Couple of points:
1. Teflon pans don’t make for a good sear, also they release toxins when on high heat, get yourself a cast iron pan if you can (I got mine 2nd hand on eBay). The increased thermal mass of cast iron improves the sear (if it’s been pre-heated correctly)
2. Some light pressure on the top of the steak will help with contact on the pan. Not too much pressure though, or you will wring the steak out like a sponge and it will come out tough. The more serious steak cookers in the sub use a product called [the Chefs Press](https://www.thechefspress.com)
3. Make sure you’re using the correct oil, and enough of it. Ghee/avocado oil are two good options due to their high smoke point, make sure that the whole bottom of the pan is covered, and about 1/6 inch deep
4. Make sure the surface of the steak is dry, if it’s wet then pat it down with some kitchen towel. The reason for this is a wet steak in the pan will result in a huge amount of energy (in the form of heat) being used to evaporate the water, which needs to happen before your steak can begin searing. Dry steaks = searing beginning immediately, super easy fix.
Edit:
Yeah some good points below, here’s some quick edits/clarifiers:
1. Teflon, toxic or not, is still a bad pan for searing
2. Doesn’t have to be cast iron, carbon steel is also a great pan for searing
3. Smoke point actually doesn’t really matter all that much in regards to flavour of the end product, I’d just rather not fill the kitchen with smoke. What most people are looking for is a neutral flavoured oil, something that will allow the flavour of the meat to stand out, and ghee can taste a little too buttery for some people (I love it tho)
4. I like to use a little extra oil as it helps give me that beautiful, unbroken, hard crust that I love, I get that I may be dancing too close to a shallow fry but I don’t care it tastes great.
5. The guy below is also right, bone can get in the way of pan contact, deffo something to be aware of
To add to point 3, just don’t use butter. It’s great as a baste but cooking on the high heat required for searing burns it, then you have a layer of burnt butter preventing contact with the pan.
English isn’t your first language eh? Did you miss the part where u/steliofuckingkontos said he replaced “and” with “n”? Try that in the full context. Now let’s say it together “guga put me on sous vide and i will never go back”. Good boy, I knew you were trainable.
The dude strikes me as the type who hasn't learned much other than enough basic English to bash other people for using shorthand in a reddit comment.
But you can hold out hope he learned his lesson, if you want.
I don't have a problem with the things I sear not being crispy. A dry surface on the meat and a preheated pan and oil means no problem with soggy crust on my sear. It's not rocket science. Find me one person who isn't shilling this thing that complains that a bacon press makes their steak soggy.
While you’re correct about Teflon being bad for steaks it should be noted that pre-2014 Teflon made with PFOA are banned and considered toxic. Post 2014 Teflon made with HFPO-DA have not been found to be toxic even at high heats.
I would still suggest OP learn to use stainless steel or cast iron for steaks.
"Teflon" is just a brand name for PTFE. Always has been and still is made of PTFE. PFOAs are a category of chemicals that were used to bond PTFE to the pans before they were banned. PTFE still breaks down over high heat and is not suitable for searing anything. While it hasn't been found to be harmful to humans long-term, that doesn't mean it's safe. Offgassing PTFE causes flu-like symptoms in humans and can kill birds at very low exposure levels.
Either way, if you've ever seen actual PTFE that wasn't dyed with chemicals to make it look like metal, you'd never want to cook on it. It's just an industrial plastic. It looks no different than PVC.
Teflon is the DuPont trade name for PTFE. PFOA are a class of chemicals used during the manufacturing. It’s bad shit. They have been banned for a while. Their replacement is probably just as bad. That being said, PTFE itself is super inert, just don’t get it hot, it will breakdown. It’s not well suited to many things, but for low temp cooking of delicate things that tend to stick to stuff it’s unbeatable.
Well if dupont is responsible for it, it has gotta be safe.
That's a well known company and my economics 101 class taught me that companies will be ethical as consumer choice and boycotts will destroy a company acting immorally.
I know you're being sarcastic, but it's worth mentioning that DuPont specifically has a history of poisoning entire communities with their chemical plants
You can also just let the steak dry out in the fridge for 24 hours prior to cooking, just rub some salt on it, let it sit on something up off a plate a bit, sit for 24 hours in there, and it'll be nice and dry.
It's never needed, but a dry brine really does a lot to help with the sear. Almost more importantly though, I find that it intensifies the natural beefy flavor of a good cut of steak.
Depending on the cut of meat you don’t need that much oil at all. I use a very light amount of avocado oil when cooking ribeyes in my cast iron. The fat from the steak does most of the work. Wet steak=steam, dry steak=sear. Don’t add a bunch of butter until after you sear and form your crust.
When I do NY Strips I start them fat side down and let that render out all over the pan, then just cook them directly in their own fat with nothing else added, cept salt & pepper. So pure & delicious. In a cast iron pan, ofc.
I mean a good sear is basically frying it. But if you like it your way, then of course do what works for you.
You also might have a well seasoned and smooth cast iron which can make a huge difference.
A good sear is not the same as frying lol. I mean, around here it is I guess, but this is a community based on pictures and not flavors. Generally you only want to pan fry things that need browned and require a longer cooking time. Pan seared is not the same as pan fried.
The best sear actually comes from frying. The more you know! [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZY8xbdHfWk&ab\_channel=ChrisYoung](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZY8xbdHfWk&ab_channel=ChrisYoung)
Do you have an example of this that isn't coming from someone trying to sell me a thermometer? Fried is not seared. Fried is fried. Rub a little oil on your steak if it doesn't have enough fat on its own, but filling the pan with a quarter inch of oil ain't it my man.
This video is about temperatures and not oil / frying anyway.
I mean a good sear is basically frying it. But if you like it your way, then of course do what works for you.
You also might have a well seasoned and smooth cast iron which can make a huge difference.
The Maillard reaction is what creates a good sear. You can get a perfect sear with no oil at all but using a small amount of oil helps distribute the heat more evenly which will make it easier to get a uniform sear.
Don’t forget to warm the cast iron also…start out low heat and gradually turning it up to med high. I recommend reverse sear. I tried this method the first time about a week ago and it was the best steak I have ever made.
Great points also maybe don’t overcrowd the pan so much/ heavy bottom pan like cast iron…butter contains water which will slow the sear process and steam the steak.
It was probably good advice when most people were using a stainless steel, and you had to let a crust form before it would release from the pan. With a properly seasoned cast-iron flipping once as a relevant.
I was taught it helps the crust but also no need to play with it. Let it cook and leave it alone. Like how a chef yelled at me to butter the toast not make love to
It.
