Pan-Seared T-Bone Steak

A perfectly pan-seared T-bone steak has a nicely browned crust, a juicy center, and plenty of buttery garlic-herb flavor. I’ll show you how to cook it entirely in a skillet, then finish it with garlic-herb compound butter.

I have to tell you that cooking a T-bone steak entirely in a pan is one of the most difficult methods. The bone often prevents the entire surface of the steak from making full contact with the pan, making it harder to get a proper, even crust. On top of that, a T-bone is essentially two steaks in one: the strip on one side and the filet mignon on the other. These two cuts cook at slightly different rates.

Because of that, you have to accept that with this method, you won’t get a perfectly even crust or identical doneness on both sides of the steak.

For a T-bone, sous vide, reverse searing, or a forward sear works much better when combined with a final sear over an open flame on the grill or with a torch. Still, when done right, cooking it entirely in a skillet is a solid way to get a seriously flavorful steak in just a few minutes.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the steak:

• T-bone Steak: Choose a T-bone steak about 1 to 1 1/2 inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm) thick, or roughly 18 to 32 oz (500 to 800 g). Thicker steaks take longer to come up to temperature, giving you more time to build a good crust before the center reaches your desired doneness. Don’t go any thicker than that for this recipe, though. In a skillet, an extra-thick T-bone steak cooks unevenly in the middle.
• Salt: A good rule of thumb is to use salt equal to about 1% of the steak’s weight. So for a 18 oz (500 g) T-bone, you’re looking at roughly 0.18 oz (5 g) of salt. Because one type of salt can be much denser than another, measuring it by weight is the most reliable way to get the seasoning right. Once you know what 1% looks like with your usual salt, you can season by eye. I prefer kosher salt because the coarse grains spread more evenly across the surface, but whatever salt you have will do the job. I’ve included approximate teaspoon amounts in the recipe below.
• Oil: For searing, choose an oil with a high smoke point. My first choice is refined avocado oil since its flavor is neutral and it holds up well at temperatures around 500°F (260°C). Other good choices include refined high-oleic safflower oil, refined high-oleic canola oil, refined canola oil, refined olive oil, and refined peanut oil. Skip regular butter for the sear because it burns too easily at high temperatures.

For the garlic-herb compound butter:

Makes enough for 2 thick-cut steaks.

• Butter: Use 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick; 56 g) of good-quality unsalted butter. Use real butter, not margarine.
• Salt and black pepper: Start with a generous pinch of each (about 1/8 teaspoon). Taste the butter and add more if necessary.
• Garlic: Use 2 fresh garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed.
• Parsley: Use 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley or 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley.
• Rosemary: Use 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary. If you’re using fresh rosemary, chop it really fine so you don’t end up with tough, woody bits in the butter.

If you want to change up the flavor, check out my other steak butter recipes.

Tools You’ll Need

• Wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet: For dry-brining the steak. The rack keeps the steak elevated so air can circulate around it and dry the surface evenly, while the baking sheet catches the moisture the salt initially draws to the meat surface.
• Heavy skillet: Cast iron is the best option here because it gets and stays very hot, which helps build a deep, even crust. Carbon steel and heavy-bottomed stainless steel are good alternatives. Don’t use a nonstick pan. Searing requires more heat than nonstick cookware is designed to handle.
• Long-handled tongs: A sturdy pair gives you good control when flipping the steak in the skillet. Longer handles also keep your hands farther from the hot pan and any oil that spits or splashes.
• Meat thermometer: An instant-read thermometer is the best choice for this recipe because you need to check the strip and filet separately. If you want continuous temperature monitoring, you can also use a leave-in probe thermometer, though you’ll still need to check the strip and filet separately.

How to Pan-Sear a T-Bone Steak

Prepare the Steak

Dry the T-bone steak thoroughly with paper towels, then season both sides with salt equal to about 1% of the steak’s weight. For an 18 oz (500 g) steak, use about 0.18 oz (5 g) of salt. That’s approximately:

• 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt,
• 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt,
• 3/4 teaspoon table salt.

Dry-Brine the Steak

Once the T-bone is salted, I highly recommend placing it on a wire rack over a baking sheet and leaving it uncovered in the fridge for 4 to 6 hours. That’s how I like to do it because it gives the steak a deeper flavor and helps it develop a better crust.

For dry-brining, 1 hour is the absolute minimum. If you don’t have that much time, salt the steak with the measured amount right before searing. Or cook it without salt and season the sliced steak to taste with a small amount of finishing salt.

Make the Garlic-Herb Compound Butter

Cut the butter into small cubes, place it in a bowl, and let it soften at room temperature. You want it soft enough to mix easily, but not melted. To speed things up, microwave the butter in 5-second bursts, checking each time so it doesn’t melt. This is how I usually soften mine.

