How to Perfectly Season and Pan Sear Steak!

Overhead shot of a sliced ribeye steak on a cutting board with garlic and spinach

Whether you’re a well done steak eater, or you like yours with a quick sear, I’ve got some universal tips to get you that perfectly seasoned, seared, and sliced steak!

So you need help to pan sear steak at home. Well, everyone’s definition of perfect is definitely different. Especially when it comes to cooking meat that can be consumed at various temperatures.

So many different cuts of steak exist in this meat-eater world, so the amount of time it cooks varies greatly. For this lesson, I’m using a bone-in ribeye.

There are 2 main points (with sub points) that involve your steak coming out delicious: the prep done to the steak before cooking, and the actual cooking process. All the steps are covered below!

Steps to take when prepping a steak to be cooked:

Slice off a little of the fat cap

Depending on the cut of steak you purchase, you’ll find a thick layer of fat on one side, which is called the fat cap. First let me say that fat means flavor! So you don’t want to remove this whole piece, but trimming off some of it is perfectly fine. Don’t worry though, that fat will get cooked, which will be brought up later.

Pat the steak dry

Like with any protein you’re searing, you want the skin to be free of excess water. This is natural and nothing to stress over, but you’re gonna want that perfect sear for this. Grab a paper towel and pat both sides to remove the extra moisture.

Ribeye steak being pat dry — Pat your steak dry when removing from it’s packaging

Sit the steak on a wire rack, if possible

If you have a wire rack, it’s the perfect time to use it!

Wanna know where I got this mini rack from? My toaster oven! It fits perfectly on my smaller cookie tray too. If you don’t have either one of these, no worries. A tray or plate is just fine.

Sprinkle liberally with kosher salt

Now, this is some science-y sh*t about to happen. The salt will draw out additional moisture from the outside of the steak. While it’s doing this, the salt flavor will also penetrate into the steak itself.

Please note that when doing this, you should be using kosher salt. Do NOT use iodized!!!! The salt granules for iodized salt are very small, and will make your steak overly salty and that is NOT why we’re here. However, kosher salt granules are bigger, making less salt needed to season. More science-y sh*t.

Season that steak liberally on all sides, including that fat cap. You’re essentially marinating the steak.

Ribeye steak being seasoned — Liberally sprinkle both sides of the steak with kosher salt

Let rest 30 minutes per inch

Next, let the steak sit with the salt for 30 minutes per inch of thickness. Try not to go any longer than this, as the steak will be overly seasoned with the salt/science that I mentioned above, and will also pull out too much moisture. Again, we don’t want that. If you get side tracked (cuz life happens) an hour with the salt is fine. But pleeaasssse avoid going any further than that!

Let the steak sit at room temperature

Don’t put the steak back in the fridge. It’s better to cook meat when it’s not cold. The steak will cook more evenly when it’s closer to it’s ideal cooked temperature.

Believe it or not, you can let a raw steak sit out for a couple of hours, and it’ll still be safe to eat (as long as it’s straight from the fridge.)

Seasoned ribeye steak — Excess moisture after salting the steak for 30 minutes

Pat steak dry again

After the allotted time that your steak has sat out with the salt, you’ll notice a bit more moisture! That’s the science I mentioned earlier. Pat the steak dry like you did in the beginning. Make sure you aren’t wiping the steak, so that the salt isn’t being removed.

Patting the steak with a paper towel will keep the salt on the steak while still removing that excess moisture. Also, getting rid of that excess moisture creates a better crust on the steak, helping it to sear in the pan instead of creating steam.

Season with pepper

This is optional since letting the salt sit with the steak helps to improve the flavor. But take it up a notch with some pepper. You do not need any other seasonings at this point.

Now that the steak has been seasoned to perfection, it’s time to cook that bad boy!

First, I must tell you to invest in a cast iron skillet. Not only is it perfect to pan sear steak, it’s basically a griddle, oven safe dish, and saute pan in one! A cast iron is definitely a kitchen staple, and my favorite kitchen tool! But anyways, on to the cooking part…

How to pan sear steak:

Medium-high heat with canola or blended oil

Heat your pan on medium-high heat. It’s best to get your pan on the stove to heat up when you pat your steak dry the second time. Once it starts to give off a little smoke, add in enough canola or blended oil to coat the pan.