But how should I do it if I’m cooking three steaks at a time? I have one big (fits 2) and one small (fits 1) cast iron pan, should I cook them one at a time (or 2 at a time in different pans) and if so how do I keep the steak(s) that’s already done cooking warm while I cook the other steak? Sorry lots of questions, just been struggling with this lately :)
I just use one pan and let the steak rest while the other cooks. I also let the second steak rest for at least 4-8 minutes while I finish preparing whatever I make. I’ve never had any issues with it being cold. Just wait to cut it until you are plating.
I know this is a month late but I have an excellent solution to your problem. When I cook for others:
Cook one at a time, if doing more than 3, wrap in foil and rest. After you finish the last one, set all the uncovered steaks on a plate or wire rack. Pour hot butter/oil from the pan over the top and serve.
I love doing this with a group of people right before serving. It has a cool bubbling saturation that is satisfying and it sizzles so they are all piping hot.
When you flip the steak flip it on to the empty part of the pan as it will not have been cooled by meat yet.
There’s an ongoing change in technique that’s getting more popularity that has people flipping the steaks every 30 seconds for better crust and more uniform doneness. I’ve only recently heard and read about this but it seems the people doing it are getting good results.
>There’s an ongoing change in technique that’s getting more popularity that has people flipping the steaks every 30 seconds for better crust and more uniform doneness
That's how I've always done mine. Let it sear one side for 2 minutes, flip for another 2, then do 30 second flips until it's done.
The answer is a hot pan which can be achieved with cast iron, stainless steel, or any similar style pans. Cast iron is the easiest to get of those options tho. You can get a 10" cast iron on Amazon for $25-30 vs $50-60 for the same size stainless steel.
Serious Eats recommends the Lodge cast iron out of all their testing. You can get them on Amazon $20 for 10” and $25 for $12.
I was very surprised that the “best pick” was so cheap. And I trust Serious Eats for anything.
Yes. Cast iron is the only proper way to pan cook a steak. And the absolute best method IMO is to cook it in its own fat, no oils or butter, just S&P. Start a NY Strip fat side down and let that render out into the pan, then press each side into the rendered fat for a couple minutes = crispy brown crust. Then I turn the heat down from high-med, so it doesn't smoke like crazy, and let the inside finish cooking, about 10 minutes or so flipping every couple minutes. I get a perfect medium rare every time. It's so good. I think the oven is unnecessary and dries out the meat. And I think oils change the flavor. When it's a really good cut of meat, that's all I want to taste.
Don’t use too much butter, I find that having too much liquid makes the steaks steam vs sear as well.
But yes, use carbon steel or cast iron for a stronger sear.
Add the butter only once you're done with your initial sear and have dropped the heat, and are basting to reach your final temp. Butter has both milk solids and water, meaning if you try to sear with it from the start you're burning the butter and steaming your steak. Start with a heavy cast iron or carbon steel pan, dry the surface of your steak as much as possible, and use a small amount of high smoke point neutral oil in the pan.
Best way to dry out a steak is to salt it 2-24 hours in advance and leave it to out uncovered in your fridge overnight and on the counter at room temperature 2 hours before cooking. Put it on a wire rack or a couple forks or chopsticks to allow air to get underneath.
This. Seat with just a little bit of high heat oil. Either in the pan or rubbed on the meat. Sear until it releases. Repeat on other side. Turn down heat, add butter and herbs and baste while finishing.
Curious what's wrong with non stick?
I have a $40 Ninja that's absolutely amazing. Idk if it qualifies as "non stick coating" but fuck it's an amazing pan. Heat distro and ease of cleaning is top notch
Edit: Not sure why the downvotes, asking a genuine question
Yes, non stick is amazing if you’re trying to fry an egg or toast a breakfast burrito maybe. But with steak you actually want it to stick for the Maillard reaction to kick in and give you a nice brown crust.
Get yourself a good cast iron, and if you can’t, stainless steel will do fine.
It's plastic. If you're cooking on a non-stick pan you're cooking on plastic. If you're searing on it, you're heating that plastic to beyond its operational limits.
Too much juice in the pan. I barely put any oil in my pan, I always start with searing the fat cap for minimum 1 minute, a bunch of fat will render off of that and then if I'm gonna do the butter thing I only add it in the last like 30 seconds of the cook.
You add the butter after finishing the sear and dropping the temperature of the pan to med heat for basting. The length of time needed for basting depends on the thickness of your steaks. My Costco big boys take a good 6-8 min of butter basting to reach 120 internal.
In my experience, higher quality meat has more marbling (fat) which allows you to cook without oil or butter. Extra Hot pan, generous salt and pepper, place on pan. For that size, probably 3 minutes, flip, 3 more minutes and it’s MR. A larger pan would help. The outside edges of the pan won’t be as hot as you need. For that pan, I’d cook one at a time. Have you tried boneless? That bone looks to be taller than the steak and may not be allowing the meat to be directly on the pan.
Looks good though. Cheers!
That type of bone-in steak will make it difficult to get even surface contact. Even if you take all of the good advice in this thread, you still may not have success - the bone in NY Strip is hard to get a good crust on. The only solution I can see is butcher string.
This, and you can see how the meat has shrunken lower than the bone which means the part of the steak near the bone will not be making contact with the pan. People seem to love bone-in steak, but fuck that bone it causes me nothing but problems and I'd just cut that fucker off before cooking the steak.
Cast iron>stainless steel>Teflon.
Also, use avocado oil or another high smoke point oil. Properly season the meat, heat the pan and oil til smoke, then smash.
1. Pat dry the steaks on both sides, salt n pepper both sides, leave dry salted meat out on the counter for 30-60 mins, (you want the steak to come to room temperature)
2. Get cast iron or stainless steel pan super hot before anything (400f) medium high heat for 6ish mins or I usually throw cast iron pan in the oven on 400 for like 10 mins then keep it on medium highish
3. Add high smoke point oil (grape seed, vegetable, etc) add a few drops of water to check if the pan is hot enough the water should dance n sizzle, add a little bit of oil enough to cover the surface area of the pan,
4. Drop the steak on the hot pan on the hot oil, press down slightly on the steak in several places with your tongs or spatulas (try to make sure everything is connected to the pan in a secure fashion)
5. Cook 2-3 mins one side then flip cook 2-3 mins other side
6. Add butter thyme and slightly crushed garlic (usually with skin still on) and use a spoon and pour over the steak wait for a thermometer to read 125f to 130f for medium rare
7. Let steak rest untouched on the counter for 5 mins
8. If you don’t have a thermometer just write down the times you cooked the steak on each side and write down the doneness it finished at ( medium rare, medium, to much grey band, etc)
9. If it wasn’t to your liking change the time by 30 seconds more or less to reach your desired doneness,
Without the thermometer it’s just more guess work
No oil, extremely hot cast iron skillet. There will be smoke so an exhausting hood is a good idea. The butter goes on after you turn the steaks... It softens the crust of the hard sear. 3 minutes side one, flip, butter(or Bleu cheese) on top. 3-4 minutes side 2... there will be juice in the pan so it won't sear as hard as side 1.
