Perfect New York Strip Steak

So how to cook it? Sear it in a hot cast-iron skillet, then finish it in the oven. You’ll get a deep brown crusty exterior and a juicy interior, just like in a steakhouse. Every time I order a steak at a good steakhouse, I’m in awe. It always comes out perfect - a thick delicious crust on the outside, super juicy medium-rare meat on the inside. How do they do it? The secret is to cook the steak in two stages. First, you sear it in a super-hot cast-iron skillet. Then you finish cooking it in the oven. That’s how they do it in restaurants, and that’s how you should do it at home to achieve perfect (or close to perfect) results.

Ingredients

You’ll only need a few simple ingredients for this recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need: New York strip steak: Either USDA choice or (better yet) USDA prime. It should be about 1-inch thick. If you’d rather cook a ribeye steak, check out this recipe for cast-iron ribeye. To season: Kosher salt and black pepper. Butter: To finish the steak. Steakhouses almost always top your hot steak with some butter and allow it to melt into the steak. It greatly enhances its flavor.

Instructions

Cooking steakhouse-quality New York strip steak at home is not difficult. The detailed instructions are listed in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of the steps:

Preheat your oven to 500 degrees F.Heat a well seasoned cast iron skillet over high heat until smoking hot, 5-7 minutes.Meanwhile, sprinkle both sides of the steak with kosher salt and black pepper.Place the steak in the hot skillet. Cook, without moving, 2 minutes on each side. This will create a nice crust. Then cook the fat strip for 30 more seconds.Using oven mitts, transfer the skillet to the hot oven. Roast the steak to medium rare, 3-4 minutes. For medium, roast 4-5 minutes.Place the steak on a plate. Loosely cover it with foil. Allow it to rest for 5 minutes, then top it with butter and serve.

Expert tip

If your steak is thin (about ½-inch thick), you can simply pan-fry it. Cook it for 2 minutes per side in a hot cast-iron skillet.

Frequently asked questions

Recommended side dishes

With a good cut such as a New York strip, the meat should be the star of the show. I never serve starches with a good steak. Instead, I serve it with a small salad such as this simple tomato salad or this arugula salad. Other good sides include roasted carrots, caramelized shallots, and sauteed kale.

Storing leftovers

Steak is best when served freshly cooked. But you can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Rather than reheat them and risk overcooked meat, I like to slice the leftovers and add them to a steak salad or use them in a lettuce sandwich (slice them very thinly if you use them in a sandwich and remove the fat). But you can also reheat the leftovers gently, covered, in the microwave on 50% power.

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