Perfect Pan Seared Steak with Butter and Herbs | Jan D'Atri (2024)

by Jan D'Atri

Father’s Day was extra special for me. I was born on my dad’s birthday, and as I grew older, he became my best friend. He was a butcher all of his life, and there was no meal more special to him than a thick New York, T-Bone, Porterhouse or Rib Eye cooked, not on a grill, l but in a skillet with a little garlic, olive oil and butter. In talking with many chefs in our Valley, that’s just the way they love their steak, too! So just in time for Father’s Day, I’m giving you a simple but great recipe and some important tips for cooking the perfect steak in a skillet. This Sunday, let dad kick his shoes off, maybe grab a cold one or a nice glass of red wine and you go ahead and steak your claim on the kitchen! You won’t need a lot of ingredients. Look for his favorite cut of meat. Make sure it’s top quality and nice and thick. That’s where it all starts. Fresh garlic, good olive oil, unsalted butter and maybe a fresh herb or two is all you need. If you have a cast iron or heavy skillet, that will be preferable to a non-stick pan. The cast iron will give your steak a perfect sear—and that equals flavor. Also, if you don’t have one, this would be the time to invest in meat thermometer. (At about $3.00, it’s one of the best kitchen investments you can make.) Make the steak the star of the plate; add a piping hot baked potato and a blue cheese wedge salad, and you’ve got the perfect and memorable meal for this special occasion. Happy Father’s Day to all of our Arizona dads!

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Ingredients

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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Pat steak dry on both sides with paper towels. Liberally coat both sides of steak with salt and pepper. Heat a cast iron skillet or heavy pan. Add olive oil, and when hot, place steak in the pan. Sear for a few minutes on each side and edges until browned. Add garlic, herbs and 2 tablespoons of butter. When melted, spoon over steak and rub garlic over steak. Cook steak to 125 degrees for rare. (Cook about 3-4 minutes after searing.) At the end of cooking process, add last tablespoon of butter, let melt and spoon over steak. Remove steak and let rest uncovered for about 4 minutes. Slice and enjoy!

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Perfect Pan Seared Steak with Butter and Herbs | Jan D'Atri (2024)

FAQs

Perfect Pan Seared Steak with Butter and Herbs | Jan D'Atri? ›

Sear for a few minutes on each side and edges until browned. Add garlic, herbs and 2 tablespoons of butter. When melted, spoon over steak and rub garlic over steak. Cook steak to 125 degrees for rare.

Do you add butter before or after searing steak? ›

Once the steak is cooked to your desired doneness, reduce the heat to medium low and add your butter. You can also add garlic and other aromatics to amp up the flavor.

Is it better to sear steak with butter or olive oil? ›

Much to our surprise steak cooked with olive oil brought out the natural flavors of meat and helped maintain a desirable texture much better than butter.

What herb do you use when pan frying steak? ›

Season steak liberally with Salt (to taste) and Ground Black Pepper (to taste); cook in the skillet with Oil (1 Tbsp). Cook 'till deep brown and crusty on the bottom — about four minutes. Flip the steak, and add the Fresh Rosemary (3 sprigs), Fresh Thyme (3 sprigs) and Butter (2 Tbsp).

What is the best way to cook a steak in a frying pan? ›

Directions
  1. Heat pan and season steaks: Heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet (preferably cast iron) over high 5 minutes. ...
  2. Cook steaks: Add 1/2 teaspoon butter to pan, then immediately top with one steak. ...
  3. Turn steaks and cook: Turn and cook 2 minutes more for rare, or 3 to 4 minutes more for medium-rare. ...
  4. Rest, then slice:
Aug 24, 2023

Why do chefs put butter on steak? ›

Adding butter to steak is completely based on your personal preference but here are a few reasons that professional chefs approve of doing so: It increases flavor and richness. It makes for a glossy finish. It enhances the steak's texture.

Does putting butter on steak make it more tender? ›

Now, before you accuse restaurants of butter sabotage, let's talk about the "tenderizer" effect. The fat in the butter can help soften the meats' protein fibers, resulting in a more tender steak. It's like giving your steak a spa day, minus the fluffy robes and cucumbers on the eyes.

Do you put down butter or oil first when cook steak? ›

Best cooking fat for steak

Flavourless oils like sunflower, vegetable or groundnut work best, and once the steak is searing you can add butter to the pan for flavour.

How hot should a pan be for steak? ›

Before adding the steak, the skillet needs to be hot enough (375°-449°F). If the pan isn't hot enough, the sear will not be as consistent and will lead to uneven cooking. An easy way to check the heat is to add some water to the pan. If the water evaporates, the pan is likely to temperature.

Should I cook steak on high heat? ›

Steaks should always be cooked on high temperatures to sear the outside and trap the juices and flavor inside. Steaks should almost always be cooked on a grill or in a pan on high heat: all cooking guidelines below are for one-inch thick steaks. Rest your steak for five minutes under aluminum foil before eating.

What herbs does Gordon Ramsay use for steak? ›

Add some butter, rosemary, thyme, and garlic cloves to the skillet, and let it all come together. Scoop some butter over the meat now and then. As the steak keeps cooking, it will absorb the flavors of the herbs and butter.

What herbs taste best on steak? ›

Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Sage, and Bay leaves are the best dried herbs to use when cooking beef. To use dried herbs with beef, you should consider which ones you want to include in your recipe and when you should add them.

Do you pan fry steak on high or low? ›

Cook to Your Desired Level of Doneness

To cook the steak to medium or well-done, start at medium-high for the first few minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking to your desired doneness.

Do you pan fry steak with or without lid? ›

Turn the heat to low-medium before placing the steak in the pan. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 4-6 minutes, or until the inside reaches your desired temperature with a meat thermometer. As usual, allow the steak to rest for 5 minutes out of the pan before serving.

How do you get a good sear on a pan fried steak? ›

Preheat the pan on medium and brush with oil. Using just 1/2 Tbsp oil reduces splatter. Sear steaks – add steaks and sear each side 3-4 minutes until a brown crust has formed then use tongs to turn steaks on their sides and sear edges (1 min per edge).

Do you put butter first or steak? ›

Sear first in oil and then add butter.

Starting the steak in a few tablespoons of vegetable oil gives it a nice initial crust. Waiting to add the butter until the steak has been seared for about 4 minutes helps prevent it from burning.

What do you put on steak before searing? ›

Pre-salting the meat seasons it fully and gives enough time for any juices drawn out by the salt to be re-absorbed, guaranteeing better browning later. Flipping the steaks back and forth as they cook maximizes browning while minimizing an overcooked layer under the surface.

How do you keep butter from burning when searing steak? ›

To prevent the butter from burning when searing steaks, make sure to use a moderate heat and keep a close eye on the butter as it melts and foams. Adding a small amount of oil to the butter can also help prevent it from burning.

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