How to Cook Steak, From Pan Searing and Broiling to Grilling

Even for experienced cooks, preparing a steak can be a daunting task. A high-quality steak is often an expensive cut of meat, and if you're cooking it for a special occasion or for company, you want to get it right. So what are the best ways to cook steak to perfection? While the answer isn't exactly straightforward, it isn't difficult, either. Before cooking even begins, there are important decisions to be made at the grocery store, and several ways to prep your steak ahead of time. 

Choosing Your Steak

"The first thing to [consider] when picking steak should be the doneness you're cooking your meat to," says Joshua Resnick, lead chef of culinary arts at the Institute of Culinary Education. "The more marbling your steak has, the juicier your steak will be, even if it's being cooked to a higher temperature." After that, Resnick says, it's about personal preference.  

Popular Steak Cuts and Their Characteristics

• Ribeye: A famously well-marbled steak, ribeyes cook wonderfully on the grill because of their high fat content.
• New York Strip: Found on one side of a T-bone, New York strips on their own do well grilled or pan-seared. Just be sure to pay some attention to the often thick fat cap that runs along its side, either by dedicating a few minutes of cook time just on that narrow side, or trimming it off entirely.
• Filet Mignon: Also referred to as the tenderloin, filets have very little fat content, so they are best cooked in a skillet. Basting in butter and herbs to finish is the best way to impart flavor to these delectable steaks.
• Skirt or Flank Steaks: While flank steaks are usually a bit thicker than skirt steaks, both of these cuts are relatively thin and need only a few minutes on a high heat source so that they don't overcook. They take well to marinades and are perfect for grilling. 
  

Preparing Steak for Cooking

Prepping a steak for cooking is quite simple. The first thing to consider is whether you will marinate the steak or not.

Marinating

When it comes to marinating and seasoning steaks, timing is an important consideration. "Because of their protein structure, steak can use a longer marinade time to fully penetrate," says Resnick. "Normally, steak can marinate for anywhere from four to 24 hours, depending on the size." Resnick recommends avoiding marinades that are too acidic, or at least allowing them to marinate briefly. "Overexposure to the acid can cause a steak to become mushy," he says.

How to Marinate

Place steaks and their marinades in a zip-top storage bag and press out the air; this is the best way to ensure the marinade is fully spread across the whole cut of meat. Allow the steak to lay flat in the fridge, and place the bag on a small baking sheet or large plate for insurance in case your bag leaks. 

Best Steak to Marinate

Whether or not you will marinate a steak can influence your purchase at the grocery store. "Grass-fed beef has a much richer, deeper flavor than non-grass-fed," says Resnick. "If I'm planning on marinating the meat, I'm not going to spend the money on the deeper flavor of grass-fed when I'm probably going to mostly taste the marinade." 

Seasoning Steak

The general consensus is that a great steak needs little more than salt and black pepper to bring out its natural flavors.

When to Season

Whereas it's best to marinate steaks at least a few hours before cooking, it's best to simply season a steak just a few minutes before you're ready to fire it off. Salt draws moisture from anything it touches, so any salt sitting on the surface of a steak for an extended period of time does just that, leaving your meat dry and tough. 

Cooking Steak

The most satisfying part of cooking steak is that you need little more than a pan or a grill and a pair of sturdy tongs to get the job done. The less fussing, the better—once you place a steak on a hot surface, you want to avoid prodding it and turning it, so that it can develop a great crust and char. 

The three most popular methods of cooking steak are pan searing, grilling, and broiling.

Pan Searing 

Pan searing is a great way to achieve a crust on steak. This is because of the flat, uniform surface of the skillet. When pan searing, you need to monitor the direct heat to prevent your steak from overcooking or burning.

Pan searing is a method that lends itself well to adding extra flavor, says Resnick. You can do this by basting your steak in the pan with butter. Once the steak is cooked and transferred to a board to rest, you can use the same pan to make a pan sauce (au poivre being a popular option). 

Recipes to Try:

• Seared Strip Steaks
• Pepper-Crusted Filet Mignon
  

Grilling 

Grilling is a great way to cook steaks for a large number of people. The hot grill lets fat render nicely and cleanup afterward is little to none. One downside is that "if you're doing the traditional cross hatching grill marks, or quadrillage, as the technique is called in French, you lose the opportunity to get the most amount of Maillard reaction on the outside of the meat," says Resnick. This sacrifices some flavor, but using high quality charcoal provides a distinctive flavor all on its own. 

Recipes to Try:

• Grilled Balsamic Flank Steak With Peppers and Onions
• Rosemary Grilled Rib-Eye Steak With Sweet Onions
  

Broiling 

A fairly retro method of preparing steak, broiling came into popularity in the 1950s. While lighting up the broiler is quick and relatively straightforward, keeping the cooking contained to the oven has its drawbacks. "This is the only method in which the chef doesn't have their eyes on the steak the whole time during the cooking process," says Resnick. This makes achieving desired doneness of steak more difficult to control.

Recipes to Try:

• Broiled Steak With Rice Salad
• Broiled Black Pepper Sirloin Steak

Resting Steak

Arguably the most important part of successfully cooking a steak happens after the flame has died down. Allowing your steak to rest means its juices are redistributing back into the meat. Slice a steak without allowing it to rest, and your cutting board, not your steak, will be the thing that's juicy. Patience is important here, but luckily it doesn't take long: Even five minutes makes all the difference—and you'll be glad you waited.