Cast Iron Skillet Steak With Butter Basting

A cast iron skillet steak gives you a steakhouse crust at home in about 10 minutes of cooking. Cast iron holds a lot of heat, so the steak sears hard and evenly instead of steaming, and at the end you baste it with foaming butter, garlic and thyme. This is the pan seared steak method that works for ribeye, New York strip, sirloin and other tender steaks about 1 to 1½ inches thick.

Below you’ll find the ingredients, why cast iron works so well, step-by-step instructions with butter basting, a doneness temperature chart, tips and storage. The printable recipe card is at the bottom.

Why Use a Cast Iron Skillet for Searing Steak?

• It holds heat. A heavy, preheated cast iron pan doesn’t cool down much when the cold steak goes in, so you get a deep brown crust fast.
• Even browning. Once fully heated, the whole surface stays hot, so the crust is even from edge to edge.
• Stovetop to oven. For thick steaks, the same pan can go straight into the oven to finish cooking.

A heavy stainless steel or carbon steel pan works too. Avoid nonstick pans; they aren’t meant for the very high heat needed for searing.

Ingredients for Cast Iron Skillet Steak

• Boneless steaks, 2 (about 12 oz / 340 g each), 1 to 1½ inches (2.5 to 4 cm) thick: ribeye, New York strip or top sirloin.
• Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 2 teaspoons, or 1 teaspoon table salt.
• Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste.
• High smoke point oil, 1 tablespoon, such as avocado, canola or vegetable oil.
• Unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons (42 g).
• Garlic, 3 cloves, lightly smashed.
• Fresh thyme or rosemary, 3 to 4 sprigs.
• Flaky salt, to finish (optional).

How to Make Cast Iron Skillet Steak (Step by Step)

1. Salt ahead

Pat the steaks dry and season all over with the kosher salt. For the best crust, set them on a rack over a plate and refrigerate uncovered for at least 45 minutes or up to overnight; the salt draws out moisture, then is absorbed back into the meat. If you’re short on time, salt them right before cooking.

2. Prep

Take the steaks out of the fridge while the pan heats, pat them dry again, and season with pepper. Turn on your vent fan; searing makes smoke.

3. Heat the skillet

Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until very hot. Add the oil; it should shimmer and just start to smoke.

4. Sear

Lay the steaks in the pan, away from you, and press gently so they make full contact. Cook without moving for 2 to 3 minutes, until a deep brown crust forms. Flip and cook 2 minutes more. Use tongs to sear the fat cap on the edge for 30 to 60 seconds.

5. Butter baste

Lower the heat to medium. Add the butter, garlic and herbs. When the butter foams, tilt the pan toward you and use a large spoon to pour the hot butter over the steaks again and again for 1 to 2 minutes, flipping once. Check the temperature in the thickest part and take the steaks out about 5°F before your target (see the chart).

6. Rest and slice

Move the steaks to a board, spoon the garlic butter over them, and rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Slice across the grain and finish with flaky salt.

Steak Doneness Temperature Chart

The USDA recommends cooking whole beef steaks to at least 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest, per the FoodSafety.gov safe minimum temperature chart. Rare and medium-rare are popular but below that guideline, so choose medium or more for anyone pregnant, very young, older or with a weakened immune system.

Thicker Steaks: Sear, Then Finish in the Oven

For steaks 1½ to 2 inches thick, heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Sear for 2 minutes per side as above, then move the skillet to the oven for 4 to 8 minutes, until about 5°F below your target. Return the pan to the stove over medium heat (use an oven mitt; the handle stays very hot) and butter baste for 1 minute. For very thick cuts, a reverse sear is even more even; see our chuck eye steak for that method.

