How to Pan-Sear a Steak with Butter Basting
Master pan-searing and butter-basting to cook a restaurant-quality steak with a crisp golden crust, tender interior, and rich garlic-herb aromatics.
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🧰 Required Tools & Equipment
- ✓ Cast iron skillet (10-12 inch)
- ✓ Instant-read digital meat thermometer
- ✓ Heavy-duty locking tongs
- ✓ Large metal basting spoon
- ✓ Wire cooling rack with rimmed baking sheet
- ✓ Paper towels
📦 Materials & Supplies
- ✓ Thick-cut steak (1.5-inch Ribeye or New York Strip)
- ✓ Coarse kosher salt
- ✓ Coarsely cracked black pepper
- ✓ 2 tbsp high-smoke-point oil (avocado or canola)
- ✓ 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- ✓ 3 cloves garlic (crushed, unpeeled)
- ✓ 3 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary
⚠️ Safety Checkpoints & Warnings
- • Lay the meat away from you into the hot pan to prevent hot oil splashes toward your body.
- • Use a dry silicone grip or folded towel on the cast iron handle; bare metal reaches searing temperatures.
- • Keep exhaust fan on high to handle high-heat oil smoke safely.
📋 Step-by-Step Guide (6 Steps)
Dry and Season the Steak
Press paper towels firmly over all surfaces of the steak until completely bone dry. Generously coat top, bottom, and all vertical edges with kosher salt and black pepper, pressing the grains into the meat.
- • Steak surface is matte with no visible moisture glisten.
- • Even, visible coating of coarse salt and cracked pepper clinging to all faces and edges.
- • Seasoning only the flat faces while ignoring the fat strip and edges.
- • Leaving meat damp, which causes steaming instead of searing.
Preheat Pan and Oil
Set the cast iron skillet over high heat for 4 to 5 minutes until extremely hot. Pour in high-smoke-point oil and swirl to coat the entire cooking surface evenly.
- • Faint, wispy white smoke rising steadily from the pan surface.
- • Oil moves with water-like liquidity and exhibits thin ripples (shimmering).
- • Adding oil to a cold pan and overheating the oil until it burns black.
- • Adding meat before pan reaches full heat, resulting in a gray band.
Sear First Side and Render Edge
Using tongs, gently lay the steak into the skillet away from you. Let it sear undisturbed for 2 minutes, then use tongs to press the side fat strip against the hot iron for 45 seconds to render.
- • Deep golden-brown, mahogany crust formed on the bottom contact area.
- • Fat band on edge looks translucent and golden rather than opaque white.
- • Constantly nudging or lifting the steak before a crust establishes.
- • Dropping the steak toward oneself and splashing hot oil.
Flip and Add Basting Aromatics
Flip the steak over to the second side. Immediately lower the heat to medium and add butter, crushed garlic cloves, and fresh herb sprigs into the empty space of the pan.
- • Top face shows an uninterrupted, deep mahogany crust.
- • Butter melts rapidly, begins foaming, and turns light golden.
- • Keeping heat on maximum, which burns the butter solids into bitter black specs.
- • Using minced garlic instead of whole crushed cloves, which burn instantly.
Baste the Steak (Arrosé)
Tilt the skillet slightly toward you using a heatproof handle grip. Use the large metal spoon to continuously scoop the foaming herb-and-garlic butter over the top of the steak for 1.5 to 2 minutes.
- • Butter forms a steady, light-golden froth rolling across the steak surface.
- • Steak crust appears glossy and saturated with herb-infused butter.
- • Tilting the pan too far, spilling hot butter directly onto the burner flame.
- • Basting too slowly, allowing the top of the steak to cool down.
Check Internal Temp and Rest
Insert the instant-read thermometer horizontally into the thickest center of the meat, avoiding bone or fat pockets. Transfer the steak to a wire cooling rack when it reads 125°F for medium-rare (or 135°F for medium), and let rest for 6 to 8 minutes.
- • Thermometer display reads target pull temperature (e.g., 125°F for medium-rare).
- • Steak elevated on wire rack with clear air flow beneath, juices catching on tray.
- • Cutting directly into the steak immediately after removal from pan.
- • Resting steak flat on a smooth cutting board, which turns the bottom crust soggy.
Credit: inspired by an original tutorial by Joshua Weissman — watch the original on YouTube.
Don’t have everything?
- No Cast iron skillet? Heavy-bottomed stainless steel skillet (avoid non-stick)
- No Avocado oil? Grapeseed oil or refined canola oil
- No Wire cooling rack? Inverted plate or wooden cutting board