• Decide how you want to finish the steak before you start. To keep the process simple and reduce the risk of overcooking, skip the butter basting. I highly recommend using compound butter instead. It gives you rich garlic-herb butter flavor without making the searing process harder.

• As an alternative to compound butter, you can make a quick garlic-herb butter in the same pan while the steak rests, then spoon it over the sliced steak.

• Before you start cooking, gather all the ingredients and tools. If it’s your first time pan-searing a steak, read through the steps at least once before you start.

Prepare the Steak

1. Pat the steak dry with paper towels to remove excess surface moisture. If needed, trim off any excess fat and cut the steak into similarly sized pieces so they cook more evenly (this is especially useful for long or uneven cuts, such as skirt steak or hanger steak).

2. Season all sides generously with kosher salt, using about 1–2 teaspoons (roughly 1–1.5% of the steak’s weight). Place the 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’re short on time, leave it at room temperature for 1 hour. That’s the bare minimum for dry-brining.
• If you have more time, refrigerate it uncovered for 4–6 hours for even better flavor and a drier surface (which means a better sear). I highly recommend this option.
• Want to dry-brine it longer? See notes. If you don’t have at least 1 hour to let the steak rest after salting, don’t salt it in advance. Either season it right before it goes into the pan, or salt it after searing.

Make the Compound Butter (Optional)

1. While the steak is dry-brining, make the compound butter, then cover and refrigerate until needed. I highly recommend garlic-herb compound butter for this recipe.
2. 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.
3. See my step-by-step garlic-herb compound butter recipe for both versions.

Preheat the Pan

1. Regardless of the salting method you choose, let the steak sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before it goes into the pan.

2. Place a heavy, thick-bottomed pan (ideally cast iron) over medium-high heat. Let it heat for 3-4 minutes. Then add 2 tablespoons of high-smoke-point oil and let it heat for about 1 minute.
3. While the pan is heating, pat the steak dry again.
4. Optional: If using black pepper, season all sides with about 1/2 teaspoon of finely ground black pepper per pound (454 g) of steak.
5. Then move straight to the next step.

Pan-Sear the Steak

• Searing produces a lot of smoke, so turn on your exhaust fan or open a window before you start.

1. If your steak has a fat cap, such as a strip steak or picanha, start by placing it fat-side down in the hot pan. Sear for 1–2 minutes, or until the fat is browned and crisp. Then lay the steak flat in the pan.
2. If your steak doesn’t have a thick fat cap, place it flat in the hot pan right away. Gently press it down with a spoon or tongs to ensure it makes good contact with the pan surface.
3. Once the steak is flat in the pan, sear it over medium-high heat, flipping every 30 seconds. For steak 1 to 1 1/2 inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm) thick, cook until a meat thermometer probe inserted into the center reads 20°F (11°C) below your final target temperature.

4. For medium-rare, remove it from the pan at 115°F (46°C); for medium, 125°F (52°C); and for medium-well, 135°F (57°C).

5. Let the steak rest for 5 minutes before slicing. For rare, well-done, and final rested temperatures, use the chart below.

• For steaks thinner than 1 inch (2.5 cm), use the same final temperatures but pull the steak about 15°F (8°C) below the target instead of 20°F (11°C). See the notes for the thinner-steak chart.

Compound Butter Finish

1. Place a small piece of compound butter on top of the steak right after you take it out of the pan. Let it melt over the steak as it rests.

2. Alternative garlic-herb butter finish (If you don’t have compound butter): While the steak rests, use the same pan you seared it in. Lightly brown a few peeled garlic cloves over medium heat, then add a couple sprigs of rosemary or thyme and 2 tablespoons (30 g) of unsalted butter. Let the butter melt, turn off the heat, then spoon the garlic-herb butter over the sliced steak before serving.

Slice and Serve the Pan Seared Steak:

1. After the steak has rested for 5 minutes, slice it thinly.
2. For well-marbled, naturally tender cuts, slice it however you like. For cuts with longer, coarser muscle fibers, such as outside skirt steak, hanger steak, or flank steak, slice against the grain for a more tender bite (see notes).
3. If you made the quick garlic-herb butter in the pan instead of using compound butter, spoon it over the sliced steak right before serving.
4. Serve with your favorite sides.