Pan-Seared Steak

Main Dishes | European cuisine

⏳ Time

15 minutes + 30 minutes

🥕 Ingredients

🍽️ Servings

Description

The recipe was shared with us by John Smith, a butcher and executive chef at a popular American steakhouse.

Ingredients

Beef Tri-Tip - 12.3 oz
Ocean salt - to taste
Green peppercorns - to taste
Vegetable Oil - 0 fl oz
Butter - 1.4 oz

Step by Step guide

Step 1

Prepare all the ingredients.

Step 2

In a mortar, crush the pepper: there's no need to grind it into a powder; on the contrary, it's better if the spicy pepper flakes can be felt when you bite into them.

Step 3

If there is moisture on the surface of the steak, pat it dry with a paper towel.

Step 4

Preheat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until a light wispy smoke starts to rise from it. While the skillet is heating, season the steak on both sides with salt. Use about 3-4 grams of salt for a 350-gram steak. Rub the steak with pepper, adjusting the amount to your taste. Then, brush it with vegetable oil.

Step 5

Place the steak in a hot skillet (it's better to position it closer to the edge rather than the center). There's no need to add oil; the fat in the meat and the oil on the surface of the steak will suffice. Cook for about 1 minute until a golden crust forms.

Step 6

Flip the steak and place it on the part of the skillet where it hasn't been cooked yet, as the surface temperature is higher there, which will help the meat cook better. Sear for another 30–40 seconds until a similar golden crust forms. Then, flip the meat every 10 seconds, searing the steak for an additional minute.

Step 7

Transfer the steak to a clean cutting board and measure its internal temperature. The ideal temperature for the steak should be between 45–131°F: 45 degrees for medium rare, 50 degrees for medium, and 55 degrees for medium well. At this stage, the steak will likely be around 40 degrees, which corresponds to rare doneness; those who prefer rare can stop cooking at this point.

Step 8

To bring the steak to the desired temperature, heat the skillet again and place the steak on it, adding some butter.

Step 9

Once the butter has melted, turn off the heat, tilt the skillet, and use a spoon to baste the steak with the melted butter several times. This technique is essential for achieving an even more golden and aromatic crust on the meat. The additional basting with butter should take about 30 seconds.