Put your steak in the pan, and just look at it for a bit

Next, carefully place your seasoned steak into the hot pan. And don’t move it. The only times you’ll touch this steak again is to flip it over and remove it from the pan. Moving the steak around will prevent the steak from getting that perfect sear. (FYI – this method counts for ANY protein or veggie you’re cooking on the stove that you want to have some color.) So just let it hang out.

Seasoned rib eye steak in a cast iron pan — Season your steak and gently place in a preheated pan with oil

Don’t use a fork or knife to flip your steak!!! Seriously!!!

Use either a spatula or silicone tongs. When using anything other than those, you’ll be stabbing into the steak, piercing a hole for the juices to come out. And we don’t want that! Also avoid using metal tongs for this. More info on this topic a few points down.

Ribeye being seared in a cast iron pan — Use silicone tongs or a spatula to flip. Do not use a fork or knife!!!

How long to pan sear steak

I prefer my steaks cooked to medium. So this steak, which is 1 inch in thickness, was cooked on each side for 2 ½ – 3 minutes. If you’re a medium steak person like me but you have a thicker steak, add a minute per inch per side (so a 2 inch steak will cook for 3 ½ – 4 minutes each side) In turn if you have a thinner steak, subtract a minute per side. Same deal if you prefer your steaks cooked a degree more or less than medium.

For reference, I’ve added steak temperatures and their names below, along with my suggested cooking time for a 1 inch pan sear steak.

Rare – 125 F, cool red center (1 minute per side)
Medium rare – 135 F, warm red center (2 minutes per side)
Medium – 145 F, warm pink center. (3 minutes per side)
Medium well – 155 F, warm gray center with a little pink (4 minutes per side)
Well done – 165 F, gray AF (5 minutes per side)

If you want to check the temperature of your steak with a thermometer to play it safe, wait until after the steak has rested, since we aren’t trying to pierce the steak and lose it’s juices.

Baste it baby!

Again, fat means flavor. After you sear the first side of your steak and flip it, throw a big chunk of butter into the pan. This should be added in the last 2 minutes of completely cooking your steak. If you have it, also throw in a couple of crushed garlic cloves and a small handful of herbs.

Once the butter melts, spoon it onto the top of the steak. This is called basting (think of basting a turkey). Keep in mind that this basting does account for some of the cooking time, so you only need to do this for about 30 seconds.

Ribeye steak in a cast iron pan with butter, garlic, and herbs — Add unsalted butter, crushed garlic cloves, and herb of choice into the pan near the end of searing your steak

Ribeye in a cast iron pan basting with herb garlic butter — Once the butter has melted, baste the steak using a large spoon

Sear the fat cap on your steak

We don’t want to chew on that raw fat! So grab your tongs, hold that steak on its side, and let the fat cap sit in that garlicky herb butter for 20-30 seconds. If your steak does not have a fat cap, you will skip this step.

Rest for 3-5 minutes before slicing

After you pan sear steak, please don’t cut into your steak right away. I know you’re tempted to with the work you put into it, but just wait.

There’s some more science-y sh*t happening where the moisture in the steak is still moving around from cooking (think boiling water, but in the steak). Cutting the steak right when you remove it from the heat will cause the moisture to immediately seap out. That’ll then cause your steak to dry out, which would make all that hard (but still easy) work a waste of time. So let that steak sit on a cutting board or plate for at least 2 minutes, a couple more minutes if you can.

The thicker the steak, the longer the wait. Best number to set as your rest time is the amount of time you let your steak cook on 1 side. This is the absolute minimum amount of time (like if you’re rushing and hangry.) After it’s rested, you’re safe to stab it with a thermometer to make sure it’s doneness is to your liking before slicing.

Ribeye steak on a cutting board — Rest your cooked steak before slicing

Bone being sliced off of a cooked ribeye steak — After the she steak has rested, slice around the bone

Cut against the grain

This is a very important step. Probably more important than everything else I’ve mentioned. Cutting a steak against the grain helps to make the bite of steak less chewy.

The grain of a steak are those natural lines you see. You can also see this when the steak is raw. Best way to find the grain is to hold up one end so the steak kinda bends. There, you’ll see lines where it looks like the steak separates a little bit.

Now that you’ve found the grain, you want to slice your steak in a different direction from it. You want to place your knife so that it makes an X with the grain that you found. Make sure that this grain-knife X you’re making doesn’t look like a plus symbol or a lowercase t.

If you cut along the grain vs against it, that perfectly cooked steak will be tougher to chew. It’ll still be edible, but it won’t be as fun to eat compared to it being sliced properly.

