How to Cook Steak in a Pan

Being butchers, we tend to get asked this one a lot. In my opinion, one of the best ways to cook a steak at home is in a cast iron griddle pan or skillet.

Having said that, if you do not have either of those, a good frying pan will still give you excellent results. I personally like cooking on cast iron because I am a bit of a neanderthal and I like the way it sears the meat.

Anyway, we have put our heads together and come up with a simple guide, with cooking times, to help you cook a great steak at home.

How to cook steak in a pan

1. Take the steak out of the fridge first. Remove your steak from the packaging and take it out of the fridge around 1 hour before cooking. Cooking a fridge-cold steak can lead to uneven cooking.
2. Get the pan hot. Make sure your pan, griddle or skillet is very hot before the steak goes in. This helps you get that initial sear on the outside.
3. Season just before cooking. Season generously with salt, preferably sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper right before cooking. Do not leave the salt on for too long before the steak hits the pan.
4. Turn the steak once if you can. Be brave and turn your steak halfway through cooking. Use tongs rather than a fork, so you do not pierce the meat and lose those lovely juices.
5. Rest the steak. Remove the steak from the pan, place it on a warm plate, cover loosely with foil and leave it to rest before serving. A good rule of thumb is to rest the steak for roughly as long as you cooked it.
6. Check by touch if needed. You can test the resistance of your steak with the back of your tongs. A medium steak should feel slightly soft when pressed.

Steak cooking times in a pan

These timings are a guide only. The exact cooking time will depend on the thickness of the steak, the cut, the heat of your pan and how you like it cooked.

What is the best pan for steak?

A cast iron skillet or griddle pan is ideal because it holds heat well and helps you get a good sear on the steak.

That said, you do not need anything fancy to cook a good steak. A heavy frying pan that gets properly hot will still do the job. The most important thing is that the pan is hot before the steak goes in.

Should you oil the steak or the pan?

You can do either, but we usually prefer lightly oiling the steak rather than pouring lots of oil into the pan.

Rub the steak with a little oil, season just before cooking, then place it straight into the hot pan. This helps the steak make good contact with the surface of the pan.

Do you need to rest steak after pan frying?

Yes, resting your steak is important. It gives the meat time to relax and helps the juices redistribute through the steak.

We know it is hard, especially when you are hungry, but be patient here and you will be rewarded. It is all about those juices.

If you are still deciding which steak to cook, read our guide to sirloin vs ribeye, or learn more about sirloin steak.

FAQs

How long do you cook steak in a pan?

For a 2cm sirloin, rump or ribeye steak, a rough guide is 2½ minutes each side for rare, 4 minutes each side for medium, and 6 minutes each side for well done.

Should steak be cooked on high heat?

Yes, start with a very hot pan so the steak sears properly. If the pan is not hot enough, the steak can stew rather than sear.

Should you flip steak more than once?

We prefer turning steak once halfway through cooking to get a good sear. Some people flip more often, but the key is not to keep prodding, pressing or piercing the steak.

Do you put butter in the pan when cooking steak?

You can add butter near the end of cooking if you like, but avoid adding it too early over very high heat because it can burn. A little oil at the start is usually easier.

How do you know when steak is done?

You can judge steak by touch, by timing, or by using a meat thermometer. Touch and timing take practice, so a thermometer is useful if you want more accuracy.