How to Finish Steak in the Oven

If you have ever wondered how chefs manage to make their steaks look and taste perfect, the oven is their secret. Steaks are seared on a stove first to make the outsides crisp. They are then put in the oven to cook to the proper doneness. Getting a steak to the proper temperature while maintaining a beautiful, brown sear may seem like an art, but it is an art you can do at home with attentiveness and a few tools.

Ingredients

1 steak about 1 in (2.5 cm) thick
1 US tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
2 teaspoons (11.38 g) salt
2 teaspoons (11.38 g) black pepper

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Preparing the Steak

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1
Pat the steak dry with paper towels. Take the meat out of the packaging, then use a couple of paper towels to blot out any moisture on the surface. Be sure to get both sides of the meat. Removing the moisture enables you to get a better sear on the steak.^{[1]XResearch source}
- Any leftover moisture turns to steam when the steak is heated, preventing it from cooking evenly.
2
Season both sides of the steak with salt and pepper. Coat the top end of the steak with about 1 teaspoon (5.69 g) each of salt and pepper. You can add more if you like. Spread the seasonings out over the entire steak, then flip it over and season the other side the same way.^{[2]XResearch source}
- Season the steak with salt only if you can wait 40 minutes or plan on cooking the steak right away. Adding the salt at the wrong time can prevent you from getting a good sear on the meat.
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3
Add other herbs and spices for additional flavor if desired. Combine different seasonings to create rubs and marinades. Garlic and onion powder are a few starter options to pair with salt and pepper. Spread rubs over the steak by hand and use a basting brush to help you coat it with a marinade.
- For Montreal steak seasoning, combine salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, red pepper flakes, thyme, dill, and coriander.^{[3]XResearch source}
- A Tex-Mex rub can be made by combining black pepper, ancho chili powder, cumin, paprika, mustard, coriander, oregano, and lime zest.^{[4]XResearch source}
- Combine Hoisin, sriracha, toasted sesame oil, garlic, scallions, and white vinegar for a spicy Asian-inspired marinade.^{[5]XResearch source}
4
Let the steak rest for about 30 minutes to reach room temperature. Letting the steak rest causes it to dry off and warm up a little. It then cooks more evenly, allowing you to create that kind of blissful, brown sear you would get at a restaurant. If you seasoned the steak with salt, consider giving it at least 40 minutes to rest so it reabsorbs any juices drawn out by the salt.^{[6]XResearch source}
- If the steak feels moist after you let it rest, pat it dry with paper towels before cooking it. This can happen when you don’t give it enough time to absorb the salt.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Searing the Steak

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1
Preheat the oven to 400 °F (204 °C). Turn on your oven and let it warm up as you finish preparing the steak. To cook steak a little faster, you can turn up the heat as high as 450 °F (232 °C).^{[7]XResearch source}
- If you want to, you can leave a skillet in the oven to heat up, then move it onto the stovetop when you’re ready to sear the steak.
2
Heat 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Pour the oil into an oven-safe pan such as a cast-iron skillet. Let the oil heat up on your stove until it begins to lightly smoke. You will need to get the steak in the pan right away before the oil begins to burn.^{[8]XResearch source}
- You can also sear the steak in butter. Butter begins smoking at a lower temperature than olive oil, so keep a close eye on it!
- Another way to sear the steak is to spray or rub it with oil, then drop it into a heated pan.
- An oven-safe pan doesn’t have a non-stick coating or rubber on the handle. If you don’t have a good pan, sear the steak in a regular frying pan, then transfer it to a baking tray.
3
Cook the meat for about 2 minutes on each side until it browns. Most cuts of steak will get a uniform, crisp brown very quickly, so keep your tongs on hand. Flip the steak over to the other side to brown it as well. The exact time this takes varies and depends on the size of your steak.^{[9]XResearch source}
- A thick 2 ¹⁄₂ in (6.4 cm) cut that weighs about 1 ¹⁄₂ lb (0.68 kg) can take up to 4 minutes per side to brown. Cooking thinner cuts this long will turn them into rubber, so keep an eye on your steak.
- The temperature of the pan, your stove, and the meat’s dryness can also affect the searing time.
- Searing the steak creates a Maillard reaction—this gives the meat a lot of flavor and creates a dark color on the outside of your steak.
4
Brown the edges of the steak for about 2 minutes. Lift the meat up with a pair of tongs and hold the side to the pan. Cook it until it is as brown as the top and bottom edges. Continue flipping and searing the steak until all the edges are brown.^{[10]XResearch source}
- The smaller sides may turn a crispy brown a lot faster than you expect. If they look done before 2 minutes are up, don’t wait to turn the steak over.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Cooking the Steak

