Medium-Rare Steak Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Want to nail a perfectly cooked medium-rare steak without spending the bucks at a steakhouse? Slice into this recipe for cooking the ultimate medium-rare steak, delivering a juicy, pink center and a mouthwatering, crispy crust every time.

Prep Time8 5

Cook Time10

Resting Time5

Total Time8 20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 714kcal

Author: Kita Roberts

Equipment

Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients

For the steak:

1 lb boneless steak about 1" thick
1 tsp kosher salt
4 tbsp butter plus 1 tbsp of compound butter for resting
2 sprigs rosemary
2 garlic cloves smashed

For Garnish:

freshly ground black pepper and flakey salt

Instructions

Prep the Steak

Remove the steak from the package and pat it dry with paper towels.
Season all sides liberally with kosher salt.
Place the steak on a wire rack over a baking sheet and let dry brine in the fridge for 8 to 24 hours.
When you remove the steak from the fridge, it should be a deep red color and very dry to the touch.

Sear the Steak

When ready to cook, preheat a large cast iron pan over medium-high heat until just smoking.
Add the dry steak to the skillet and do not touch it for 60 to 90 seconds.
Gently flip the steak with tongs.
Immediately add the butter over the steaks along with the smashed garlic and sprigs of fresh rosemary.
As the butter melts, carefully tilt the pan just a bit and use a spoon to scoop up and ladle the butter over the the top of the steak.
Cook it for 60 to 90 seconds longer until it reaches and internal temperature of 125 to 130 degrees F.
Carefully remove the steak from the hot skillet and transfer to a cutting board or dish.

Rest and Serve

Top the steak with a dollop of compound butter and a fresh rosemary sprig on top.
Let the steak rest for 5 minutes as the butter melts over it before slicing against the grain into thin 1/4" strips for serving. As the steak slices rest, they will start to bloom in color, becoming more red.
Garnish with a pinch of freshly ground black pepper and flakey salt and and serve immediately.

Notes

This recipe works for a 1-inch steak. It's best with a ribeye, but you could also use a top sirloin or strip steak. You will need to adjust the cooking time for any steak over 1 pound and 1 inch thick.

For this recipe, we use a well seasoned 11" cast iron skillet or carbon steel skillet. Nothing else holds heat and locks in the crust as well.

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