Learn how to cook the best New York strip steaks in the oven, like the top steakhouses. A short pan-searing on the stovetop, then cook in the oven to your taste. The best NY strip steaks are easy with these simple step-by-step photo instructions.
Introduction
It is easy to cook a New York strip steak (New York steak) and make it perfect the first time and every time. The technique is simple and classic—pan-seared the steak and then baked the steak in the oven to the finish temperature.
By searing first, you create a Maillard reaction, which will add adding before you oven-bake the steak to your final temperature.
👨🍳How to make this recipe
- Start with good-quality New York strip steaks about 1 to 1 ½ inches thick, either prime or choice quality. Allow the steaks to rest at room temperature if you have time. That will make getting the internal temperature you want easier.
- Trim any chunks of fat that are easily trimmed.
- Season to your taste—some salt and pepper will do nicely, or fancy it up with another seasoning or a marinade. We use All Purpose Seasoning - 7:2:1 and 7:2:2, which is salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- Give each side a nice sear in an oven-safe or cast-iron skillet with some butter or oil for a few minutes to get a nice browning. Get close to the final color you want.
- Finish by baking the steak in the oven to your preferred internal temperature. Don't forget to let the steaks rest for a few minutes before serving.
⏰Cooking Time
The total cooking time is about 11 to 12 minutes using the suggested 400° oven temperature and a final internal temperature of about 145° (medium). This estimate is based on about 7-8 minutes in the oven after 4 minutes of searing time for a 1-inch strip steak that was rested to room temperature before cooking.
Approximate cooking times for strip steaks
This table assumes a 400° oven, a 4-minute total searing time, and a 1-inch strip steak that has been rested at room temperature.
| Internal Temperature | Description | Oven Time | Total Cooking Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 125°-130°—rare | Red and cool | 2-4 | 6-8 |
| 130°-140°—medium-rare | warm red and soft | 5-7 | 9-11 |
| 140°-150°—medium | pink and firmer | 7-9 | 11-13 |
| 150°-155°—medium-well | little pink and firm | 9-11 | 13-15 |
| 160° plus—well | brown | 12-15 | 16-19 |
Please check the internal temperature a few minutes early. Stop cooking a few degrees before to allow the rise in temperature during the rest before serving.
For rare, it may be almost no time in the oven if you did an intense sear with a rest to room temperature or if your steaks are thinner.
The best oven temperature is 400° convection or 425° conventional. A little more or less will be fine, but you must accommodate the cooking time.
Variables affecting cooking time
- The steak's initial temperature—the rest's length at room temperature- is the main issue.
- The thickness of the steak. Time estimates are for 1 inch thick. It will be shorter for ¾ inches and longer for 1 ½ inches.
- The temperature of the oven. Different oven temperatures may be used, but time will vary. You can use either a convection or conventional oven with the usual adjustment of a 25° increase without convection.
- The length of the sear.
- Your desired final temperature. See the above warning about rare.
Pick the internal temperature you want, remove the steaks a few degrees less, and tent lightly with foil. The temperature will continue to rise a few degrees when tented. More importantly, the fluid that escapes the cells during cooking will migrate back into the cells and make for a moist and tender steak.
Remember, you can cook your steak more if needed, but you can not uncook a steak.
A final word to the wise, NEVER COOK BY TIME ALONE; cook to your target internal temperature.
🐄What is a New York Strip Steak?
Strip steaks part from the short loin, which is located behind the rib area with the tenderloin. Specifically, strip steaks come from the longissimus muscle, which does little work but has a fair amount of fat that helps make them tender.
The strip steak is the bigger side of the t-bone and porterhouse steaks. The only difference between the t-bone and porterhouse is the amount of beef tenderloin included in the cut.
Other Names: New York strip steaks are also called Kansas City strip steaks or just strip steaks. Other names for the same steak include strip loin steak, NY strip steak, ambassador steak, club steak, country club steak, shell steak, and top loin steak. I'm sure I missed a few other names. I will use the terms New York strip steaks or strip steaks.
What strip steaks to use?
Use Choice or Prime grade only, please. And since Prime will cost more, get a nicely marbled choice unless it is a special occasion. I suggest 1 to 1 ½ inches thick.
Trim the strip steak of as much solid fat off the edges as reasonably possible. You won't eat it, and it will interfere with your enjoyment of the steak. Please get rid of it.
Bone-in strip steak can be used but realize it will take a bit longer to cook. Also, the meat near the bone will not brown nicely. The meat will shrink when cooked, and the meat near the bone will no longer contact the pan surface during searing.
You may run into something called "first cut," which may sound great, but it is not. It is closer to the ribeye and only worth about half the cost of the prized "center cut."
Some people will equate thickness with quality, but they are not related. A 1 ½ inch thick strip steak is a good pound plus of meat. An inch is a nice 10-12 oz.
If you want that 1 ½ inch thick steak, this recipe will still work well, but be sure to rest at room temperature first. But cooking a strip steak over 1 ½ inch thickness requires a different method.
