Juicy, tasty, pan-seared oven-roasted steak done to medium-rare (or your preferred doneness) delivers a restaurant-quality meal without the hefty price tag. Beautifully seared on the stovetop, then finished in the oven for a great time saver, it makes a great celebratory dinner.
There’s no way I can give up meat any time soon because of steak! It’s what I usually order at restaurants, and even make one at home whenever I get the craving. So yes, while I love plants too, I definitely tend toward carnivore!
And one of my favorite ways of preparing my steak is pan-searing it first on the stovetop and roasting it in the oven for a nicer finish. Cooking steak might be tricky, but once you nail it, you’ll be an expert! You don’t even need a sauce to go along with it. A good pan-seared steak is fantastic on its own!
Why Do Both Pan Searing and Oven Roasting
A good steak usually starts with a good sear for that gorgeous and delicious Maillard reaction. After you get that far on a thick steak, finishing it in the oven gets the right internal temperature without burning the outside.
If you use an oven-proof pan, you can preheat the oven and stick it directly in without messing up another pan. Then, you want to keep track of the internal temperature for the perfect steak. What’s the perfect doneness? The one you like best.
Here is a quick guide:
- Rare 120-125℉ (48-50℃)
- Medium-rare 130-135℉ (55-57℃)
- Medium 140-145℉ (60-62℃)
- Medium-well 150-155℉ (65-69℃)
- Well done 160-165℉ (69-74℃)
How to Pan Sear and Oven Roast Steak
- Season them generously with salt, and let them sit at room temperature for about 1 hour to dry brine.
- Sear both sides of the steak in a hot skillet with butter or oil until a slight dark crust has formed (4-5 minutes per side). (Photos 1-2)
- Toss in crushed garlic and rosemary, transfer the pan to a preheated oven, and roast 7-10 minutes (cooking time will depend on the thickness of the steak and desired level of doneness). (Photo 3)
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest for a few minutes before serving. (Photo 4)
- Slice the steaks across the grain and serve. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes and Tips
- A room-temperature steak cooks more evenly, so please don’t toss it in a hot skillet straight from the fridge.
- You can mix and match with the butter and oil. Butter burns faster than oil. Another option is ghee to avoid burning butter.
Pair your favorite steak with a refreshing salad, roasted potatoes, and sauteed Brussels sprouts for an elegant dinner. A New York cheesecake and chai tea latte for dessert will take it over the top. But then, a bottle of lightly chilled Malbec or Merlot wouldn’t hurt.
More Celebratory Steak Dinner Entrees
By Imma
This blog post was originally published in March 2019 and has been updated with additional tips and beautiful photos.
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