Chef Emma’s Tips

• Dry steak, hot pan. These two things make the crust. Pat dry twice and don’t rush the preheat.
• Don’t move it too early. The steak releases on its own once it has browned.
• Butter goes in late. Butter burns at high heat; adding it after the sear gives flavor without bitterness.
• Use a thermometer. Timing varies with thickness and stove; temperature doesn’t lie.
• One steak per 10-inch pan. Two steaks need a 12-inch skillet, or cook them one at a time.
• Clean the pan while warm. Wipe it out, rinse with hot water, dry it on the stove and rub in a thin film of oil.

Variations

• Peppercorn sauce: make a creamy pan sauce in the same skillet, like our steak au poivre.
• Compound butter: top the rested steak with a slice of butter mixed with garlic, parsley and a pinch of salt.
• Custom rub: season with our homemade steak seasoning instead of salt and pepper (go easy on salt in the blend if you dry-brined).
• Other cuts: flat iron steak and Denver steak are also great in cast iron.

What to Serve With Steak

• Mashed or roasted potatoes, or fries
• Creamed spinach, roasted asparagus or green beans
• A wedge salad or Caesar salad
• Sautéed mushrooms and onions

Browse all our steak recipes. For a lighter pan-seared dinner, try our salmon piccata.

Storage and Reheating

• Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days.
• Reheat gently: warm slices in a 250°F (120°C) oven until just warm, then sear 30 seconds per side in a hot skillet. Or enjoy cold in salads and sandwiches.
• Freeze cooked steak for 2 to 3 months for best quality.

These times follow the FoodSafety.gov cold food storage chart.

Cast Iron Skillet Steak FAQs

How long do you cook steak in a cast iron skillet?

For a 1 to 1¼-inch steak, about 2 to 3 minutes on the first side, 2 minutes on the second, and 1 to 2 minutes of butter basting for medium-rare, about 6 to 8 minutes total. Check with a thermometer.

What heat should cast iron be for steak?

Medium-high, preheated for 4 to 5 minutes until the oil shimmers and starts to smoke. Lower it to medium when you add the butter.

Should I use oil or butter to sear steak?

Both: oil for the high-heat sear because it doesn’t burn, then butter at lower heat for flavor.

Why is my steak gray instead of brown?

The pan wasn’t hot enough, the steak was wet, or the pan was crowded. All three cause steaming instead of searing.

Cast Iron Skillet Steak Recipe Card

Calories are an estimate per serving (half a steak, about 6 oz raw, with butter) based on USDA FoodData Central values for beef top loin (New York strip); ribeye is higher.

Chef Emma

Cast Iron Skillet Steak with Garlic Butter

Dry-brined boneless steaks seared in a very hot cast iron skillet, then basted with butter, garlic and thyme and rested before slicing.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Dry brine (optional) 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Calories: 420

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 boneless steaks about 12 oz / 340 g each, 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick (ribeye, strip or top sirloin)
• 2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1 tsp table salt
• black pepper freshly ground, to taste
• 1 tbsp high smoke point oil
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 cloves garlic smashed
• 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary
• flaky salt optional

Equipment

• 12-inch cast-iron skillet
• Tongs and a large spoon
• Instant-read thermometer

Method

 

1. Pat the steaks dry and salt all over. Refrigerate uncovered on a rack 45 minutes to overnight, or cook right away.
2. Pat dry again and season with pepper. Heat the cast iron skillet over medium-high heat 4 to 5 minutes, then add the oil.
3. Sear the steaks without moving 2 to 3 minutes, flip and sear 2 minutes more. Sear the fat edge 30 to 60 seconds.
4. Lower to medium, add the butter, garlic and herbs, and baste the steaks with the foaming butter 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Remove about 5°F before your target temperature (125°F to 130°F for medium-rare; USDA recommends 145°F with a 3-minute rest).
6. Rest 5 to 10 minutes, slice across the grain and finish with flaky salt.

Notes

Thicker than 1 1/2 inches: sear, then finish in a 400°F oven 4 to 8 minutes. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 to 4 days. Calories are an estimate per serving from USDA FoodData Central values for strip steak.