Cook your strip steaks like the best steakhouses. A little pan sear on the stovetop, then cook your steak in the oven to your taste. The best results are easy with these simple step by step photo instructions.
Introduction
Let's learn to cook a strip steak and make it perfect the first time and every time. Start with a couple of good quality strip steaks AKA New York Strip Steaks.
The technique is simple. Allow the steaks to rest at room temperature if you have time. That will make it easier to get the internal temperature you want without adversely affection the surface. Trim any chunks of fat.
Season to your taste. Just some salt and pepper will do nicely or fancy it up some.
Give each side a nice sear in some butter or oil for a few minutes to get a nice browning, known as a Maillard reaction, which will add a ton of taste.
Then finish by baking the steak in the oven to your preferred internal temperature. Don’t forget to let them rest for a few minutes before serving.
My Rating
A good steak is always a five.
🐄What is a Strip Steak?
Strip steaks are cut from the short loin of a cow, which is located behind the rib area with the tenderloin.
Also called a New York strip, or a Kansas City strip steak, they come from the longissimus muscle that does little work but has a fair amount of fat that help 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.
If you buy cheap steaks, you may well get what you paid for. Choice or Prime only, please. And since Prime will cost more, get a nicely marbled choice unless it is a special occasion.
You can buy the whole strip loin and cut your own steaks. Also, you can occasionally find the "bone-in" which is then just a t-bone steak without any tenderloin section.
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."
Steak Thickness
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. But will still be too large of serving for many people.
If you want that 1 ½ inch thick steak, this will still work well, but be sure to rest to room temperature first. Over 1 ½ inch thickness requires a different method.
👨🍳Method
The pan 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 that, sear in a stovetop pan and move to a different oven-safe pan to finish. If using the later technique, I would preheat the oven pan with the oven, so the steak goes in a hot pan.
⏰Oven Temperature and Time
I suggest a 400° oven. For a final internal temperature of about 145°, it usually takes 7-8 minutes. However, you can use a little lower or higher oven temperature, with or without convection, and get about the same results—remember, you are cooking to a final temperature, not by time.
For rare, it may be almost no time in the oven if you did a strong sear with a rest to room temperature or if you steaks are thinner.
If your steak is thicker or was not rested to room temperature, or you want it more in the well-done range, it may take 12-15 minutes.
There are several variables that will determine the cooking time. The initial temperature of the steak, the thickness of the steak, the temperature of the oven, the length of the sear, and your desired finish level.
A final word to the wise, NEVER COOK BY TIME ALONE, cook to your target internal temperature.
🌡️Final Temperature
A strip steak has a fair amount of marbling so can tolerate overcooking a bit, unlike something like top sirloin. But also is not as tender as a filet. I like about 140° to 145° final internal temperature. My wife is more of a 150° person.
So pick the internal temperature you want. Remove the steak a few degrees less and tent lightly with foil.
The temperature will continue to rise a few degrees when tented, and 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 it a bit more if needed, but you can not uncook the steak.
✔️Tips
Trimming
I like to trim as much of the solid fat off the edges as reasonably possible. You won't eat it, and it will interfere with your enjoyment of the steak. Get rid of it.
Seasoning
Just a good sprinkle of coarse salt and pepper is all you really need. We like to use our All Purpose Seasoning - 7:2:1 and 7:2:2, which adds garlic to the mix.
Others like to use commercial mixes like Montreal Seasoning. Just season to your taste.
The timing of seasoning is important. Salt will pull fluid out of meat, but it will reabsorb in about an hour. So if you add a salt containing seasoning, do it an hour before cooking or immediately before cook. In between will pull some moisture out of the meat and not leave time for reabsorption.
Oil vs. Butter
Butter can smoke if overheated. I don't seem to have a problem with that, but some people do, especially if their burner is very hot. You can use vegetable oil if you have that issue.
If you want a middle ground, use oil in the pan then add some butter on top of the steaks as they go in the oven.
