Pan-Seared Oven-Roasted Steak
Juicy, tasty, pan-seared oven-roasted steak done to medium-rare (or your preferred doneness) delivers a restaurant-quality meal without the hefty price tag. Beautifully seared on the stovetop, then finished in the oven for a great time saver, it makes a great celebratory dinner.
There’s no way I can give up meat any time soon because of steak! It’s what I usually order at restaurants, and even make one at home whenever I get the craving. So yes, while I love plants too, I definitely tend toward carnivore!
And one of my favorite ways of preparing my steak is pan-searing it first on the stovetop and roasting it in the oven for a nicer finish. Cooking steak might be tricky, but once you nail it, you’ll be an expert! You don’t even need a sauce to go along with it. A good pan-seared steak is fantastic on its own!
Why Do Both Pan Searing and Oven Roasting
A good steak usually starts with a good sear for that gorgeous and delicious Maillard reaction. After you get that far on a thick steak, finishing it in the oven gets the right internal temperature without burning the outside.
If you use an oven-proof pan, you can preheat the oven and stick it directly in without messing up another pan. Then, you want to keep track of the internal temperature for the perfect steak. What’s the perfect doneness? The one you like best.
Here is a quick guide:
- Rare 120-125℉ (48-50℃)
- Medium-rare 130-135℉ (55-57℃)
- Medium 140-145℉ (60-62℃)
- Medium-well 150-155℉ (65-69℃)
- Well done 160-165℉ (69-74℃)
How to Pan Sear and Oven Roast Steak
- Season them generously with salt, and let them sit at room temperature for about 1 hour to dry brine.
- Sear both sides of the steak in a hot skillet with butter or oil until a slight dark crust has formed (4-5 minutes per side). (Photos 1-2)
- Toss in crushed garlic and rosemary, transfer the pan to a preheated oven, and roast 7-10 minutes (cooking time will depend on the thickness of the steak and desired level of doneness). (Photo 3)
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest for a few minutes before serving. (Photo 4)
- Slice the steaks across the grain and serve. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes and Tips
- A room-temperature steak cooks more evenly, so please don’t toss it in a hot skillet straight from the fridge.
- You can mix and match with the butter and oil. Butter burns faster than oil. Another option is ghee to avoid burning butter.
Menu Ideas for Your Steaks
Pair your favorite steak with a refreshing salad, roasted potatoes, and sauteed Brussels sprouts for an elegant dinner. A New York cheesecake and chai tea latte for dessert will take it over the top. But then, a bottle of lightly chilled Malbec or Merlot wouldn’t hurt.
More Celebratory Steak Dinner Entrees
By Imma
This blog post was originally published in March 2019 and has been updated with additional tips and beautiful photos.
Pan-Seared Oven-Roasted Steak
Ingredients
- 2 1½-inch thick boneless steaks (1-1½ pounds or 500-700g)
- salt to taste (½-¾ teaspoon per pound)
- 2 tablespoons (24g) steak seasoning
- 4 tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter or olive oil (I used both, half the amount of each)
- 4-6 cloves garlic, crushed
- ½ bunch rosemary
Instructions
- Pat the meat dry with paper towels. Season the steaks generously with salt, and let them sit at room temperature for about 1 hour to dry brine.
- Preheat oven to 400℉ (205℃).
- Melt butter and oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet (or oven-safe pan) over medium-high heat.
- Sear both sides of the steak in the hot skillet until a slight dark crust has formed (4-5 minutes per side). Reduce the heat if the steaks are browning too quickly. If you prefer a lighter outside crust, then reduce the time slightly.
- After searing, toss in the crushed garlic and rosemary. Transfer the pan to the preheated oven. And roast until an instant-read thermometer reads the desired temperature. (See notes)
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest for a few minutes before serving. Slice steak across the grain and serve.
Tips & Notes:
- If you don’t have steak seasoning, a blend of black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder will do the trick. Creole and jerk seasoning are also wonderful.
- This recipe is for two people, but it easily serves 4-6.
- Internal temperatures: Rare 120-125℉ (48-50℃), medium-rare 130-135℉ (55-57℃), medium 140-145℉ (60-62℃), medium-well 150-155℉ (65-69℃), well done 160-165℉ (69-74℃)
- The steaks will continue cooking after they come out of the oven. So pull them out of the oven a degree or two before the desired doneness, and they will reach the desired temp while resting.
- Let steaks rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing because the juices need time to reabsorb. Otherwise, you’ll lose all that juiciness.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the ingredients used.
This recipe looks incredible—juicy, perfectly seared, and so tempting . Did you have any tips for getting that steak cooked just right every time?
Thank you, Sidra. An instant-read thermometer is a big help. I’ve listed them above with the matching doneness level. Heat your pan to 285-350℉ before putting the steak on it. If the pan is below 285℉, it won’t sear, and if it’s above 350℉, it might burn. Dry your steak first. Wet steaks steam instead of searing.
Hope that helps 🙂
Everything I hoped for and restaurant level. Seared 2 minutes each side and 8 minutes in oven at 200 degrees Celsius. Perfect .Remember to check the thickness and weight of the steak.
Great to hear that. Thank you for your feedback.
What are some good steaks to cook?
Hi, Cindy. I’d say go for rib-eye, top sirloin, tenderloin, and New York strip – to name a few.
I plan to try this recipe without the garlic. The pictures looked beautiful and tempting but I dislike garlic.
You can use shallots or just use garlic powder. 🙂
After 25 years of cooking steaks unsuccessfully this comes out perfect every time.
Thanks!
WOOHOO!! Thanks so much.
my husband & i loved this now he wants me to make for 8 people!
is this possible? how would you do this? thank you
Yes you can. You would have to make it in batches, place in the oven at 200 degrees F until ready to serve. Hope this helps.
Made a Tomahawk Rib Eye for Father’s Day using your recipe. Everyone loved it!
Thank you for letting me know. So happy it turned out well for you.
You have the wrong temperature for med rare is never over 135 please send me a response.
Thanks for your time and consideration Marcus D TAYLOR
Hi Marcus, I double checked and you are right, most people prefer 135 degrees. However, there are others who disagree.
I TOO WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW LONG TO COOK THE STEAK FOR MEDIUM WELL TO WELL DONE AND AT WHAT TEMP.
A medium-well-done steak should have an internal temperature of 150℉ (65℃). How long it takes will depend on your oven and the steak’s thickness. Hope that helps.
Hi Imma! Do you have any idea how long to cook the steak for medium-well to well done? I know it is a travesty to cook beef that long but I have children who won’t eat meat with any sign of pink. Thanks!
Hi Kate. It would be better to go by internal temperature (150℉ or 65℃) because how long it takes will depend on your oven and how thick the steak is. Hope that helps.