Making pan seared steak is a great way to cook steak indoors! Sear it on a stove, then finish cooking steak in the oven. This method creates tender, juicy, perfectly cooked steak, inside and out!
Before you begin cooking, be sure that your steak is at room temperature.
Set your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and allow it to preheat.
Meanwhile, place a 12-inch cast iron skillet or other oven-safe skillet on a stove top burner set to high heat. Allow it to heat up for at least 5 minutes. You want the pan to be very hot to create a beautiful sear on the steak. That sear will keep the juices inside the steak as it cooks.
When the skillet is hot, add oil to the pan. Then, add the steak to the pan and sear for 2-3 minutes on each side.
After the steak has a crispy crust to hold in the juices, leave it in the skillet and place them into the preheated oven.
For a medium-rare steak, cook for about 10 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 143 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest portion of the meat. If you like your steak rare, cook until the temperature reaches 138 degrees For a well done steak, wait until the thermometer reaches 153 F.
After the pan is out of the oven, transfer the steak to a wooden cutting board and tent it with a sheet of aluminum foil. The steak will continue to cook (this is called "carryover cooking") and it will temp up a couple of degrees as it rests. Allow the meat to rest for at least 10-15 minutes, if possible.
Notes
To prevent the steak from over cooking, use cuts that are at least 1 1/2 inches thick.