best!
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Recipe with Pictures and Videos.
A gorgeous New York strip is best served medium rare so its center is red and juicy while the outside is seared to absolute perfection. Never tough and chewy, always bursting with flavor, you’ll never cook your medium rare steak any other way again!
Steak Dinner Ingredients
- New York strip steak – This prime cut of beef is the center of attention!
- Cooking oil – I use vegetable oil though you can use any oil that has a high smoke point
- Butter – Use the unsalted kind since you’ll be salting the steak.
- Garlic – You’ll need the whole cloves peeled and quartered. A staple for any garlic butter steak.
- Salt and black pepper – To season your steak.
- Fresh herbs – Rosemary, thyme, and sage should all be fresh to add the best steakhouse taste.
Cooking a steak to medium rare is all about temperature control and timing. Letting the steak come to room temperature before cooking helps it cook more evenly, while using a thermometer removes guesswork. Medium rare is typically achieved when the internal temperature reaches about 130–135°F.
Resting the steak after cooking is just as important as the cooking process itself. Allowing it to rest for several minutes helps redistribute the juices, resulting in a more tender and flavorful bite. This simple step ensures that the steak stays juicy when sliced and served.
Easy Pan Seared Steak Recipe
Cooking steak in cast iron is easy and delicious. Making a medium rare steak temp dinner takes 30 minutes from start to finish. Even if your steaks have never turned out right before, follow this recipe and you’ll have the kind of steak that fetches at least $30 per plate at a restaurant right at home!
We don’t just meat expectations, we exceed them.
Anonymous
How do you Cook Pan Seared Steak Medium Rare?
- When learning the best way to cook steak and making cast iron skillet steak, you’ll want to pat your steaks dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Then, heat a cast iron skillet with vegetable oil over medium-high on the stove.
- Let that coat the pan and when the oil is hot, sear the steaks on each side for 3 to 4 minutes or until it develops a brown crust.
- Using tongs render the fat and sear the edges about 1 to 2 minutes on each side, then drop the heat to medium and add butter, garlic, and herbs.
- Spoon the sauce over the steaks until they are just under your desired temperature, then let them rest on a cutting board covered loosely with foil for 10 minutes before slicing and serving with that extra butter sauce.
Expert Tips Perfect Steak Medium Rare Steak Temp Every Time
- Don’t put the steak in until the pan is HOT. When cooking steak on the stove, the oil should be almost smoking at this point.
- Season well. It won’t come out too salty or too peppery. Seasoning both sides of your steak very well will ensure it gets that brown crust that you love from the steakhouse.
- Don’t overcook it. This is so important! Steak needs to come out of the pan before it gets to medium rare temperature. It will keep cooking after you remove it. And no, it won’t get cold if you loosely cover it with foil while you let it rest.
- Learn how to choose the right cut of meat.
See below for the steak cooking chart. Cook your steak according to the times below to reach your desired steak cooking temp whether its the standard medium steak temp or my personal favorite of medium rare. Steak cooking times will vary depending on your method of cooking at your desired temperature.
Steak Cooking Chart~Perfect Steak Temperature Chart~ | ||
| Internal Temperature | Center Color | Internal Temp |
| Rare Steak | Cool red center | 125°F / 51.6°C |
| Medium Rare Steak | Pinkish-red center | 135°F / 57.2°C |
| Medium Steak | Pink center | 145°F / 63°C |
| Medium Well Steak | Barely pink | 150°F / 65.5°C |
| Well Steak | Brown color throughout | 160°F / 71.1°C |
Looking for instructions for different internal steak temperatures? See below for a list of steak temps:
Is it better to cook steak in the oven or pan?
Cooking steak in a pan is the best way and the fastest too. Plus, you can easily touch the top of the meat to check the temperature and see if it’s coming up on medium rare.
What is the secret to cooking a good steak?
There are a few secrets to cooking a good steak, like properly seasoning it with salt and coarse ground black pepper. You want to get your medium steak to the perfect temperature and then remove it from the pan and letting it rest before slicing.
How do you cook the perfect steak every time?
You’ll never go wrong with another steak again if you follow this recipe. It walks you through every step so you’ll have a steakhouse-perfect steak every time you make it!
What is the best method for cooking steak?
This medium-rare recipe shows you the best method for cooking a steak on your stove top. With the butter sauce, it cooks up quickly and every bite will be divine.
How to Cook Steak in a Pan?
When learning how to cook steak in a pan, you’ll want to get the pan super-hot first and then sear the steak on both sides paying close attention to how much time the med steak spends on each side while remembering to baste it constantly with the butter sauce.
How Long to Cook Steak for Medium Rare?
In the skillet, it will be about 3 to 4 minutes on each side to get it to medium rare temperature. See this amazing recipe as well. Use a meat thermometer to reach the perfect medium rare steak temperature of 135°F / 57.2°C.
How to Cook Steak in the Oven?
Learning how to cook steak in the oven is good to know but it is better to pan sear the steak first then finish it in the oven to your desired temperature. When cooking steak in the oven, want that cast iron skillet on the stove first to sear the steak so it seals in the juices. You’ll cook them as described in this recipe though only browning 2 to 3 minutes per side before putting that skillet in your oven at 400F. It should take about 10 to 15 minutes in the oven and then let the steaks rest.
How long do you cook a steak in the oven at 350?
If you want your steaks medium rare, cooking in the oven at 350F will require 7 to 10 minutes per side.
How long do you cook a steak in the oven at 400?
After searing, you’ll need to cook your steak to medium rare at 400F in the oven for 6 to 8 minutes per side.
How is sirloin best cooked?
Sirloin is best seared in a heavy-bottomed pan like a cast iron skillet on your stove-top. This way, you can constantly bathe it in the butter sauce to keep it tender, juicy, and full of flavor.
How do you cook a sirloin steak in a medium frying pan?
Make sure you use vegetable oil or another oil with a high smoke point. Heat your frying pan hot before adding the meat and then without crowding the pan, add your steak and cook equal times on both sides until you reach your desired temp.
What goes well with Steak?
We love all the steakhouse classics with our steaks. That means a Caesar salad, baked potatoes or sweet potatoes, creamed spinach, sauteed mushrooms, garlic mashed potatoes, and garlic bread. A lovely potato leek soup or shrimp cocktail would be a nice starter if you’re expecting company.
How to Store Steak?
Steak should be put away in the fridge no more than 2 hours after serving it.
How Long Does Steak Last?
You should eat your leftover steak within 3 to 4 days when you keep it in the fridge.
Can You Freeze Steak?
Yes! If you made more than you can eat within a few days, wrap it with heavy-duty foil and put it in the freezer. It’s best to eat it within 2 to 3 months.
How to Reheat Steak?
The best way is in the oven. Preheat it to 250F and put a wire rack in your sheet pan with the steaks on the rack. Let it cook for 20 to 30 minutes, checking until it reaches your level of doneness. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness so something thinner will need a shorter time while thicker cuts will be closer to 30 minutes.