📖Steak Recipes
How to Grill a 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 steak enhancements at the Father's Day Steak Recipe Roundup
🖼️Step-by-Step Instructions
Allow the steaks to rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes if you have time—Preheat oven to 400° convection or 425° conventional.
Trim and season steaks to your taste. I use 7:2:2 (my homemade seasoning). If you don't have that, you can season with a little coarse salt, pepper, and granular garlic powder. Or any way you want.
In an oven-safe pan (I used my 10-inch cast iron) over medium-high heat, melt one tablespoon of butter or use oil. Some prefer oil at this point due to the lower smoke point of butter, but I have never had a problem.
When hot, sear both sides of the steaks for 2-3 minutes. Sear close to the final color you want.
Transfer pan to the preheated oven. Now comes the variables. The steak thickness, how long you seared, and the true temperature of the oven. Cook to the final temperature you want. Remember that you may get a few more degrees after removal from the oven.
It took 7 minutes to get to 145° (medium). Remove from the oven and allow to rest for a few minutes before serving. COOK TO THE TEMPERATURE, NOT BY TIME ALONE.
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📖 Recipe
Pan Seared Oven Roasted Strip Steak
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Ingredients
- 2 strip steaks - good quality about 1 inch thick
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Allow the steaks to rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes if you have time. Preheat oven to 400° convection or 425° conventional is preferred, but you may adjust this some for your needs,
- Trim and season steaks to your taste with coarse salt and pepper. I use 7:2:2 (my homemade seasoning) or use a seasoning of your choice.
- In an oven-safe pan (I used my 10-inch cast iron) over medium-high heat, melt one tablespoon of butter or use oil. Some prefer oil at this point due to the lower smoke point of butter, but I have never had a problem.
- When hot, sear both sides of the steaks for 2-3 minutes. Sear close to the final color you want. Transfer pan to the preheated oven.
- Now comes the variables. The steak thickness, how long you seared, and the true temperature of the oven. It takes about 7-8 minutes to get to about 145° (medium). Remove from the oven and allow to rest for a few minutes before serving. COOK TO THE TEMPERATURE, NOT BY TIME ALONG.
- Remember that you may get a few more degrees after removal from the oven.
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
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Editor's note: Originally Published February 20, 2015. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Sara
Hello.. how long would I cook in the oven if the steak is 2 inches thick please?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Sara,
Welcome to the blog.
For extra thick cuts, it is a long discussion. Briefly, thick cuts should be rested to close to room temperature before starting. Seared and then the oven should be at a lower temp about 375° range. Lower because it will take longer to penetrate and you don't want to overcook the outside. Now the variables: exact thickness, the temperature of the meat when starting the sear, how much sear, the oven exact temp, the pan, you are getting the idea. This is why have have a pork chop and an extra thick pork chop recipes.
So no exact answer. Probably in the 15-20 minute range if I had a gun to my head. You MUST have an final internal temperature goal and a good instant read thermometer to monitor or you may have a disaster.
Hope that helped at least a litte.
Dan
Paul Hassett
Good morning. I was hoping to clarify a somewhat minor point with all of your stove to over recipes. I have used them all and they are phenomenal. My only question is that if I use the prescribed times, I am generally over. I wanted to ask - where is the over are you transferring the skillet to after searing (middle , bottom, etc)?
I have been using the middle rack, and am wondering if this may be the source of the inconsistency. Thank you for your time and sharing your recipes.
- yet another Dr / home chef
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi DrPaul,
Welcome to the blog. A great retirement hobby.
Oven racks should always be placed to keep the meat in the middle of the oven unless otherwise specified. So since the pan and meat are thin, in the middle.
Now about the variability, there are multiple possibilities, the temperature of the meat when you start searing, the thickness of the meat, the temperature of the pan, how much you sear, oven temperature, and the conductivity of heat of the pan(s). So as always cook by final internal temperature.
