Butter Basted Cast Iron Steak
The secret to cooking restaurant-quality steaks at home? A cast iron skillet! This Butter Basted Cast Iron Steak recipe will teach you how to use a cast iron skillet to cook the perfect steak every time – juicy and melt-in-your-mouth tender with a beautifully browned and crusty sear, and finished with a rich, flavorful garlic butter baste. A go-to stovetop steak method!
Ingredients
one 1 ½ – 2-inch steak of choice – filet mignon, ribeye, New York Strip, T-bone, etc.
kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
Louisiana Blackening seasoning (optional, but I prefer this)
1–2 tablespoons grape seed oil (or other high smoke point oil of choice)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced into small cubes
Optional add-ons
2 cloves garlic, smashed open
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
8–10 sprigs fresh thyme
Fresh parsley
Instructions
Steak prep: At least 2 hours before you’d like to make your steak, prep the steak. If your steak has a nice fat cap, use a paring knife to cut score marks into the fat cap. Dry and wrap the steak in paper towel.
Preheat the cast iron: Place a 12-inch cast iron skillet over high heat. Preheat for 5-7 minutes, until the cast iron is very hot. Meanwhile, pat the steak completely dry with paper towel.
Season: Liberally season all sides of the steak with kosher salt, ground black pepper, and any other seasonings as desired. A good rule of thumb is 1 teaspoon per pound. Place on a rack or plate. Just before you are ready to cook the steaks, drizzle the beef with grape seed oil, or you can add the oil directly to the pan.
Sear the steak, utilizing the frequent-turning method: If your steak has a nice fat cap, you can begin by rendering it slightly. Use long tongs to hold the steak upright, placing the fat cap in direct contact with the hot skillet. Cook 2-3 minutes, until the fat cap is rendered slightly and begins to develop nice golden brown color. Remove and set aside for a moment. Once the oil is hot and begins to smoke, carefully place the steak on one side of the skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Carefully flip the steak to the opposite side of the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes more. Continue flipping the steak to the opposite side of the skillet in 30 second increments. Five minutes total cooking time will yield medium rare doneness. (Refer to the post below for more guidance on doneness temperatures.)
Baste: After the last flip, reduce the heat to low. Carefully add the butter (and garlic, rosemary, and thyme if using) to the skillet. Tilt the skillet toward you, so the butter pools alongside the edge of the skillet nearest you. Use a large spoon to baste the butter over top the steak repeatedly for 30 seconds.
Rest. Transfer the steak to a plate and set aside to rest for 10-15 minutes.
Serve. Serve immediately, topped with parsley and browned butter from the pan (or with another steak sauce you love).
A quick guide to steak doneness temperatures:
Rare (red and cool center): Cook to an internal temperature of 105-110 degrees F. The steak’s carry-over heat will cause the internal temperature to rise to a final internal temperature of 120-125 degrees F. Approximately 4 minutes total cooking time.
Medium-rare (red and warm center): Cook to an internal temperature of 115-120 degrees F. The steak’s carry-over heat will cause the internal temperature to rise to a final internal temperature of 130-135 degrees F. Approximately 5 minutes total cooking time.
Medium (pink and warm center): Cook to an internal temperature of 125-130 degrees F. The steak’s carry-over heat will cause the internal temperature to rise to a final internal temperature of 140-145 degrees F. Approximately 6 minutes total cooking time.
Medium-well (slightly pink center): Cook to an internal temperature of 135-140 degrees F. The steak’s carry-over heat will cause the internal temperature to rise to a final internal temperature of 140-145 degrees F. Approximately 7 minutes total cooking time.
Well-done (cooked through with little to no pink): Cook to an internal temperature of 145-150 degrees F. The steak’s carry-over heat will cause the internal temperature to rise to a final internal temperature of 150+ degrees F. Approximately 8 minutes total cooking time.