Close up of a cooked ribeye steak — The grain is the natural lines you see before slicing. Place you knife so the grain and your knife form the shape of an “X”

Slice, don’t saw!

What am I talking about? Well, when you’re slicing your steak, move the knife in one direction. Don’t move it back and forth while pressing down to cut the steak. It’s best to slice downward in one direction so that you aren’t shredding this perfect steak you just cooked. Now, this is clearly for presentation purposes. But, you’ve made it this far, so you should go all the way in!

Ribeye steak being sliced thin — When slicing against the grain, and slice in on motion. Slice, don’t saw!

One last seasoning!!!

If you have an herb butter or herb sauce this is the perfect time to use it. Put a dollop of the butter or sauce on your steak to be super fancy. I will say though that if you follow the steps above, it will not be a big deal if you don’t have either of these.

A light sprinkle of fresh ground pepper and sea salt is also the perfect addition once your steak has been sliced!

Now that you have the rundown on prepping and cooking the perfect steak, it’s time for you to execute it! If you use my tips, make sure to tag me on Instagram so I can see the awesomeness!

Overhead shot of a sliced ribeye steak with butter and herbs — Sexy steak!!!!!

If you’re looking for sides to go with your sexy steak, check out my herb garlic roasted potatoes. I’ve got a yummy creamed spinach recipe coming soon!

August 30, 2021August 30, 2021

Creamy Tuna Pasta Salad Recipe

Tuna pasta salad is one of my favorite fool-proof recipes. With just a few ingredients and a few minutes, you’ll have the perfect side dish for a family gathering, or lunch for the work week!

One of the first few side dishes that come to mind when someone mentions a cookout or family gathering is tuna pasta salad. Not sure why this dish is what I think of (maybe cuz I love noods), but this recipe most certainly the most effort-less one to make with an amazing flavor!

Overhead shot of tuna pasta salad in a bowl

How to make tuna pasta salad

So simple to put this one together.

Your pasta of choice (usually macaroni) is fully cooked according to package directions. Once cooked, the pasta will need to be cooled down by either running it under cool water or sitting it in an ice bath. You’ll need to make sure the pasta is completely strained after cooling.

While the pasta is cooking, you’ll combine the tuna salad ingredients, seasoning to your taste.

Finally, combine the tuna salad with the cooled pasta. Boom…you just made tuna pasta salad!!!

The pasta salad can be served immediately. However, this is one of those recipes that taste much better a day later. If I’m running short on time, I make sure to at least let this sit in the fridge for an hour before serving.

Type of canned tuna to use for tuna salad

You can honestly use any brand and type of canned tuna you can get your hands on!

My preference though is chunk tuna. The chunks can be broken up more if preferred, but I like the bigger chunks of the tuna in my tuna salad.

Canned tuna will come packed in either water or oil. Again, it’s up to you which one you go with. Out of habit though, I go with the water option. The tuna will get mixed with mayo, so using tuna in oil isn’t necessary. And of course, the water packed tuna is a bit healthier since it isn’t sitting in oil.

Which pasta should I use for tuna pasta salad?

When choosing the best pasta to use for tuna salad, you’ll want to go with one that’s a shorter noodle. The chunks of tuna are small, so you want to use a smaller noodle vs a longer one. While macaroni is always the safer bet, you can get fancy and use one of the following:

Rotini
Shell
Farfalle (aka bowtie)
Cavatappi (aka corkscrew)
Orecchiette
Fusilli

Long story short….any pasta you’d use to make a batch of mac n cheese is perfect for tuna pasta salad!

Should I add eggs to tuna pasta salad?

You can most certainly add hard boiled eggs to your tuna macaroni salad! I did not use any for this recipe, but 2-3 hard boiled eggs is a good amount to use for this recipe.

The addition of eggs is a perfect addition for added protein with the already protein-packed tuna!

Other uses for tuna salad

I’ve omitted the pasta from this recipe and used the tuna salad for sandwiches. It makes the perfect tuna melt!

After making the tuna mixture, simply toast your bread of choice, add the tuna salad, top with your cheese of choice, and quickly melt under a broiler.

Even without a toaster available, this will taste great as a cold sandwich too!

Tuna pasta salad shelf life

While this does not last long in my house, tuna macaroni salad will usually last up to a week. Store in your fridge in an airtight container.

Hope you get a chance to test out my tuna macaroni pasta salad! It’s definitely one of my favorite recipes!

