Pan Fried Steak

Growing up, my family was always divided over our preferences for steak. My dad and I love it, my mom and sister could go the rest of their lives without eating another piece. So steak was always the special food that I was allowed to order when we went out to a nice dinner. 

As I moved out and started dining on my own dime, I realized a steak dinner isn't very affordable on a student budget. I set out to learn how to make a restaurant quality steak on my own. It was easier said then done.

Without a grill, grill pan, or a cast-iron skillet, I thought I was out of luck. Nearly every recipe I found called for cookware I don't own. But with time, experimentation, and persistence, I have found a sure-fire way to make a high quality steak in a non-stick pan and I am happy today to share that knowledge with you.

Ingredients

Steak 1" to 1 1/2" thick

Kosher salt

Pepper

2 tbsp butter (Oil)

2tsp McCormicks Montreal Steak Seasoning (optional)

A key to making a great steak is bringing the meat to room temperature before frying. Allow your steaks to rest on the counter for 1 1/2 hours before cooking them to make sure they are at the proper temperature.

Apply your seasoning around 30 to 45 minutes before you are ready to fry your steaks. Coat the meat liberally with salt and pepper. If you have a good cut of meat, there is no need to add any other rubs or spices. Because my steaks have been sitting in the freezer for around 2 months, I added 1tsp. of McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning to both sides of the meat.

Butter up that pan! Because I'm not using a cast-iron pan it is super important to get the pan well oiled. The butter will help increase the heat in my non-stick pan and make for a better sear on the steaks. I used 2 tbsp of butter to coat a medium sized pan.

After the butter rest for 1 or 2 minutes, it's time to put down the steaks. Place the meat in the center of the pan, give it one good pat, and leave it alone. It's tempting to check out how to meat is grilling, but the best thing you can do for your steak is to let it sit and fry. As the juices begin to gather in the pan, use a spoon to drizzle the pan juice back on top of the steak for extra flavoring.

After 6 minutes, flip over the steak. Again, the best thing you can do it to let the meat rest in the center of the pan. Continue to spoon the pan juice over the steak as it cooks.

After 6 minutes, remove the steaks from the pan. Place the steak back on your cutting board or on a clean plate and over them in foil. Allow the steaks to rest under the foil for another 5 minutes. This allows all of the juice to penetrate throughout the meat and locks in all of the flavor.

When the 5 minutes is up, slice the steaks and enjoy!

I love a good steak served with a side of potatoes. Check out the Food Network's Ina Garten's recipe for Rosemary Garlic Roasted Potatoes that will pair perfectly with your pan fried steak.