1. Start by gathering all the ingredients and tools. If using compound butter, make it ahead of time; you’ll need it right after the steak comes out of the oven.
2. Once everything’s ready, follow the steps below.

Prepare the Steak

1. Pat the steak dry on all sides with paper towels, then season it evenly all over with 1-2 teaspoons of kosher salt (about 1–1.5% of the steak’s weight). For a thick 20 oz (567 g) steak, that usually comes out to roughly 1–2 teaspoons.
2. Place the salted steak uncovered on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Then choose the next step based on how much time you have and the result you want:

• If you plan to cook it soon, let it sit at room temperature for about 1 hour. That’s the bare minimum.
• For even better flavor and crust, dry-brine the steak in the fridge for 4–6 hours. This is the option I highly recommend.
• Want to dry-brine it longer? See the notes below.
• If you don’t have at least 1 hour, don’t salt the steak in advance. Season it right before it goes into the pan, or salt it after searing.

Make the Compound Butter (Optional)

• While the steak is dry-brining, make the compound butter, then cover and refrigerate until needed. For this recipe, I recommend garlic-herb compound butter.
• Use the quick bowl method if you plan to use it soon, or roll it into a log for easier slicing and longer storage. Cover and refrigerate until needed. See my step-by-step garlic-herb compound butter recipe for both versions.

Preheat the Pan & Oven

1. Remove the steak from the fridge 15 minutes before cooking.
2. Preheat the oven to 225°F (110°C).
3. Place a heavy skillet, such as cast iron, carbon steel, or stainless steel, over medium-high heat and let it warm for 3-4 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of high-smoke point oil and let it heat for another minute.

Pan-Sear the Steak

1. Right before searing, pat the steak dry with paper towels again.
2. (Optional) If using black pepper, season the steak with 1/2 teaspoon of finely ground black pepper per pound (454 g) of steak.
3. If your steak has a fat cap, start by holding it fat-cap side down and sear it until nicely browned. Then lay the steak flat in the pan, press it down gently for full contact, and sear, flipping every 30 seconds.
4. Sear the steak for 3–5 minutes total, then transfer it to the oven.

• Lean cuts and steaks closer to 1 1/2 inches (3.8 cm) thick need about 3 minutes, while thicker or well-marbled cuts usually need 4–5 minutes. The goal here is to build the crust; the steak will finish cooking gently in the oven.

Finish the Steak in the Oven (Wire Rack Method)

1. Transfer the steak to an oven-safe wire rack set over a baking sheet and place it in the center of the oven. Cook until it reaches about 5°F (3°C) below your final target temperature.

2. For medium-rare, remove it from the oven at 130°F (54°C). For medium, remove it at 140°F (60°C). For medium-well, remove it at 150°F (66°C).
3. Let the steak rest uncovered for 5 minutes before slicing. For rare, well-done, and final rested temperatures, use the chart below.

(Optional) Pan-to-Oven Finish

1. If you don’t have a wire rack but you do have an oven-safe pan, you can place the pan with the steak directly in the oven. With this method, cook the steak until the internal temperature reaches about 10°F (6°C) below your final target temperature.
2. For medium-rare, remove it from the oven at 125°F (52°C); for medium, 135°F (57°C); and for medium-well, 145°F (63°C).
3. Let the steak rest for 5 minutes before slicing. For rare, well-done, and final rested temperatures, use the chart below.

• See notes for how the wire rack method differs from the pan-to-oven finish.

Add Aromatics

1. Place a bit of compound butter on top of the steak right after you take it out of the oven and let it melt as the steak rests.
2. If you don’t have compound butter, you can sear a few garlic cloves and a couple of sprigs of rosemary or thyme in a pan over medium-high heat while the steak rests. Then, melt some butter in the same pan and spoon the mixture over the steak right before serving.

Serve the Forward-Seared Steak

1. After the steak has rested, slice it thinly and serve it with your favorite sides.
2. If you skipped the compound butter and made the quick garlic-herb butter in the pan instead, spoon it over the sliced steak right before serving.