Pan Seared Steak With Compound Butter

This pan seared steak recipe with compound butter is a favorite of mine, and has been for some time. Firing up the grill isn’t always practical; and the cooking method described in this blog creates a nice crust, and depth of flavor unlike any other.

There’s no shortage of steak techniques on my blog, and I like each of them for different reasons and for different cuts of meat. This pan seared steak method is perhaps one of the most convenient, and turns out a great steak—steak house quality in fact.

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What Steak Is Best For Pan Searing?

Any steak can be seared in a pan, but some are definitely more well suited than others just given the amount of smoke produced. I love steak, but I don’t love my house smelling like a meat candle for days after searing one in the kitchen.

So, a fatty steak like a ribeye isn’t one I normally pan sear in the kitchen. Don’t get me wrong, they taste amazing! But the amount of fat on a ribeye produces a ton of smoke, splatter on your stovetop, and all around mess.

Instead, I prefer to use a less fatty cut of meat such as a strip steak. Read here for information about the three different types of strip steak.

Other cuts like filet, hanger steak, sirloin, flat iron, etc. all do extremely well in a pan searing environment. The lack of fat on these cuts make for less smoke, and less mess.

Tap Images Below For Other Steak Recipes

Should I Use Butter or Oil To Pan Sear Steak?

Butter provides a great flavor, but at the high temperatures needed for searing it will burn. So, there’s a little trick to it.

Start with a high smoke point oil, like avocado oil. It’s nearly tasteless and has a very high smoke point. Then, at the end when you reduce the heat, add the butter and baste the steak with it.

The constant movement of the butter, mixed with the rendered beef fat and reduced heat will prevent it from burning. The best of both worlds.

Do You Cover Pan When Searing Steak?

While it’s tempting to put a lid on a pan to reduce the mess, don’t do it. The lid will trap moisture in the pan and you’ll end up steaming the steak as opposed to searing it.

If you’re super concerned about the splatter you can use one of these inexpensive mesh splatter screens that will not trap moisture.

How To Pan Sear Steak

Serves: 2-4 | Prep time: 15 mins. | Cook time: 10 mins.

Ingredients
2 New York strip steaks
1 tsp coarse Kosher salt
1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
1 tbsp avocado oil
2 sprigs rosemary
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp compound butter, optional

Step 1: Remove the steaks from the refrigerator and season both sides with salt and pepper. Allow them to come up to room temperature for one hour.

Tip* Grinding pepper in a traditional pepper grinder can take a long, long time. Try the Pepper Cannon for crazy amounts of pepper in a hurry. It’s not cheap, but it’s definitely worth it.

Step 2: Add one tablespoon of avocado oil to a cast iron skillet, and preheat over high heat for 3-5 minutes.

Step 3: Blot the steaks dry with a paper towel to remove any moisture. Then, place them in the pan, leaving about a two-inch space between the steaks. Sear for a total of five minutes, flipping them every 30 seconds.

Step 4: Reduce to medium high heat, add unsalted butter, crushed garlic and rosemary to the pan.

Step 5: Tilt the pan to one side so the butter pools, and continuously spoon it over top of the steak for one minute. This adds a depth of flavor and helps cook the steaks through.

Step 6: Remove the steaks from the heat when they reach an internal temperature of 125°F as indicated by a reliable quick read thermometer for medium rare.

Step 7: Allow steaks to rest for three minutes before topping each steak with one tablespoon of compound butter and serve.