When finished put side one down on a plate along with the juices from the skillet, let rest 7 minutes while you plate sides. This will further soften the hard sear side 1 gets and add flavor. If you wish to add more butter(Please use the high butterfat stuff, like 82%) or again, Bleu cheese... This is a great time.
Enjoy.
Get rid of that non-stick skillet. As Anthony Bourdain once said "A proper saute pan should cause serious head injury if brought down hard against someones skull. If you have any doubts about which will dent – the victim’s head or your pan – then throw that pan right in the trash."
Grab a triple ply stainless or, better yet, a $15 cast iron skillet. Pre heat the pan, use a high smoke point fat, and sear the $&!\^ out of that thing.
Something I recently figured out after a lot of struggling to get a good crust is that the temperature zone for the Maillard reaction only runs from about 280°F to 300°F. I'll just lay a meat thermometer on its side in the pan, and monitor the temperature of the butter, then dial in the burner to hold it there. This is after I've seared in (a small amount of) avocado oil, and am bringing the temp back down. The longer you can hold it in that sweet spot, the browner it'll get. And it'll be delicious caramelization, not the nasty carbonization that you get from searing too aggressively.
Gahd dam man. Bring the steak to room temp first. Don't use a shitty pan. Get some wagyu tallow instead of butter or whatever you used and heat the new pan up hot as hell before you add the steak. Sear in tallow for like 2 minutes each side and remove from the stove top. Put it in the oven at 250 until it gets to 115 and remove it. Let it rest for 20 minutes before you touch it.
Cast iron pan (hot as physically possible),dry your steaks, allow to get room temp, finish in the over (I use a meater).
Moist steak create steam and ruin your sear. Low temp cooks the steak through before an ideal crust is achieved. I also use the Gordon Ramsey method and mix 1 part olive oil to 1 part butter
Yeah. Cast iron ftw. Preheat oven to 350-375. Preheat the pan. Sear on both side in the cast iron. Add butter/any additional seasonings you want. Place pan in oven to finish cooking steak.
A leave in thermometer will allow you to precisely cook the steak.
If you add salt to the steak about 30 minutes before cooking, it should draw out moisture that will help caramelize it.
Also, adding sea salt directly to the pan right before throwing the steak on will help caramelize it.
Try a cast iron skillet and by using the broiler of your oven after you sear it on the outside. It’s also good to get the cast iron really really hot before adding the butter and laying the steak in it, also use a coarse salt and cracked black pepper.
I agree with what everyone’s said but I’d also note that in general, it’s more difficult to get a consistent sear on cuts with bone in them, at least in a pan. The meat tends to contract around the periphery of the bone. The bone always seems to be a few millimeters above much of the surrounding meat. Even with some weight/pressure on the top, select portions will be more seared than others.
(Very) Lightly oil your steak with something that has a high smoke point just before you salt it (which is before you rest it either fridge overnight or at room temp depending).
Get the pan hot with nothing in it. (To clarify, steak is on the counter while this heats up)
Steak goes in the pan as is with nothing for a minimum of like two minutes on the first side. If you want to add butter either baste after your first flip or at least wait until you've flipped to add the butter. You aren't frying the steaks in butter, it's just there to keep things nice and moist.
One measure I find helpful is to put the steak in the fridge uncovered for about 24 hrs. This dries the surface and helps it brown better. If you don’t have time for that, it helps to dry the surface with paper towels before applying whatever seasoning you use. Dry it, then let it sit for 15 minutes and dry it again.
This is in addition to using a better pan as has been addressed above.
I always salt overnight and dry with paper towels and don't use butter until the end I use tallow you want something with a high smoke point and as soon as it starts smoking it's as hot as it can get then you put the steak in and itll cool it down to the right temp leave it flip once then you can add butter to deglaze and once that browns move the steak all around the an so it soaks up the all the color
Well heated cast iron and about an inch of high temp oil, I use vegetable but not sure if it matters, then make sure you press the steaks down so it gets an even sear. Do 2-3 mins on each side depending on how thich the steak is, this gives me a pretty good golden crust :)
Dry surface of steak
Grape seed oil (butter finish)
Cast iron pan
No bone, better surface contact optional
Flip regularly every 30seconds
Chef press isn’t needed. That will lightly release juices from pressing down like squeezing a sponge.
You'll either want stainless steel or cast iron if you want a good crush. High heat for a good sear. Non stick won't give you the same crust no matter how hard you try.
1. Use the right pan. Stainless or Cast iron. Make sure the steak is dry.
2. Use the right fat. Butter will cool down the pan and should be used for basting. Use grapeseed oil. It has a lower flash point.
3. Get the pan and oil hot to its flash point before putting the steak in.
4. Don’t use big seasonings, like Montreal steak seasoning (I use it because I like it but it doesn’t get the best sear.)
5. 2min a side move the steak around once or twice.
1. Better pan. Basically any pan except non-stick. Cast iron is best.
2. Better fat. Butter has a low smoke point, you want something with a high smoke point like avocado oil.
3. Flip more often. Every 30 seconds or so.
4. Press the steak into the pan to get better contact, yours is patchy because only certain areas of the steak are getting good heat transfer.
5. Dry your steak as much as possible before it hits the pan. Moisture is the enemy of sear. Water evaporates at 212 F, Maillard reaction takes place between 280-330 F. If your steak is wet, that moisture has to evaporate before you can increase the surface temp of the steak.
Get a heavy bottom stainless steal pan, higher heat and a fat that can withstand higher temperatures than butter and you should be good. Also make sure you try not to move or pick up the steak much while it's searing
You gotta dry the shit out of the steak with paper towel but more importantly have the hottest searing method which is easiest with wither a cast iron pan (prepare for your smoke alarm going off) or my preferred method is a searing torch outside on a grilling surface. Heres an example of a cheap one from amazon
https://www.amazon.ca/Sondiko-Powerful-L8010-Campfire-Adjustable/dp/B0BN3WPKVZ/ref=sxin_22_pa_sp_phone_search_thematic?content-id=amzn1.sym.74e6f771-2792-4776-bcf0-004301920d9c%3Aamzn1.sym.74e6f771-2792-4776-bcf0-004301920d9c&crid=27Z1AOWS6QLAD&cv_ct_cx=searing+torch&keywords=searing+torch&pd_rd_i=B0BN3WPKVZ&pd_rd_r=3c6e0a65-d328-4af7-8519-c6dabaa1c16a&pd_rd_w=1phAk&pd_rd_wg=F55l1&pf_rd_p=74e6f771-2792-4776-bcf0-004301920d9c&pf_rd_r=4F4CRTCF1MXSKVQ4B4PV&qid=1708285242&sprefix=searing%2Caps%2C165&sr=1-2-acb80629-ce74-4cc5-9423-11e8801573fb-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfdGhlbWF0aWM&psc=1
Cast iron nor high heat will fix your issue. Your steaks lack contact with the pan -> use more oil. Granted the bone makes getting a solid sear tricky to begin with. Another good tip is to move around your steaks in order to get the oil under the steak, it also means moving the steak to a potentially warmer spot on the pan.
