🥩 Perfect Steak (Pan-Seared + Butter Basted)
Best for: ribeye, NY strip, sirloin
Thickness: 1–1½ inches
Serves: 1 steak (scale as needed)
Ingredients
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1 high-quality steak
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Salt (coarse kosher or sea salt)
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Fresh cracked black pepper (optional)
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2 tbsp butter
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1 tbsp beef tallow or avocado oil (high smoke point)
Optional (non-carnivore add-ons):
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Garlic cloves
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Fresh thyme or rosemary
🔥 Instructions
1. Prep the Steak
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Pat steak completely dry (crust depends on this).
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Salt generously on both sides.
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Rest at room temp 30–45 minutes.
2. Heat the Pan
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Use cast iron if possible.
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Heat pan over high until just smoking.
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Add tallow/oil.
3. Sear Hard
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Lay steak away from you.
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Don’t move it.
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Sear 2–3 minutes per side until deep brown crust forms.
4. Butter Baste
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Lower heat to medium.
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Add butter (+ garlic/herbs if using).
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Tilt pan and spoon hot butter over steak for 30–60 seconds per side.
5. Check Doneness
Internal temps (pull 5°F early):
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Rare: 120°F / 49°C
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Medium-rare: 130°F / 54°C ✅
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Medium: 140°F / 60°C
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Medium-well: 150°F / 65°C
6. Rest
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Remove steak.
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Rest 5–10 minutes.
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Finish with a pinch of salt.
🧠Q & A (Steak Wisdom)
Q: Should I pepper before or after cooking?
A: After. Pepper burns at high heat.
Q: Butter or oil first?
A: Oil/tallow to sear, butter later to baste.
Q: My steak is gray, not crusty—why?
A:
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Pan not hot enough
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Steak too wet
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Overcrowded pan
Heat + space = crust.
Q: Can I flip more than once?
A: You can, but one flip builds the best crust.
Q: Bone-in or boneless?
A: Boneless cooks more evenly; bone-in tastes great but needs more time.
Q: What if my steak is thicker than 1½ inches?
A: Reverse sear it (I can walk you through that).
🔥 Pro Tips
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Thicker steak = better steak.
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Use your nose—smells nutty when crust is right.
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Cast iron > everything.
