How to Cook Perfect Steaks Indoors

A mighty fine steak doesn’t have to be relegated to a summer time treat, fresh off the grill. Nor does it have to be a restaurant only indulgence! If you’re gonna drop the cash that goes along with a nice cut of steak however, you want to make sure you know how to cook it right! And a big part of cooking it perfectly is knowing how you like your steaks. Do you like them rare? Medium rare, or even medium? Knowing this ahead of time will save you a lot of heart ache in the future. I like mine medium rare, my boyfriend likes his rare. Since I know this though I know I will be done cooking his steak before I’m done cooking mine. If I didn’t pay attention to such details one of us would be unhappy with what is supposed to be a rare treat. That’s unacceptable.

You will need a cast iron skillet for this recipe, an oven, a well ventilated kitchen (or a tolerance for smoke) and you will need a meat thermometer to be absolutely certain of doneness, until you are more familiar with the feel of steaks at different stages of cooking.

Rare steaks are 120-125°F

Medium rare 130-135°F

Medium 135-145°F

Medium well 145-155°F

Keep in mind the steaks will keep cooking once removed from heat. There are three main steps to the perfect steak. 1.) The sear. 2.) The cooking. and 3.) The resting. If you cut into your steaks the moment they come out of the oven you are undoing all of the work you have just done. Resting is ABSOLUTELY crucial to retaining the moist juices in the steaks. When testing for temperatures remove the steaks within the first 5°F of the level of doneness you want, so for rare remove the steaks at 115-120°F, cover, and allow to rest. The closer you get to the lower end of the range, the better. This may all seem like a lot of information but once you know this it’s a mere quick three steps to meaty bliss.

Perfect Indoor Steak

2 8oz filet mignon steaks, tied tight with butcher’s twine

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons butter

  1. Preheat your oven to 450°F. Place a dry, clean cast iron skillet on high heat for 5 minutes. While this is heating up pat the steaks dry with a paper towel. Rub them with the vegetable oil and season with the salt and pepper.
  2. Add the steaks to the cast iron and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, without moving the steaks around once they land. This is the valuable sear you are looking for.
  3. Once the steaks have been browned on all sides lay the steaks flat, top each steak with a tablespoon of butter, and place the pan inside the oven.
  4. Bake for approximately 8 minutes for rare, 10 for medium rare. Use a meat thermometer to double check if you are not sure. Once the steaks are at the proper temp immediately remove them from the oven and the cast iron. Place the steaks on a cool plate and cover with tin foil. Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.