🧂Seasoning
Just a good sprinkle of coarse salt and black pepper is all you need. Others like to use commercial mixes like Montreal Seasoning. Thyme, rosemary, or other herbs may also be used to add different flavors.
We like to use our All Purpose Seasoning - 7:2:1 and 7:2:2, which add garlic to the mix.
The timing of seasoning is important. Salt will pull fluid out of meat, but it will reabsorb in about an hour. So any salt-containing seasoning should be applied 1 hour before cooking or just before cooking to get the moistest steaks.
A marinade will make your special meal stand out. One of our favorite company meals is marinade New York strip steaks. We use The Best Steak Marinade.
❓FAQs
Cast iron is perfect for searing steaks. It will transfer heat perfectly, leading to even heat across the entire surface without hot spots. It will also hold the heat well and is excellent when going from the stovetop to the oven.
All home cooks should have a cast-iron skillet. They are cheap, easy to maintain, and will last generations. It can also tolerate any heat from a stovetop, oven, or grill you can generate at home.
The pan to sear steaks does not have to be cast iron; any oven-safe pan that can move from stovetop to oven will do. If you don’t have any pan that will work, sear in a stovetop pan, and move to a different preheated oven-safe pan to finish.
I like to use a few slices of Blue Cheese and Garlic Compound Butter.
We love a potato side dish—baked, twice-baked, or smashed potatoes are great compliments.
Easy Roasted Red Potatoes
Crispy Parmesan Baked Potatoes
Twice Baked Potatoes
Other vegetables like broccoli, asparagus, or green beans are a simple way to round out your meal.
Green Beans with Bacon
Baked Parmesan Asparagus
Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower
We will pair the strip steaks with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Pinot Noir for an excellent wine complement.
📖Steak Recipes
How to Grill Strip Steak on a Gas Grill
How to Grill a T-bone or Porterhouse Steak – A Tutorial
Pan Seared Oven Roasted Filet Mignon
How to Grill a Filet Mignon on a Gas Grill
Or see all my steak recipes plus some enhancements in Father's Day Steak Recipe Roundup.
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Allow the steaks to rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes if you have time—preheat the oven to 400° convection or 425° conventional oven.
Trim and season steaks to your taste. A good sprinkle of black pepper and Kosher salt is all you need, but use the Seasoning you love. I use 7:2:2 (my homemade Seasoning).
In an oven-safe pan (cast-iron preferred) over medium-high heat, melt one tablespoon of butter or use oil. Some prefer oil due to the lower smoke point of butter, but I have never had a problem.
When hot, sear both sides of the steaks for about 2 minutes each. Sear close to the final color you want.
Transfer the pan to the preheated oven. Now comes the variables. The steak thickness, how long you seared, and the oven's actual temperature. Cook to the final temperature minus a few degrees—the steaks will rise a few degrees during the rest after cooking.
It takes about 7-8 minutes to reach 145° (medium). Remove from the oven, tent with foil, and allow to rest for a few minutes before serving. COOK TO THE TEMPERATURE, NOT BY TIME ALONE.
📝Full Recipe
Pan Seared Oven Roasted Strip Steak
Ingredients
- 2 New York strip steaks - 1 inch thick
- salt and pepper to taste - or season to taste
Instructions
- Allow the steaks to rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes if you have time—preheat the oven to 400° convection or 425° conventional oven.
- Trim and season steaks to your taste. A good sprinkle of black pepper and Kosher salt is all you need, but use the Seasoning you love. I use 7:2:2 (my homemade Seasoning).
- In an oven-safe pan (cast-iron preferred) over medium-high heat, melt one tablespoon of butter or use oil. Some prefer oil due to the lower smoke point of butter, but I have never had a problem.
- When hot, sear both sides of the steaks for about 2 minutes each. Sear close to the final color you want.
- Transfer the pan to the preheated oven. Now comes the variables. The steak thickness, how long you seared, and the oven's actual temperature. Cook to the final temperature minus a few degrees—the steaks will rise a few degrees during the rest after cooking.
- It takes about 7-8 minutes to reach 145° (medium). Remove from the oven, tent with foil, and allow to rest for a few minutes before serving. COOK TO THE TEMPERATURE, NOT BY TIME ALONE.
My Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- Allowing the steaks to rest at room temperature before cooking helps obtain final internal temperature easily. Skip if you must.
- I like to use 400° convection for this recipe but you can use a bit more or less and you don't have to have convection. Remember, you are cooking to a final temperature and not by time.
- Trim excessive fat.
- Seasoning just before starting to cook or one hour before is best. Use the seasoning of your choice or use some coarse salt and pepper.
- You may use butter or oil in the pan. Butter has a lower smoke temperature. I have not had an issue but if you have very hot burners or are worried, use oil.
- You will have a few degree increase in the internal temperature after removal from the oven.
- Allow to rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.
- NEVER COOK BY TIME ALONE. You must use an instant-read or meat thermometer.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
© 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.
Editor's note: Originally Published February 20, 2015. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Bronzi
I use this recipe constantly. So yummy may make tonight.