If your stovetop pan is oven safe, I don't transfer the meat to another pan. So I almost always use a $15 cast iron 10-inch skillet for these recipes. But most stovetop skillets are oven safe at reasonable temperatures. If you are not sure about your stovetop pan, a transfer to a known oven safe pan is in order.
We doctors are looking for reproducable results (that science thing). But think if all the variables and it is just "fuzzy logic," so go by endpoint only.
Hope that clarifies or at least doesn't muddy the water.
Dan
Cheryl
DrDan, this recipe was a 10 out of 10. Perfection. I bought the prime NY Strips at Costco. I seared them for 3 minutes on each side in my cast iron skillet with butter, as you suggested, and finished them off in the oven at 425° for 9 minutes. They registered at 145°. We loved them. Thanks for the recipe!!!
Clarice
Delicious! May not ever grill a steak again. This method is simple. No need to stand out at the grill in the middle of winter. Using oil and my fan on med - high : no smoke problem.
Betti J
Tried this method of cooking steaks tonight. Came out perfect. Seared 2 minutes each side in my cast iron pan followed by 4 minutes in 400 degree oven. Used olive oil in skillet for searing. Best part was my smoke alarms did not go off.
Sharon
Great recipe!! Perfectly delicious. I used butter in the pan and there was no smoking even in the oven. Can’t wait to make it again. How to get on your “cooking for two” Email list?
Thank you for the recipe forgot to say it in the beginning
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Sharron,
Welcome to the blog.
Glad you enjoyed the recipe.
You will find email subscription links several places on the page but here is a direct link to my page that has the link at the top and explains what to expect and how to unsubscribe (super easy).
https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/subscribe
Thanks for the note, rating and interest.
Dan
Katherine Kelley
Most excellent! My cast iron skillet is very small so cut the steak in half & turned out perfect, Thank you for all your recipes.
Brian Mooney
Great recipe! I take a tip from James Beard and use some trimmed pieces of fat from the steak to create the perfect fat for the pan. Simply cook the scrap fat pieces for a few minutes as the pan is heating, and then rub some of the fat all over the pan. A small amount adheres well to the hot pan, and minimizes smoking. Butter can always be added at the end of cooking if desired.
If you check out some of Beard’s books (American Cookery is a mere $2 on Kindle) such as the James Beard Cookbook or The Theory and Practice of Good cooking, I think you’ll find in Beard a kindred spirit! His outdoor cooking books are wonderful, too. Beard single-handedly created the modern interest in cooking over gas or coals in the backyard.
Happy New Year!
Brian
Eric Sepci
This was genuinely one of the best steaks made. We used strip steaks, about 1 1/2 inches thick - seared 2.5 mins a side, basted with butter, garlic and thyme for 1 min off the heat and cooked in the over for 6 minutes....rest 6 minutes and it was a near perfect med/med/well. Flavors were as good as it got. Excellent technique.
Catherine
Delicious! Thank you for sharing. Seared with butter in a cast iron skillet and finished in a 425 degree oven. Took about 4 minutes for medium. The only time I had smoke was when I opened the oven - but mitigated that by running the air purifier nearby. I’ve been looking for a way to cook steak indoors during the winter. Gas grills just done cut it in 20 degree sleet. I even got two thumbs up from my picky son.
Kara Butler
Hi,
Love this recipe!!!! Steak turns out great every time!!!! Is it the same for a ribeye? I am going to try it tonight on a couple of ribeyes. 🤞🤞
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Kara,
Welcome to the blog.
The technique is approximately the same as long as you are cooking boneless meat. Just do a sear about to the color you want and finish in an oven. If about 1 inch thick, about the same time. If much thicker, use a lower temp and more time.
Dan
Bronzi
Wanted to comment again that this recipe is easy and delicious. Going to make again tonight. I actually prefer this method vs grilling for one.
Jim
Just reverse sear it.... much better and consistently better method...