Add the salt, black pepper, garlic, rosemary, and parsley. Mash everything together with a fork until the ingredients are evenly mixed into the butter. Taste and add more seasoning if needed. Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to use it.

Preheat the Pan

About 15 minutes before cooking, take the steak out of the refrigerator. Bring the compound butter out at the same time so it can soften a little before serving.

Turn on the exhaust fan or open a window before you start, since searing creates a lot of smoke. Preheat the skillet over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, then add 2 tablespoons of high-smoke-point oil and let it heat for about 1 minute.

While the skillet is heating, pat the T-bone steak dry again with paper towels. Any moisture left on the surface has to evaporate before the steak can brown, so drying it well helps it develop a better crust faster.

Pan-Sear the T-Bone Steak

Place the seasoned T-bone in a hot skillet and press it down lightly for good contact. On a gas stove, position the smaller side of the steak (the filet) closer to the cooler center of the pan, with the larger strip side toward the hotter outer area. The filet cooks faster, so keeping it over the cooler part of the pan helps both sides cook at about the same rate.

Flip the steak every 30 seconds, checking the temperature of both the strip and the filet as it cooks. Continue cooking until each reaches the pull temperature for your preferred doneness listed in the chart below.

If one side reaches its target temperature first, angle the steak so the side that still needs to cook stays in the pan while the finished side stays off the heat. Cook for another 30 seconds, check the temperature again, and repeat as needed.

Once both the strip and filet reach their target pull temperatures, remove the steak from the skillet, top with 1 to 2 tablespoons of compound butter, and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Pan-Seared T-Bone Steak Temperature Chart

Desired doneness	Pull at internal temp	Final temp after resting
Rare	105°F (41°C)	125°F (52°C)
Medium-Rare	115°F (46°C)	135°F (57°C)
Medium	125°F (52°C)	145°F (63°C)
Medium-Well	135°F (57°C)	155°F (68°C)
Well-Done	145°F (63°C)	165°F (74°C)

Slice and Serve

After the steak has rested, run your knife along the bone to remove the strip and filet. Cut both into thin slices and serve with your favorite sides.

What to Serve with Pan-Seared T-Bone Steak

These are some of my favorite sides to serve with T-bone steak, from classic steakhouse staples to lighter, fresher options.

• Crispy Roasted Potatoes
• French Fries
• Steakhouse Wedges
• Mashed Potatoes
• Roasted Broccolini
• Garlic Green Beans
• Roasted Asparagus
• Arugula Salad
• Tomato & Red Onion Salad

Tips for the Best Pan-Seared T-Bone Steak: Key Takeaways

• Choose a steak that’s about 1 1/2 inches (3.8 cm) thick: A T-bone this thick gives you more time to build a good crust before the center reaches your target pull temperature.
• Dry the steak well: Pat it thoroughly with paper towels before seasoning, then dry it again right before cooking. A dry surface browns faster and more evenly.
• Salt ahead when you can: For the best results, dry-brine the steak for 4 to 6 hours using about 1% salt by weight.
• Do not salt the steak 2 to 45 minutes before cooking: During this time, salt draws moisture to the surface, and there is not enough time for that moisture to be reabsorbed. That moisture has to evaporate before browning can happen. If you have less than an hour, salt the steak right before searing or wait until after cooking.
• Use a large, heavy skillet: The T-bone should fit comfortably.
• Preheat the skillet well: Let it heat for 4 to 5 minutes before adding the steak.
• Use an oil with a high smoke point: Look for one with a smoke point about 450°F to 500°F (230°C to 260°C).
• Flip often: Flip the steak every 30 seconds. This helps it cook more evenly and gives you better control over the crust.
• Press lightly after each flip: As the steak cooks, the meat near the bone may not stay in full contact with the pan, which can lead to uneven browning. Gently press the steak down after each flip to keep as much surface contact with the skillet as possible.
• Use temperature as your guide: Use a meat thermometer instead of relying on cooking times. Check the strip and filet separately so one does not overcook while the other is still coming up to temperature.
• Pull it before it reaches its final temperature: Use the pull temperatures in the chart as your guide.
• Do not skip the rest: The steak keeps cooking after it comes out of the skillet, and that carryover heat brings the center up to its final temperature.
• Add the compound butter while it rests: Place 1 to 2 tablespoons on top so the steak’s heat melts it over the surface.

I go into each of these points in more detail and explain why they matter in my full guide to pan-searing steak.

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Try Some of My Other Steak Recipes

• Pan-Seared Ribeye Steak
• Pan-Seared Top Blade Steak
• Pan-Seared Hanger Steak
• Pan-Seared Filet Mignon
• Pan-Seared New York Strip Steak