A hard sear, a butter baste with garlic and rosemary, and a real rest. The steakhouse method, demystified in four steps.
What you need
Ingredients
Servings
2
Before you start
Mise en place
Equipment
Cast-iron skillet
Instant-read thermometer
Tongs
Prep checklist
Beef Steak — ribeye or sirloin, 3 cm thick
Garlic — smashed
4 steps
Method
1
Salt the steaks and leave them at room temperature 30 minutes. Pat bone-dry before the pan.
30 min — timer available in cooking mode
Why this works
A wet steak steams grey. Dry surface + hot pan = the crust you're paying for.
2
Sear in oil over high heat, 2–3 minutes per side, flipping once, until deeply browned.
5 min — timer available in cooking mode
3
Drop to medium; add butter, garlic, and rosemary, tilt the pan, and baste continuously 1–2 minutes. Pull at 52°C for medium-rare.
2 min — timer available in cooking mode
4
Rest 8 minutes under loose foil, then slice against the grain and finish with flaky salt and the pan butter.
8 min — timer available in cooking mode
Why this works
Resting isn't optional — cut early and the juices end up on the board, not in the meat.
From the pass
Chef's notes
Taste before serving and adjust salt and acid — the last 30 seconds of seasoning matter more than any single ingredient.
Afterwards
Keep, reheat & pair
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of water.
Freezing
Freezes well up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating
Reheat gently: covered in a 160°C oven for 15 minutes, or in a pan over medium-low with a splash of water or stock. The microwave works at 50% power in short bursts — full blast toughens proteins.
Make ahead
Most braises and sauces improve overnight. Sear-and-serve dishes: do every step up to the final cook, then finish fresh.
Wine pairing
Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec — tannin loves fat.
Beer pairing
Match intensity: lagers for delicate dishes, amber ales for roasted flavors, stouts for the rich and braised.