How To Get Crust On Steak

Heat that large, heavy skillet over high heat until hot, then add 1-2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, swirling the skillet to coat the bottom. Then continue to heat the pan just until the oil starts to smoke (this should happen pretty fast).

Sear the Steaks

When the oil is ready, add the steaks to the pan. If you're cooking more than one steak, make sure there are at least a couple of inches between them—you don't want to crowd the pan. If it's a tight fit, use two pans or cook the steaks in batches.

Thin steaks (anything less than 1 1/2 inches thick) will cook very quickly; cook until meat is deeply browned, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare.

For thicker steaks, cook until meat is deeply browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 120° for medium-rare or 130°F for medium, 8-12 minutes total depending on desired doneness, adjusting heat to medium if the steak seems to be browning too quickly and flipping the steak halfway through cooking (more on the last couple minutes of cooking below).

Add Butter and Aromatics if you want to get fancy

To add even more flavor when cooking thicker steaks, add a bit of butter and aromatics (like herbs and/or garlic) to the pan during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Butter adds that rich, delicious finishing flavor, but if you add it too early, it will burn during the high heat of the steak cooking. During the last 2 minutes, toss in 1-2 Tbsp. butter into, along with some aromatics, such as thyme or rosemary branches, bay leaves, smashed garlic cloves, or sliced shallots. After the butter melts, tilt the pan and use a spoon to spoon the flavored butter it over the steak, allowing the flavors to infuse into the meat. Smells amazing, right/

Rest Steaks

When the steak is glistening brown and cooked to your preferred doneness, transfer it to a plate and loosely cover with aluminum foil. Although you will be tempted to eat it immediately (trust me, I know), set the plate aside for 5 minutes for thin steak, 10 minutes for thick. Letting the meat rest produces the juiciest steak, and that is what we are going for, amirit? Use this time to set the table, finish that side salad, pour yourself a glass of wine, whatev.

Porterhouse Steak with Pan Seared Cherry Tomatoes Romulo Yanes

Slice and Serve

After the meat has rested, cut it—always against the grain!—into slices and serve (or just serve smaller steaks unsliced for guests to cut up as they please). Now that you've learned the basic version of how to sear the perfect steak, you can make it a slew of different ways: Try it with an herb crust, with homemade steak sauce, or with that dry-aged flavor. And while you're at it, don't forget the sides!