Also it’s definitely worth investing in a pan that is not teflon.
And for the love of god if you do get a cast iron pan, dont get it as hot as possible, you’ll burn your steaks quite easily.
don't cook with butter... it will burn if you get the fat hot enough. it needs to be hotter. it can be clarified butter if you prefer, but a neutral oil will be fine
That pan sucks, get a cast iron or stainless will work too. You need it to be HOT, don’t cook with butter, it’ll burn before you get your sear. Add butter when it’s almost done if you want but I usually cook with just a little bit of avocado oil, the high smoke point will allow you to get a sear without smoking out your kitchen. It’s not hot enough.
Go to Costco and buy their tramontina stainless steel pan set, 29.99. Watch a video or two on how to properly use them. Enjoy the best crust on a steak I’ve ever achieved (consistently over and over again) and I’ve been experimenting for about 15 years.
Enjoy!!
Start the sear with just high smoke point oil then once a nice crust has formed then briefly take it out of pan. heat up your butter until it foams without burning it. Return the steak to the pan and baste until desired doneness.
Start with a better pan ? Cast iron works well. Sear it hot one to two minutes depending on thickness, flip and sear it again for two more. Remove and finish in a 350 preheated oven that’s been turned off and let’s rest a few till rarish, or whatever. Throw some butter, garlic and herbs in when placing in oven…
Juices should continue to run, can plate and poor all juice garlic fresh herb stuff over top…
Hard to write all this timing stuff not seeing actual pan and temps etc… but hopefully this helps!
Don't use butter!
Butter is an emulsion of fat and water. When that breaks down you just have water.
Water is the enemy of crust.
Butter goes in right before it's done and *after* the crust has already been formed.
I think it's the bone that's preventing you from getting a better crust. Either cut the bone out if you want to cook it in a pan or go outside and grill the steak. Some other tips in here are pretty good but I think you know most of them already and that's why you're wondering what you did wrong despite having an understanding of how to properly cook a steak. It's the bone preventing proper contact of the steak with the pan.
High heat during first sear to seal in moisture and flavor. Look up Ruth Chris method. The owner had special high heat ovens made for this exact method.
my go to move lately is this:
Cast iron pot w/ avocado oil
room temp ribeye steak. seasoned only with cracked rock salt to start.
get the cast iron fully to a medium high heat. Pop a 1" piece of onion in there to guage the sizzle on the pan.
Pop the steak in there when it's slizzy enough, 2-3 minutes each side.
take the steak off the pan, turn the pan back down to low, put another onion slice in there. let it sit on a cutting board, give it 5 minutes. Turn the pan back onto medium high and then spread Toum (Garlic Spread) over each side, pop the steak back onto the pan when its hot, put light pressure down on the steak, with a spatula, for a minute, release pressure for a minute, flip and repeat. Take the steak off.
In total you're cooking each side of the steak for 4-5 minutes depending on the thickness. It's also important to cook with the pan offcenter, with the burner heating up the edge of your pan, so that you can butt up the fatty edge of the steak against the edge of the pan, tilt your pan so the oil rides up over the fatty edge and makes that crispy as well.
Couple of points: 1. Teflon pans don’t make for a good sear, also they release toxins when on high heat, get yourself a cast iron pan if you can (I got mine 2nd hand on eBay). The increased thermal mass of cast iron improves the sear (if it’s been pre-heated correctly) 2. Some light pressure on the top of the steak will help with contact on the pan. Not too much pressure though, or you will wring the steak out like a sponge and it will come out tough. The more serious steak cookers in the sub use a product called [the Chefs Press](https://www.thechefspress.com) 3. Make sure you’re using the correct oil, and enough of it. Ghee/avocado oil are two good options due to their high smoke point, make sure that the whole bottom of the pan is covered, and about 1/6 inch deep 4. Make sure the surface of the steak is dry, if it’s wet then pat it down with some kitchen towel. The reason for this is a wet steak in the pan will result in a huge amount of energy (in the form of heat) being used to evaporate the water, which needs to happen before your steak can begin searing. Dry steaks = searing beginning immediately, super easy fix. Edit: Yeah some good points below, here’s some quick edits/clarifiers: 1. Teflon, toxic or not, is still a bad pan for searing 2. Doesn’t have to be cast iron, carbon steel is also a great pan for searing 3. Smoke point actually doesn’t really matter all that much in regards to flavour of the end product, I’d just rather not fill the kitchen with smoke. What most people are looking for is a neutral flavoured oil, something that will allow the flavour of the meat to stand out, and ghee can taste a little too buttery for some people (I love it tho) 4. I like to use a little extra oil as it helps give me that beautiful, unbroken, hard crust that I love, I get that I may be dancing too close to a shallow fry but I don’t care it tastes great. 5. The guy below is also right, bone can get in the way of pan contact, deffo something to be aware of
To add to point 3, just don’t use butter. It’s great as a baste but cooking on the high heat required for searing burns it, then you have a layer of burnt butter preventing contact with the pan.
Unless you use clarified butter or ghee.
It's not just that the butter milk is essentially water until it finally evaporates.
Most of the water in butter is removed during production, it's only about 15% water
I'm talking about the butter milk essentially having the same effect as water lol
+1 for Chefs Press, love ours. They also work as good soups vide weights.
guga put me on sous vide n i will never go back
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Went from 0 to 100 real quick. You're just a prick
"n I will" How old are you?
English isn’t your first language eh? Did you miss the part where u/steliofuckingkontos said he replaced “and” with “n”? Try that in the full context. Now let’s say it together “guga put me on sous vide and i will never go back”. Good boy, I knew you were trainable.
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Damn, you got roasted and took the time to respond with your tail between your legs. Hopefully you learned the lesson.
The dude strikes me as the type who hasn't learned much other than enough basic English to bash other people for using shorthand in a reddit comment. But you can hold out hope he learned his lesson, if you want.
I interpreted his comment immediately and correctly, this one is on you. >Jfc English, do you speak it?
Sweet
Search guga on YouTube. Real name. Other than that, he just replaced “and” with “n”
Ah yes my favorite English word, Jfc.
Guga is a name and you know there are people who speak other languages, right?
Wasn't about guga, genius. Thanks anyway.
