Braden Family Cookbook

Chuck Braden

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PAN-SEARED THICK CUT STEAKS                               Cooks Illustrated 

1 1# boneless strip steak or rib-eye steak 1 ½ - 1 ¾ inch thick

Salt and pepper

Vegetable oil 

You will need an instant read thermometer for this procedure 

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.  Cut steak in half vertically.  Tie each with string to make them sort of round.  Dry steaks with paper towel.  Brush lightly with canola oil or a “non-stick oil spray.”  Liberally season steaks with salt and pepper. 

Place steaks on a rack on a rimmed cooking sheet and into the oven.  Cook until the internal temperature is 90 – 95 degrees, for rare to medium rare, 100 – 105 for medium.  I have had the best luck at 90 degrees with my oven.  You should experiment a little with your oven. 

Thermometer is inserted horizontally into the middle of one of the steaks. 

Remove steaks from oven and place in a heavy-bottomed skillet that has been pre-heated over high heat until it is smoking.  Sear on one side, lifting once to distribute fat, for 1 ½ - 2 minutes until well browned and crusty.  Turn steaks and cook other side 2 – 2 ½ minutes until well browned and crusty.  Reduce heat if fond  (the oil in the pan) starts to burn. 

You may reduce the heat and then brown the edges of the steaks by standing them on their sides and rotating for a total of about 1 ½ minutes.  You will want to just brown the sides.

Return steaks to rack, cover with foil and let rest for at least 5 minutes.  Cut and remove string and serve.