Cast Iron Pan-Seared Steak with Garlic Butter
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Salt it early, sear it hard in smoking cast iron, then drop the heat and spoon garlic-thyme butter over the top like you mean it. Rest it eight minutes before you cut.
The short version
Salt the steaks at least 45 minutes ahead, sear them in a smoking-hot cast iron skillet 3 to 4 minutes a side, then drop the heat, add butter, garlic and thyme and baste for 2 minutes. Pull at 120 to 125°F for medium-rare, rest 8 minutes.
What makes ours better
small changes, very loud compliments
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Salt well ahead and dry the surface. Salt pulls moisture out, then draws it back in, and the steak ends up seasoned and dry on the outside. Dry meat browns instead of steaming.
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Sear in a very hot, dry-ish pan. A thin film of high-heat oil and a heavy preheated skillet give you the crust. Butter goes in later, because it burns at searing heat.
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Baste with garlic-thyme butter. Spooning foaming butter over the steak cooks it gently from the top while the herbs and garlic flavor it, and it becomes the pan sauce.
What you need
check the pantry before you promise anyone
- Boneless ribeye or strip steaks2 large
- Unsalted butter3 tablespoons
- Garlic3 cloves
- Fresh thyme or rosemary3 sprigs
read it twice. buy it once.
Steps
apron on. phone down. mostly.
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Salt and dry the steaks
Pat the steaks very dry with paper towels. Season all sides, including the edges, with the salt and pepper. Set on a rack over a plate and refrigerate uncovered for 45 minutes, or up to overnight. Take them out 20 minutes before cooking.
About 45 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Heat the skillet
Set a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, until a drop of water skitters and evaporates at once. Turn on the vent fan. Pat the steaks dry again, then add the oil to the pan and swirl. It should shimmer and just begin to smoke.
About 5 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Sear the first side
Lay the steaks in, away from you, and press each one flat for 10 seconds. Leave them alone for 3 to 4 minutes, until the underside is a deep brown crust and releases easily.
About 4 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Flip and sear
Turn the steaks over and cook for 2 minutes. Use tongs to stand each steak on its fat edge for about 30 seconds to render and brown it.
About 2 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Baste with butter
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the butter, garlic and thyme. When the butter foams, tilt the pan toward you and spoon it over the steaks for 2 to 3 minutes. Check the center with a thermometer. Medium-rare is 120°F to 125°F, and medium is 130°F.
The butter should foam, not smoke. If it darkens quickly, take the pan off the heat.
About 3 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Rest the steaks
Move the steaks to a cutting board and spoon the pan butter over them. Rest for 8 minutes. They'll rise another 5 degrees as they sit, and the juices stay in the meat.
About 8 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Slice and serve
Slice against the grain into ½-inch strips. Spoon any juices and butter over them and add a pinch of flaky salt.
Good to know
things I learned the hard way, so you can skip that part
- Thickness decides the time. A 1-inch steak needs about 2½ minutes per side; a 1½-inch steak 4 minutes per side, then check the temperature.
- Thinner than an inch? Skip the basting and just sear it hot and fast, 2 minutes a side.
- Pull temperatures before resting are 115°F for rare, 120 to 125°F for medium-rare and 130°F for medium. A thermometer through the side to the center beats poking the steak.
- Stainless or carbon steel skillets work. Nonstick skillets shouldn't be heated this high.
- Storage. Refrigerate leftover sliced steak for 3 days. Warm it briefly in a hot skillet with butter, or eat it cold on a salad or sandwich.
Questions, answered
asked and answered at the kitchen counter
How long do you cook a steak in a pan?
For a 1¼-inch ribeye, 3 to 4 minutes on the first side, 2 minutes on the second, then 2 to 3 minutes basting. Pull at 120 to 125°F for medium-rare.
Why is my steak gray instead of browned?
The pan wasn't hot enough, or the steak was wet or crowded. Dry the surface, preheat the skillet for 5 minutes, and cook in batches if the pan is crowded.
Should I use oil or butter to sear a steak?
Oil to sear, butter to baste. Butter burns at searing heat, but added after the crust forms and the heat is lowered, it gives you the flavor without the burn.
How long should steak rest?
About 8 minutes for a thick steak. Cutting too soon floods the board with juices that should stay in the meat.
Which cut is best for cast iron?
Ribeye and strip steak have the fat for a deep crust. Filet mignon works too, but lacks fat. Pick steaks at least 1¼ inches thick.
Can I cook the steak straight from the fridge?
Yes. A cold center helps you get a crust before the middle overcooks. Just make sure the surface is dry.
From the table
Made it? Tell me everything. Especially if somebody said it was better than their mother’s. I’ll keep your secret.
Made it?
tell me the truth, then tell me who had thirds
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Published October 28, 2026.