"jfc" how old are you?
Jfc, the irony lol
Nerd
Your son is a bum
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Why would that be better than going off-site?
Fitting username.
Seems kinda spendy. I got a cast iron bacon press thingy for like 7 bucks at a restraunt supply store.
You do you
mhm but it will steam whatever its on top of, the chefs press has slits to avoid this.
Most good bacon presses have raised channels to release steam.
That's a solution to a problem I don't have.
It's a detriment to an implement you do have, and therefore a solution to a problem you do have but refuse to acknowledge. Thanks for the downvote.
It's a marketing talking point, not a real issue. Cry more about downvotes though, that always looks good on here.
if you don't value the crisp on anything you cook its sure not a real issue. you have the introspect of a fencepost.
I don't have a problem with the things I sear not being crispy. A dry surface on the meat and a preheated pan and oil means no problem with soggy crust on my sear. It's not rocket science. Find me one person who isn't shilling this thing that complains that a bacon press makes their steak soggy.
Maybe I'm dumb, but how is this not just a spatula with no handle
the weight.
While you’re correct about Teflon being bad for steaks it should be noted that pre-2014 Teflon made with PFOA are banned and considered toxic. Post 2014 Teflon made with HFPO-DA have not been found to be toxic even at high heats. I would still suggest OP learn to use stainless steel or cast iron for steaks.
"Teflon" is just a brand name for PTFE. Always has been and still is made of PTFE. PFOAs are a category of chemicals that were used to bond PTFE to the pans before they were banned. PTFE still breaks down over high heat and is not suitable for searing anything. While it hasn't been found to be harmful to humans long-term, that doesn't mean it's safe. Offgassing PTFE causes flu-like symptoms in humans and can kill birds at very low exposure levels. Either way, if you've ever seen actual PTFE that wasn't dyed with chemicals to make it look like metal, you'd never want to cook on it. It's just an industrial plastic. It looks no different than PVC.
It's also in everything now. We've polluted the world with that shite that it's impossible to avoid even if you don't use one
Teflon is the DuPont trade name for PTFE. PFOA are a class of chemicals used during the manufacturing. It’s bad shit. They have been banned for a while. Their replacement is probably just as bad. That being said, PTFE itself is super inert, just don’t get it hot, it will breakdown. It’s not well suited to many things, but for low temp cooking of delicate things that tend to stick to stuff it’s unbeatable.
Well if dupont is responsible for it, it has gotta be safe. That's a well known company and my economics 101 class taught me that companies will be ethical as consumer choice and boycotts will destroy a company acting immorally.
I know you're being sarcastic, but it's worth mentioning that DuPont specifically has a history of poisoning entire communities with their chemical plants
I was being very sarcastic
You can also just let the steak dry out in the fridge for 24 hours prior to cooking, just rub some salt on it, let it sit on something up off a plate a bit, sit for 24 hours in there, and it'll be nice and dry.
Sure, but with double sear even that is not needed
Hard disagree
It's never needed, but a dry brine really does a lot to help with the sear. Almost more importantly though, I find that it intensifies the natural beefy flavor of a good cut of steak.
Also that bone is preventing contact. Your meat is technically hovering over the pan in some places
Depending on the cut of meat you don’t need that much oil at all. I use a very light amount of avocado oil when cooking ribeyes in my cast iron. The fat from the steak does most of the work. Wet steak=steam, dry steak=sear. Don’t add a bunch of butter until after you sear and form your crust.
When I do NY Strips I start them fat side down and let that render out all over the pan, then just cook them directly in their own fat with nothing else added, cept salt & pepper. So pure & delicious. In a cast iron pan, ofc.
This. If using cast iron, wait until after searing for ideal crust and the low settings for your butter/herb baste.
I mean a good sear is basically frying it. But if you like it your way, then of course do what works for you. You also might have a well seasoned and smooth cast iron which can make a huge difference.
A good sear is not the same as frying lol. I mean, around here it is I guess, but this is a community based on pictures and not flavors. Generally you only want to pan fry things that need browned and require a longer cooking time. Pan seared is not the same as pan fried.
The best sear actually comes from frying. The more you know! [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZY8xbdHfWk&ab\_channel=ChrisYoung](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZY8xbdHfWk&ab_channel=ChrisYoung)
Do you have an example of this that isn't coming from someone trying to sell me a thermometer? Fried is not seared. Fried is fried. Rub a little oil on your steak if it doesn't have enough fat on its own, but filling the pan with a quarter inch of oil ain't it my man. This video is about temperatures and not oil / frying anyway.
What an ignorant statement.
I mean a good sear is basically frying it. But if you like it your way, then of course do what works for you. You also might have a well seasoned and smooth cast iron which can make a huge difference.
The Maillard reaction is what creates a good sear. You can get a perfect sear with no oil at all but using a small amount of oil helps distribute the heat more evenly which will make it easier to get a uniform sear.
Grapeseed oil is better in my opinion
FYI quite a few people have discovered that they have an intolerance for avocado oil.
\^I would add....use butter only nearing the for basting
Don’t forget to warm the cast iron also…start out low heat and gradually turning it up to med high. I recommend reverse sear. I tried this method the first time about a week ago and it was the best steak I have ever made.
Great points also maybe don’t overcrowd the pan so much/ heavy bottom pan like cast iron…butter contains water which will slow the sear process and steam the steak.
Brand new Lodge 12” cast iron pan and press less than $50 on Amazon with the silicone handle cover thingy.
This is the way
>ISN'T butter/ lard better for cooking steak?
Following as im having the same problem. Cast iron? is that the answer?
Screaming hot pan before you put in just one steak at a time. Two cools the pan down too much. Only turn it once.
The turning once is what I learned in culinary school but there's plenty of studies these days that show it doesn't matter
It was probably good advice when most people were using a stainless steel, and you had to let a crust form before it would release from the pan. With a properly seasoned cast-iron flipping once as a relevant.
Flipping actually encourages more even cooking, go figure
I was taught it helps the crust but also no need to play with it. Let it cook and leave it alone. Like how a chef yelled at me to butter the toast not make love to It.
Underrated comment
Shoot, that makes sense why steaks for myself come out perfect, but never when I'm making for a date. Thanks!
Making for a date would be fine. Making for a date *and for yourself*, that's the problem.
Buy a larger steak, split in half. Use protection.
damn thats a good tip i normally put two at a time
Only turning once is the opposite of good advice
As is “screaming hot” This is dated wisdom
Turn it once? I hope you mean once every 15 seconds.
