You don’t need a grill to cook a delicious cut of steak. In the realm of skirt, flank, rib-eye, and even filet mignon, your oven is just as valuable. Here’s how to do it perfectly every time.
1. Bring your steak to room temperature.
Cold meat will seize in a hot environment. Let it hang outside of the fridge for about 30 minutes while you preheat your oven. For thicker cuts of steak (like ribeye or filet mignon), 450° is your magic number. For thinner steaks, like flank and skirt, you’re better off just using the broiler.
2. If you’re using a skillet, get it HOT.
This rule mostly applies to thick cuts of meat and is key for a beautifully seared and caramelized crust. If you’re starting with a cold pan, the meat will turn an unappetizing shade of brownish-grey and will be totally one note in texture. You can either stick the skillet in the oven while it’s preheating, or simply heat it up on the stovetop over a flame.
When you’re cooking something like a skirt steak under the broiler, the super hot and direct heat will be enough to achieve the same charred affect without the risk of overcooking the meat.
3. Season the steak generously.
For real, use more salt than you think you need. Rub some olive oil onto meat, then use more salt than makes you feel comfortable. If there’s anything I learned in culinary school, it’s that I was tragically under-seasoning everything. Salt brings out flavor, people. Don’t be shy.
Also, please use freshly ground black pepper — not the kind in the little spice jar. It makes a HUGE difference.
4. Sear it on one side!
Again, only if you’re working with a big hunk of steak, sear one side in your (very hot) skillet, just until it’s dark and the bottom starts to pull away, making it easy to flip. Once you turn it, it’s time for the oven.
5. Finish it in the oven.
For thicker cuts of meat, in your 450° oven, you should expect about 10 minutes. For thinner cuts of meat, under the broiler, it’s about 6 minutes per side. (Flip it on the sheet pan halfway through.)
6. Let it rest.
This is very important if you want your steak to be nice and juicy. Get too eager and slice too early, and all that flavor gets wasted on the cutting board.
7. Slice against the grain!
One of the most common reasons for tough and chewy steak is incorrectly slicing it. Going against the grain means slicing perpendicularly to the grain of the meat.