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Your oven should be fully heated now. If you seared the steak in an oven-safe pan, slide it directly into the oven. Otherwise, move the steak and any juices onto an oven-safe surface such as a baking tray.^{[11]XResearch source}
2
Cook the steak between 5 and 15 minutes to the desired doneness. Steak is tricky since it doesn’t have a fixed cooking time. Instead, check your steak frequently to ensure it reaches the consistency you desire. Steak doneness is a personal preference and entirely up to you.^{[12]XResearch source}
- If you like your steak juicier and on the rare side, the cooking time will be closer to 5 minutes. If you like it a little drier and chewier, cooking may take between 10 and 15 minutes.
- The cooking time depends on your oven’s heat setting and the size of your meat. Be careful to avoid overcooking thinner cuts or smaller steaks.
3
Use a thermometer to test the steak’s temperature. Open the oven door and stick a meat thermometer in the center of the steak. You can judge the steak’s consistency by the internal temperature it reaches. However, you should always pull the steak out about 5 °F (−15 °C) before it reaches the final temperature you desire, since residual heat will continue cooking it.^{[13]XResearch source}
- For a rare consistency, take the steak out when it is around 125 °F (52 °C).
- To cook a medium rare steak, remove it from the oven when it reaches 130 °F (54 °C),
- Cook a medium steak to 140 °F (60 °C) before removing it from the oven.
- For a medium well consistency, remove the steak when it reaches 145 °F (63 °C).
- To cook a well done steak, leave it in the oven until it reaches 155 °F (68 °C).
Put on an oven mitt so you don’t burn your hands on the hot skillet. Then, lift the steak out of the pan and set it flat on the board or serving plate. Keep the steak in a safe spot on your countertop as it cools.
5
Rest the steak for about 5 minutes. When the steak is done, wait before slicing it. If you cut into it right away, all the juices will flow into a delicious puddle on your cutting board. Letting the steak rest first causes it to reabsorb those juices, leading to tastier, juicier meat.^{[14]XResearch source}
- You can loosely cover the steak in foil to keep it warm. This isn’t necessary, and some people don’t like how soft it can make the outer sear.^{[15]XResearch source}
- For extra flavoring, rub the steak with 1 tablespoon (14.18 g) of butter and add salt if you didn’t earlier.
6
Slice the steak across the grain to serve it. Look closely at the steak to see which way the muscle fibers are oriented. You should be able to see small lines running diagonally along the surface. Instead of cutting along these lines, cut through them.^{[16]XResearch source}
- The way you cut the meat matters. Your steak will taste much better if you cut across the grain. You’ve come this far, so you might as well put on the finishing touches.
7
Store leftover steak for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. To avoid bacterial growth, store steaks within 2 hours of cooking them. Put them in an airtight container or wrap them up in plastic or foil. Then, enjoy the leftovers before they begin looking slimy or smell rotten.^{[17]XResearch source}
- Cooked steak can be stored in a sealed container in the freezer. It will last about 3 months. After 3 months, the quality starts to degrade, so try to use it before then.

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Tips

New York strip steak and ribeye are a couple of popular cuts to finish in the oven, but you can also use T-bone or any other cuts.
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Steaks that are rare to medium rare may be soft and juicy, but some people prefer chewier medium well or well done steaks. You can also aim for a medium doneness to get the best of both worlds.
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Cooking time varies a lot with steaks. Be aware of the thickness of the cut and the heat setting you use to avoid letting the steak dry out.
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