This Pro Tip Will Help You Get a Perfectly Pan-Fried Steak Every Time

Cheryl Fenton
Cheryl Fenton
An editor once called her “the kitchen sink writer." Translation - Boston-based freelancer Cheryl Fenton can write about anything, including the kitchen sink (peep her interior design pieces). Her bylines run the gamut from dailies like USAToday and the Boston Globe to monthly pubs including Whole Foods, Women's Health & Fitness, and Cooking Light to book covers (there's a travel guide for Fodor's with her name on it and a fitness read she wrote with Tamilee Webb of Buns of Steel fame).
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published Dec 15, 2022
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a steak being seared in a skillet
Credit: Joe Lingeman and Jesse Szewczyk
We Tested 5 Methods for Reheating Steak and Found Our New Go-To Method

While our outdoor grills may be enjoying a long winter hibernation, that doesn’t mean that we can’t have an amazingly juicy steak on the dinner table. Pan-frying on the stovetop tends to gets a bad rap, with issues ranging from over-searing the exterior to leaving a completely raw middle. But with the right techniques you can pull off pan-fried steak with no problem at all.

Professional cook Sonny Hurrell (a.k.a. @thatdude_cancook) has come to the rescue with a recent Instagram post that gives us hope with 12 pro tips for a perfect pan-fried steak. Since many of us are staring at months before we can start our outdoor grilling, this will certainly keep us from mishaps with our meat. 

With advice like resting your steak outside of the fridge for 40 minutes before cooking, and getting the pan screaming hot for five minutes before searing, there are plenty of gems in Hurrell’s post to keep handy for making yourself or guests the best steak ever. It’s the fourth tip, however, that has us (and you!) bound for greatness.

After choosing the perfect cut of beef (he mentions that the piece should have marbling throughout for the juiciest of pieces), Hurrell suggests tying cooking twine around your steak before you begin the pan-frying process. Pro tip: be sure to use twine marked for kitchen use, not crafting. Typically made of natural fibers, this type of twine is food-safe and better suited for such a task over the synthetic choice. 

This quick addition to your routine is an easy way to make the piece hold its shape during the cooking process. Translation — the more uniform size helps cook the steak evenly throughout. After all, who doesn’t love a good, juicy steak tip?

If you’re wondering just how you’re going to reheat your steak the next day and keep it tasting its best, not to fret. We tested out the best methods for reheating steak so you don’t have to.

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Beef
Ingredient
Meat
Steak
Tips & Techniques