Pan-Seared Ribeye Steak

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   To cook a beef steak, all you need is the steak, olive oil, and salt. So it cooks evenly through, take the steak out of the fridge ahead of time and let it sit at room temperature for at least 1 to 2 hours — it should be the same temperature all the way through. Avoid cooking a steak from frozen; it won't come out as juicy and tender as one from fresh meat.

2. Step 2:

   

   If you're starting with a whole piece of meat, cut it into steaks about ¾ inch (2 cm) thick. You can gauge the thickness by holding two fingers together (the video shows how). Then rinse the steaks and pat them dry with paper towels — drying is essential, or the meat will steam in its own juices instead of searing.

3. Step 3:

   

   Brush the meat all over with olive oil. Beef takes on oil readily, which helps keep the steak juicy.

4. Step 4:

   

   Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over the highest heat — don't grease the pan. Lay in the steaks and sear for 30 seconds on one side. Once a browned crust forms, flip to the other side. This quickly seals the juices inside the meat. If you want Blue/Rare — nearly raw meat with a seared crust — you can pull the steak off the heat at this point.

5. Step 5:

   

   I kept going. Flip the steak back to the first side, lower the heat to medium, and cook for 1 minute, then the same on the other side. If you want a rare steak — red and juicy inside — you can take it off the heat after this. But I keep frying.

6. Step 6:

   

   I wanted medium-rare — warm inside, less red but still a little. I fried the steak for another 1 minute per side, for a total of 2 minutes 30 seconds on each side.

7. Step 7:

   

   When the frying is done, turn off the heat, take the pan off the burner, and season the steaks with sea salt.

8. Step 8:

   

   Cover the pan and let the meat rest for 1 to 2 minutes so the juices redistribute evenly. Instead of the pan, you can move the meat to a plate and tent it with foil.

9. Step 9:

   

   Plate the finished steaks at your chosen doneness alongside a fresh salad and vegetables, and serve. Enjoy!

10. Step 10:

    

    And here's what Medium Well steaks look like when you cook them for 6 to 7 minutes per side after searing. There's no red left, but the meat hasn't lost its juiciness — press it and a pale, clear juice runs out. Then there's Well Done, when the meat is cooked so thoroughly that no juice runs out at all. It comes out a bit dry in texture, but plenty of people like it that way.