This Oven Baked Steak recipe is so easy to pull off, and results in perfectly cooked steak. You only need a handful of simple ingredients to cook this, plus plenty of garlic butter to serve!
2beef steaks1 to 1.5 inches thick (see notes for best cuts)
salt and pepperto taste; use steak seasoning if you prefer
½tablespoonoila neutral vegetable oil works best
2tablespoonsunsalted butteror more to taste
garlic butter(optional to serve)
Instructions
30 minutes before cooking: Remove steaks from fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Unwrap and place on a plate, season generously, then leave on the counter until ready. Do not skip this step for best results.
Prep: Once ready to cook, heat oven to 400°F. Place a cast iron skillet (large enough to comfortably hold your steaks) over medium-high to high heat on your stove. Let it heat up for 3-5 minutes, until sizzling hot.
Sear first side: Carefully place oil in skillet (be mindful of possible splatters!), then add steaks and sear 60-90 seconds on first side. Gently touch steaks down a few times to make full contact with skillet - don't squash or smush steaks, just use fingertips and light pressure to hold steaks down. Steak should brown nicely with some caramelization.
Sear second side: Flip steak and sear 30-45 seconds on second side. Pull skillet from stovetop.
Finish in oven: Top steaks with butter, then place in hot oven until desired temperature is reached (about 4-12 minutes, depending on steak size and doneness; pull steak 5°F below desired internal temperature). I had a large 1.5-inch thick steak and baked it for just 5 minutes for medium-rare! Use a thermometer to correctly gauge doneness.
Broil? Feel free to quickly broil steaks for 15-20 seconds for a perfect finish. Remove steaks to a plate, tent with foil. Rest for 5-10 minutes, then serve. For best results, do not skip rest.
Notes
Internal temperature for steak:
Rare: 125°F (red with red juices)
Medium Rare: 130°F (deep pink with reddish juices)
Medium: 140°F (light pink with clearer juices)
Medium well: 150°F (slightly pink center with clear juices)
Well done: 160°F (fully cooked through, no longer pink at all)
Note: The USDA recommends an internal temperature of at least 145°F for beef, for safe consumption, followed by a 3 minute rest. See full chart. Choose an internal temperature you are personally comfortable with; I usually go for medium-rare to medium.Lots more tips and information in the post!Steak cuts: You can use pretty much any steak cut that cooks quickly. I used a bone-in sirloin steak. You can use boneless sirloin, top loin, New York Strip, Porterhouse, T-Bone, Ribeye... they are all great contenders here.Go for at least 1 inch thick, better 1.5 inches. I used one large steak when I took the photos to make things a bit easier on myself, but you can also do two smaller; just keep in mind that your skillet needs to be large enough to comfortably fit your meat and it also needs to fit in the oven.Slicing: Always slice against the grain, not with the grain. It's easier, looks neater and tastes better (granted, the tasting better part hasn't been scientifically proven... but I stand by my opinion ?).