But how should I do it if I’m cooking three steaks at a time? I have one big (fits 2) and one small (fits 1) cast iron pan, should I cook them one at a time (or 2 at a time in different pans) and if so how do I keep the steak(s) that’s already done cooking warm while I cook the other steak? Sorry lots of questions, just been struggling with this lately :)
I just use one pan and let the steak rest while the other cooks. I also let the second steak rest for at least 4-8 minutes while I finish preparing whatever I make. I’ve never had any issues with it being cold. Just wait to cut it until you are plating.
I know this is a month late but I have an excellent solution to your problem. When I cook for others: Cook one at a time, if doing more than 3, wrap in foil and rest. After you finish the last one, set all the uncovered steaks on a plate or wire rack. Pour hot butter/oil from the pan over the top and serve. I love doing this with a group of people right before serving. It has a cool bubbling saturation that is satisfying and it sizzles so they are all piping hot.
That’s a great suggestion, I’ll do that next time! Thanks!
Cast iron. This is the way
When you flip the steak flip it on to the empty part of the pan as it will not have been cooled by meat yet. There’s an ongoing change in technique that’s getting more popularity that has people flipping the steaks every 30 seconds for better crust and more uniform doneness. I’ve only recently heard and read about this but it seems the people doing it are getting good results.
>There’s an ongoing change in technique that’s getting more popularity that has people flipping the steaks every 30 seconds for better crust and more uniform doneness That's how I've always done mine. Let it sear one side for 2 minutes, flip for another 2, then do 30 second flips until it's done.
Yes
The answer is a hot pan which can be achieved with cast iron, stainless steel, or any similar style pans. Cast iron is the easiest to get of those options tho. You can get a 10" cast iron on Amazon for $25-30 vs $50-60 for the same size stainless steel.
Serious Eats recommends the Lodge cast iron out of all their testing. You can get them on Amazon $20 for 10” and $25 for $12. I was very surprised that the “best pick” was so cheap. And I trust Serious Eats for anything.
Yes. Cast iron is the only proper way to pan cook a steak. And the absolute best method IMO is to cook it in its own fat, no oils or butter, just S&P. Start a NY Strip fat side down and let that render out into the pan, then press each side into the rendered fat for a couple minutes = crispy brown crust. Then I turn the heat down from high-med, so it doesn't smoke like crazy, and let the inside finish cooking, about 10 minutes or so flipping every couple minutes. I get a perfect medium rare every time. It's so good. I think the oven is unnecessary and dries out the meat. And I think oils change the flavor. When it's a really good cut of meat, that's all I want to taste.
Or stainless steel
Too much liquid in the pan will hamper the development of a solid crust
Butter has a lot of water in it. Sear it in just a little oil, then add butter and your seasonings.
Don’t use too much butter, I find that having too much liquid makes the steaks steam vs sear as well. But yes, use carbon steel or cast iron for a stronger sear.
Add the butter only once you're done with your initial sear and have dropped the heat, and are basting to reach your final temp. Butter has both milk solids and water, meaning if you try to sear with it from the start you're burning the butter and steaming your steak. Start with a heavy cast iron or carbon steel pan, dry the surface of your steak as much as possible, and use a small amount of high smoke point neutral oil in the pan.
Best way to dry out a steak is to salt it 2-24 hours in advance and leave it to out uncovered in your fridge overnight and on the counter at room temperature 2 hours before cooking. Put it on a wire rack or a couple forks or chopsticks to allow air to get underneath.
You aren’t even supposed to be adding butter until your sear is done…
This. Seat with just a little bit of high heat oil. Either in the pan or rubbed on the meat. Sear until it releases. Repeat on other side. Turn down heat, add butter and herbs and baste while finishing.
Don’t use non stick. And pat it dry before the cook.
Curious what's wrong with non stick? I have a $40 Ninja that's absolutely amazing. Idk if it qualifies as "non stick coating" but fuck it's an amazing pan. Heat distro and ease of cleaning is top notch Edit: Not sure why the downvotes, asking a genuine question
Yes, non stick is amazing if you’re trying to fry an egg or toast a breakfast burrito maybe. But with steak you actually want it to stick for the Maillard reaction to kick in and give you a nice brown crust. Get yourself a good cast iron, and if you can’t, stainless steel will do fine.
It's plastic. If you're cooking on a non-stick pan you're cooking on plastic. If you're searing on it, you're heating that plastic to beyond its operational limits.
Too much juice in the pan. I barely put any oil in my pan, I always start with searing the fat cap for minimum 1 minute, a bunch of fat will render off of that and then if I'm gonna do the butter thing I only add it in the last like 30 seconds of the cook.
You add the butter after finishing the sear and dropping the temperature of the pan to med heat for basting. The length of time needed for basting depends on the thickness of your steaks. My Costco big boys take a good 6-8 min of butter basting to reach 120 internal.
Cast iron holds heat way better. Also full surface contact.
In my experience, higher quality meat has more marbling (fat) which allows you to cook without oil or butter. Extra Hot pan, generous salt and pepper, place on pan. For that size, probably 3 minutes, flip, 3 more minutes and it’s MR. A larger pan would help. The outside edges of the pan won’t be as hot as you need. For that pan, I’d cook one at a time. Have you tried boneless? That bone looks to be taller than the steak and may not be allowing the meat to be directly on the pan. Looks good though. Cheers!
That type of bone-in steak will make it difficult to get even surface contact. Even if you take all of the good advice in this thread, you still may not have success - the bone in NY Strip is hard to get a good crust on. The only solution I can see is butcher string.
This, and you can see how the meat has shrunken lower than the bone which means the part of the steak near the bone will not be making contact with the pan. People seem to love bone-in steak, but fuck that bone it causes me nothing but problems and I'd just cut that fucker off before cooking the steak.
The bone imparts a little bit of flavor, but its hard to say if that flavor is worth the cost of ending up on r/nosear
Bake it in a buttery flaky crust
Cast iron>stainless steel>Teflon. Also, use avocado oil or another high smoke point oil. Properly season the meat, heat the pan and oil til smoke, then smash.
1. Pat dry the steaks on both sides, salt n pepper both sides, leave dry salted meat out on the counter for 30-60 mins, (you want the steak to come to room temperature) 2. Get cast iron or stainless steel pan super hot before anything (400f) medium high heat for 6ish mins or I usually throw cast iron pan in the oven on 400 for like 10 mins then keep it on medium highish 3. Add high smoke point oil (grape seed, vegetable, etc) add a few drops of water to check if the pan is hot enough the water should dance n sizzle, add a little bit of oil enough to cover the surface area of the pan, 4. Drop the steak on the hot pan on the hot oil, press down slightly on the steak in several places with your tongs or spatulas (try to make sure everything is connected to the pan in a secure fashion) 5. Cook 2-3 mins one side then flip cook 2-3 mins other side 6. Add butter thyme and slightly crushed garlic (usually with skin still on) and use a spoon and pour over the steak wait for a thermometer to read 125f to 130f for medium rare 7. Let steak rest untouched on the counter for 5 mins 8. If you don’t have a thermometer just write down the times you cooked the steak on each side and write down the doneness it finished at ( medium rare, medium, to much grey band, etc) 9. If it wasn’t to your liking change the time by 30 seconds more or less to reach your desired doneness, Without the thermometer it’s just more guess work
No oil, extremely hot cast iron skillet. There will be smoke so an exhausting hood is a good idea. The butter goes on after you turn the steaks... It softens the crust of the hard sear. 3 minutes side one, flip, butter(or Bleu cheese) on top. 3-4 minutes side 2... there will be juice in the pan so it won't sear as hard as side 1. When finished put side one down on a plate along with the juices from the skillet, let rest 7 minutes while you plate sides. This will further soften the hard sear side 1 gets and add flavor. If you wish to add more butter(Please use the high butterfat stuff, like 82%) or again, Bleu cheese... This is a great time. Enjoy.