If you need another simple recipe for a gathering, check out my Garlic Parmesan Grilled Corn.

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Tuna Macaroni Pasta Salad

This classic and fool-proof recipe is perfect for summer gatherings, or for work lunches!

Prep Time15

Chill time1

Total Time1 15

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: july 4th recipes, labor day recipes, memorial day recipes, pasta, pasta salad, side dishes, summer side dishes, tuna, tuna pasta salad, tuna salad

Servings: 8 servings

Author: Crystal

Equipment

Mixing bowl
colander
large pot
Whisk
Rubber spatula
knife and cutting board

Ingredients

8 ounces boxed pasta
3 tablespoons relish
½ cup diced red onion
1 ½ cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¾ teaspoon paprika
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
20 ounces canned tuna 4 5-ounce cans, strained

Instructions

Cook pasta of choice according to package directions. Once cooked, cool the pasta by running under cold water or chilling in an ice bath. Drain the pasta and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the remaining ingredients with a whisk, excluding the tuna.
Add the cooked pasta and tuna into the mayonnaise mixture. Gently mix together to combine.
Can be served immediately. For best results, cover and chill the pasta salad for at least an hour, preferably overnight.

Notes

August 22, 2021August 22, 2021

Easy 4-Ingredient Strawberry Key Lime Sorbet

Overhead shot of two bowls of strawberry key lime sorbet in bowls with sliced strawberries and key limes

Strawberry key lime sorbet is the perfect treat to close out a warm summer evening. With just 4 ingredients, you’ll fall in love with the ease of this no churn recipe!

Scoops of strawberry key lime sorbet in a bowl

Making a sorbet at home may seem a bit scary. But it’s one of the easiest homemade desserts that can be made! Just a few ingredients and a couple of hours for freezing is all you need!

How to make homemade sorbet

To make a simple sorbet base at home, all you’ll need is a blender, a freezer safe container, and fruit! No ice cream machine needed. Just blend, freeze, scoop, and serve!

For this particular recipe, there are additional ingredients to jazz up the strawberry sorbet base. The addition of an acid, key lime juice in this case, brightens up the flavor. Honey is a natural sweetener, which will help if you’re using strawberries outside of strawberry season. Lastly, the ginger adds a very slight spice kick that isn’t overwhelming (I love using Gourmet Garden’s ginger paste!)

Honey vs simple syrup for sorbet

Sorbet is commonly made with a simple syrup – equal parts of sugar and water simmered together and cooled.

While it’s delicious, it’s better to use the simple syrup method for a sorbet that will be used in an ice cream maker. The churning helps to make the sorbet base smoother, which is important for the liquid content being added.

Since this strawberry key lime sorbet is a no churn recipe, I used honey! Not only is it a natural sweetener, the water content is much lower so the churning isn’t necessary!

Sorbet storage

The homemade sorbet should be stored in a freezer safe container with an airtight container.

It’s shelf life is around a month. Ice crystals will start to form on top of the sorbet, but can be lightly scraped off before serving.

Frozen fruit vs fresh fruit for sorbet

This strawberry key lime sorbet recipe calls for fresh strawberries. However if you can not get your hand on any, frozen is a great alternative.

When the ingredients are blended together using frozen fruit, the end result will be more of a frozen slushy than a puree when using fresh fruit. Don’t worry though….it will still be delicious! Proceed with pouring the slushy into the freezer-safe container, and spread evenly before freezing for about an hour.

How to serve homemade sorbet

Once the sorbet is frozen, sit the container out at room temperature for about 5 minutes. The sorbet will be a bit easier to scoop this way.

If you want to be fake fancy, slice up some fresh fruit to serve on the side of the scooped sorbet!

What I love is that sorbet can also be served as a drink! Scoop the frozen sorbet into a blender, and pulse until smooth. Make it an adult beverage by adding a shot (or 2) of your favorite alcohol while blending. Or pour your favorite wine or hard seltzer over a scoop of sorbet in cups. Perfect summer treat!

If you’re looking for another easy dessert, you’ll definitely want to check out my no churn ice cream flavors: Cookie Butter, Cereal Milk, and S’mores!

Print Recipe

5 from 9 votes

4 Ingredient Strawberry Key Lime Sorbet

Strawberry and key lime sorbet is the perfect treat to close out a warm summer evening.

Prep Time10

Freeze time3

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: key lime, no churn, no churn sorbet, sorbet, strawberries, strawberry

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Crystal