Just because it’s grilling season doesn’t mean that you have to dismiss your skillet until September. Steak season is upon us, too, and not every cut of steak was meant to be grilled out on the porch. Sometimes, the best way to enjoy a steak is in the good old indoors.

And that means your cast iron skillet is required.

While the idea of searing a steak can be scary (there’s a lot of heat, sizzling, and smoke to be reasonably concerned about), using this cooking method to get the perfectly cooked steak is a lot easier than you might be picturing.

So break out those skillets! We are going to teach you the best way to sear the perfect steak every single time.

 

STEP 1: SALT YOUR STEAK

If we know ANYTHING about cooking steaks, it’s this: rubbing salt into your raw steak beforehand is an absolute must. Do not skip this step, even if you have to go out to the store and buy a new container of salt. The flavor you’ll get is well worth it.

Experts suggest rubbing the salt thoroughly into both sides of the cut about 40 minutes before you plan on searing.

Why 40 minutes? 40 minutes is just enough time to let the steak fully absorb the salt – it’s like you’re dry-brining the meat right in your kitchen.

 

STEP 2: HEAT UP YOUR SKILLET

No, seriously, REALLY heat up your skillet. Add a layer of cooking oil (olive oil is our weapon of choice) before you really crank it up to eleven on your stove top.

We want that bad boy to be so hot that the oil is bubbling, the pan is smoking, and you can literally feel the heat peeling off the pan’s surface. That hot.

 

STEP 3: BEGIN SEARING

Now the searing can begin! Drop your salted steak into your screaming hot pan (please don’t touch the screaming hot pan) and this is the hard part: just let nature take its course.

We know it’s stressful to just kind of step back for a few minutes when the stove looks like it’s about to explode, but we promise everything is okay (just don’t leave it for, say, hours). We would suggest letting the steak cook completely, so it’s charred, on one side, before flipping it to the other side to finish.

If you’re really nervous about your steak, flipping it back and forth every 15 – 30 seconds will also result in a well-seared cut.

 

STEP 4: BASTE

This is where all the great flavor comes into play! Put a few pats of butter and some aromatic herbs (think thyme and rosemary) into your sizzling hot pan.

Once the butter is all melted down, use a spoon to baste the steak. This basically means you’re spooning the butter and herbs onto the steak over and over again so that the flavor really sinks into the meat. It will also help to caramelize the surface of your steak even more.

 

What do you think of this searing technique? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.