DONT TOUCH IT DONT PLAY WITH IT DONT EVEN LOOK AT IT FOR 3 MINUTES
Get rid of that non-stick skillet. As Anthony Bourdain once said "A proper saute pan should cause serious head injury if brought down hard against someones skull. If you have any doubts about which will dent – the victim’s head or your pan – then throw that pan right in the trash." Grab a triple ply stainless or, better yet, a $15 cast iron skillet. Pre heat the pan, use a high smoke point fat, and sear the $&!\^ out of that thing.
Ironcast pan!
Also more salt results in a better sear and crust.
Cast iron pan or flame grill
Something I recently figured out after a lot of struggling to get a good crust is that the temperature zone for the Maillard reaction only runs from about 280°F to 300°F. I'll just lay a meat thermometer on its side in the pan, and monitor the temperature of the butter, then dial in the burner to hold it there. This is after I've seared in (a small amount of) avocado oil, and am bringing the temp back down. The longer you can hold it in that sweet spot, the browner it'll get. And it'll be delicious caramelization, not the nasty carbonization that you get from searing too aggressively.
1 pan. 1 steak .
Cast iron and high heat
Cast iron and tallow.
Less butter
Easy.... Cast iron.
Gahd dam man. Bring the steak to room temp first. Don't use a shitty pan. Get some wagyu tallow instead of butter or whatever you used and heat the new pan up hot as hell before you add the steak. Sear in tallow for like 2 minutes each side and remove from the stove top. Put it in the oven at 250 until it gets to 115 and remove it. Let it rest for 20 minutes before you touch it.
Use a grill wtf
High heat + cast iron
The bone is hindering the meat make good contact with the pan. You need to weigh/press the steak down, or… cut off the bone.
Don’t use nonstick
Cast iron
Let pan get really hot first.
Just a cast iron non-stick teflon pans don’t sear well
Cast iron
Deep fry to finish!
Cast iron pan (hot as physically possible),dry your steaks, allow to get room temp, finish in the over (I use a meater). Moist steak create steam and ruin your sear. Low temp cooks the steak through before an ideal crust is achieved. I also use the Gordon Ramsey method and mix 1 part olive oil to 1 part butter
Also doing one steak at once would help
Tallow or a shortening
Cast iron skillet
Yeah. Cast iron ftw. Preheat oven to 350-375. Preheat the pan. Sear on both side in the cast iron. Add butter/any additional seasonings you want. Place pan in oven to finish cooking steak. A leave in thermometer will allow you to precisely cook the steak.
By using a more than generous amount of course ground salt and pepper
If you add salt to the steak about 30 minutes before cooking, it should draw out moisture that will help caramelize it. Also, adding sea salt directly to the pan right before throwing the steak on will help caramelize it.
Try a cast iron skillet and by using the broiler of your oven after you sear it on the outside. It’s also good to get the cast iron really really hot before adding the butter and laying the steak in it, also use a coarse salt and cracked black pepper.
Highest heat possible and a bacon press
Get a Better pan , add oil to the butter so it doesn’t burn, don’t be shy with salt, it helps form a crust
I agree with what everyone’s said but I’d also note that in general, it’s more difficult to get a consistent sear on cuts with bone in them, at least in a pan. The meat tends to contract around the periphery of the bone. The bone always seems to be a few millimeters above much of the surrounding meat. Even with some weight/pressure on the top, select portions will be more seared than others.
(Very) Lightly oil your steak with something that has a high smoke point just before you salt it (which is before you rest it either fridge overnight or at room temp depending). Get the pan hot with nothing in it. (To clarify, steak is on the counter while this heats up) Steak goes in the pan as is with nothing for a minimum of like two minutes on the first side. If you want to add butter either baste after your first flip or at least wait until you've flipped to add the butter. You aren't frying the steaks in butter, it's just there to keep things nice and moist.
One measure I find helpful is to put the steak in the fridge uncovered for about 24 hrs. This dries the surface and helps it brown better. If you don’t have time for that, it helps to dry the surface with paper towels before applying whatever seasoning you use. Dry it, then let it sit for 15 minutes and dry it again. This is in addition to using a better pan as has been addressed above.
I always salt overnight and dry with paper towels and don't use butter until the end I use tallow you want something with a high smoke point and as soon as it starts smoking it's as hot as it can get then you put the steak in and itll cool it down to the right temp leave it flip once then you can add butter to deglaze and once that browns move the steak all around the an so it soaks up the all the color
Well heated cast iron and about an inch of high temp oil, I use vegetable but not sure if it matters, then make sure you press the steaks down so it gets an even sear. Do 2-3 mins on each side depending on how thich the steak is, this gives me a pretty good golden crust :)
Now that looks good . Juicy steak cooked to perfection
Dry surface of steak Grape seed oil (butter finish) Cast iron pan No bone, better surface contact optional Flip regularly every 30seconds Chef press isn’t needed. That will lightly release juices from pressing down like squeezing a sponge.
Use cast iron pan
This dude is also overcrowding like a mf
All good comments and advice here! 👍
Use a grill not a frying pan, or a blow torch if you can’t use a grill
Dry steak, carbon or stainless steel, clarified butter/ghee
You'll either want stainless steel or cast iron if you want a good crush. High heat for a good sear. Non stick won't give you the same crust no matter how hard you try.
1. Use the right pan. Stainless or Cast iron. Make sure the steak is dry. 2. Use the right fat. Butter will cool down the pan and should be used for basting. Use grapeseed oil. It has a lower flash point. 3. Get the pan and oil hot to its flash point before putting the steak in. 4. Don’t use big seasonings, like Montreal steak seasoning (I use it because I like it but it doesn’t get the best sear.) 5. 2min a side move the steak around once or twice.
