While grilling might be the go-to cooking method for many steak lovers, it’s certainly not the only way to do it. Sometimes, the weather may not be grill-worthy, and other times, you might simply not feel like firing up the grill. Don’t worry because we are going to cover the best ways to cook steak indoors and the types of steak cuts that work best for each method.
Table of Contents
1. Oven Cooked Steak
Cooking steak in the oven is looked down upon by some, but it’s a viable cooking method to use if you know how to do it properly. The trick with oven-cooked steak is to use high-quality steak and be careful about temperature and time. Cooking steak for too long under hot temperatures will likely result in dry, chewy meat.
Generally, a temperature of about 400 works well for steaks. Let your steaks sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before cooking. Place the steaks on a baking tray and season them on both sides with salt and pepper. Gently brush oil on both sides of the steaks before moving the tray into the oven. Cook on each side for 10-12 minutes or until the steak reaches 125 degrees for medium rare.
Alternatively, you can use the broiler function if your oven has one. Once you move the steaks into the oven, let them cook for 3-5 minutes before flipping and cooking for another 3-5 minutes on the other side.
After cooking, move the steaks to a clean plate and cover them loosely with aluminum foil to rest for about 10 minutes.
Best Steak Cut to Use for Oven Cooking
Using steaks with a good amount of fat is usually the best strategy for steaks cooked in the oven. Lean cuts can become dried out in the oven, while fat helps keep the meat tender and moist. Consider cuts like ribeye, T-bone, or New York strip steak.
2. Pan Seared Steak
Pan-seared steak is steak that you fry in a pan with a small amount of oil or butter. The outside becomes crispy, while the inside remains tender and juicy.
Before cooking, allow the steak to sit at room temperature for up to 45 minutes. Then, preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the steak on each side for 2-5 minutes until the outside turns golden brown. Then, lower the heat, and continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes until the inside reaches 125 degrees for medium rare. Let rest on a plate tented with foil for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Best Steak Cut to Use for Pan Searing
Boneless steaks tend to work best for pan-searing. Also, look for cuts that are no more than 1 ½ inches thick unless you don’t mind finishing them off in the oven. For instance, filet mignon sears well in a pan, but because of its thickness, it may need to finish for a few minutes in the oven. Ribeye, New York strip steak, and hanger steak are a few cuts to consider pan-searing.
3. Reverse Seared Steak
Reverse searing combines pan searing and oven cooking together to get a thoroughly cooked steak with a crisp sear on the outside. Start by preheating the oven to 250 degrees while your steak rests at room temperature. Then, season the steak and transfer it to a baking sheet and into the oven. Cook the steak for about 30-40 minutes or until it reaches 125 degrees in the thickest part of the meat.
Now, preheat a skillet with about a tablespoon of oil. Sear the steak on each side for 2-3 minutes.
Best Steak Cut to Use for Reverse Searing
Thick cuts of steak usually are best for reverse searing, as they may need more time to cook than pan searing alone allows. You can also use thinner steak, though, and cut down the time for the oven portion. For this method, we suggest filet mignon, tri tip, ribeye, and porterhouse steaks.
4. Sous Vide Steak
Sous vide is one of the lesser-known methods for cooking steak indoors, but once you try it, you may never go back. The sous vide method uses airtight bags to cook steak to the proper temperature while submerged in water. For a medium-rare steak, you’ll set the water to 130 degrees, submerge the sealed bag of steak, and cook for about two hours. Then, sear the steak on each side for 2-3 minutes in a prepared skillet.
Best Steak Cut to Use When Cooking Sous Vide
Sous vide works with just about any steak cut, but you may have to adjust the cooking time depending on your steak’s thickness. We especially like using sous vide with thin steaks that can become dry or chewy with other methods, like flank steak or skirt steak.
Conclusion: Cook a Restaurant-Quality Steak Without a Grill
As you can see, a grill is a plus when cooking steak, but it’s not a necessity. There are also other ways to cook steak indoors that we haven’t mentioned here, like slow cooking or air frying steak. You can learn about virtually every method used to cook steak by following Steak University, our database of recipes and guides for steak enthusiasts just like you.
When you’re ready to get cooking your steak off the grill, consider turning to Chicago Steak Company for your order. We have ready-to-ship steaks hand-cut and aged in our state-of-the-art facilities. Choose from boneless ribeye, filet mignon, T-bone, and more.