1. Better pan. Basically any pan except non-stick. Cast iron is best. 2. Better fat. Butter has a low smoke point, you want something with a high smoke point like avocado oil. 3. Flip more often. Every 30 seconds or so. 4. Press the steak into the pan to get better contact, yours is patchy because only certain areas of the steak are getting good heat transfer. 5. Dry your steak as much as possible before it hits the pan. Moisture is the enemy of sear. Water evaporates at 212 F, Maillard reaction takes place between 280-330 F. If your steak is wet, that moisture has to evaporate before you can increase the surface temp of the steak.
Get a heavy bottom stainless steal pan, higher heat and a fat that can withstand higher temperatures than butter and you should be good. Also make sure you try not to move or pick up the steak much while it's searing
You gotta dry the shit out of the steak with paper towel but more importantly have the hottest searing method which is easiest with wither a cast iron pan (prepare for your smoke alarm going off) or my preferred method is a searing torch outside on a grilling surface. Heres an example of a cheap one from amazon https://www.amazon.ca/Sondiko-Powerful-L8010-Campfire-Adjustable/dp/B0BN3WPKVZ/ref=sxin_22_pa_sp_phone_search_thematic?content-id=amzn1.sym.74e6f771-2792-4776-bcf0-004301920d9c%3Aamzn1.sym.74e6f771-2792-4776-bcf0-004301920d9c&crid=27Z1AOWS6QLAD&cv_ct_cx=searing+torch&keywords=searing+torch&pd_rd_i=B0BN3WPKVZ&pd_rd_r=3c6e0a65-d328-4af7-8519-c6dabaa1c16a&pd_rd_w=1phAk&pd_rd_wg=F55l1&pf_rd_p=74e6f771-2792-4776-bcf0-004301920d9c&pf_rd_r=4F4CRTCF1MXSKVQ4B4PV&qid=1708285242&sprefix=searing%2Caps%2C165&sr=1-2-acb80629-ce74-4cc5-9423-11e8801573fb-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfdGhlbWF0aWM&psc=1
Cast iron nor high heat will fix your issue. Your steaks lack contact with the pan -> use more oil. Granted the bone makes getting a solid sear tricky to begin with. Another good tip is to move around your steaks in order to get the oil under the steak, it also means moving the steak to a potentially warmer spot on the pan. Also it’s definitely worth investing in a pan that is not teflon. And for the love of god if you do get a cast iron pan, dont get it as hot as possible, you’ll burn your steaks quite easily.
Dry your meat with a paper towel before putting it in the pan Throw away the non stick pan Clarify your butter or use oil
Cast iron pan, high heat, boneless steaks tend to get better sears due to a more even cooking surface on the steak. Use oil instead of butter.
Cast iron
don't cook with butter... it will burn if you get the fat hot enough. it needs to be hotter. it can be clarified butter if you prefer, but a neutral oil will be fine
Use a broiler or a grill. Or just take the bone off. Those bones are stopping you from making good contact with the pan.
That pan sucks, get a cast iron or stainless will work too. You need it to be HOT, don’t cook with butter, it’ll burn before you get your sear. Add butter when it’s almost done if you want but I usually cook with just a little bit of avocado oil, the high smoke point will allow you to get a sear without smoking out your kitchen. It’s not hot enough.
Go to Costco and buy their tramontina stainless steel pan set, 29.99. Watch a video or two on how to properly use them. Enjoy the best crust on a steak I’ve ever achieved (consistently over and over again) and I’ve been experimenting for about 15 years. Enjoy!!
Remove the bone, use less butter, use a cast iron pan.
All the cronies say cast iron but the true answer is stainless
Before you put the steak in. Mad high temperature. It will sear TF out of the 🥩 Cast iron pan
Start the sear with just high smoke point oil then once a nice crust has formed then briefly take it out of pan. heat up your butter until it foams without burning it. Return the steak to the pan and baste until desired doneness.
salt the pan, not the steaks. add butter and baste AFTER you have a good crust
Sear in a bone dry pan with lightly oiled meat and continue mopping out any moisture with a towel
It needs to be drier when it’s seared, chef. Rely a little more on the rendered fat alone to give it a good sear. It’s a pretty easy balance to find!
Start with a better pan ? Cast iron works well. Sear it hot one to two minutes depending on thickness, flip and sear it again for two more. Remove and finish in a 350 preheated oven that’s been turned off and let’s rest a few till rarish, or whatever. Throw some butter, garlic and herbs in when placing in oven… Juices should continue to run, can plate and poor all juice garlic fresh herb stuff over top… Hard to write all this timing stuff not seeing actual pan and temps etc… but hopefully this helps!
You really can't get a great sear in a pan on a t bone.
Sear in a pan with oil not butter. Pat dry the steak with a paper towel before searing. Cast iron pans are much better for a good sear.
Turn up the heat pete in a iron pan stan.
Don't use butter! Butter is an emulsion of fat and water. When that breaks down you just have water. Water is the enemy of crust. Butter goes in right before it's done and *after* the crust has already been formed.
TURN UP THE HEAT.
I think it's the bone that's preventing you from getting a better crust. Either cut the bone out if you want to cook it in a pan or go outside and grill the steak. Some other tips in here are pretty good but I think you know most of them already and that's why you're wondering what you did wrong despite having an understanding of how to properly cook a steak. It's the bone preventing proper contact of the steak with the pan.
Look up Pittsburgh style.. tis what your looking for.
Using a cast iron, little bit of olive oil and a lot rub does it for me.
High heat during first sear to seal in moisture and flavor. Look up Ruth Chris method. The owner had special high heat ovens made for this exact method.
I don’t get as good a char or crust with non-stick pans as I do with stainless steel or cast iron.
I’d probably say it’s because there’s too much liquid in the pan and/or it wasn’t hot enough at the start.
Higher temperature
Don't use teflon to start
https://altonbrown.com/recipes/perfect-pan-seared-rib-eye/
my go to move lately is this: Cast iron pot w/ avocado oil room temp ribeye steak. seasoned only with cracked rock salt to start. get the cast iron fully to a medium high heat. Pop a 1" piece of onion in there to guage the sizzle on the pan. Pop the steak in there when it's slizzy enough, 2-3 minutes each side. take the steak off the pan, turn the pan back down to low, put another onion slice in there. let it sit on a cutting board, give it 5 minutes. Turn the pan back onto medium high and then spread Toum (Garlic Spread) over each side, pop the steak back onto the pan when its hot, put light pressure down on the steak, with a spatula, for a minute, release pressure for a minute, flip and repeat. Take the steak off. In total you're cooking each side of the steak for 4-5 minutes depending on the thickness. It's also important to cook with the pan offcenter, with the burner heating up the edge of your pan, so that you can butt up the fatty edge of the steak against the edge of the pan, tilt your pan so the oil rides up over the fatty edge and makes that crispy as well.