How To Cook A Steak In The Oven

As any steak fanatic will tell you, oven-cooked isn't the usual route a chef will take when whipping up your favorite rib-eye or T-bone. The best steaks are grilled or pan-fried, and they taste wonderful when done this way, but getting the meat just right is a somewhat time-consuming process.

Standing over your grill waiting eagerly for your juicy steak to hit its sweet spot isn't practical for many people, so steak is often tossed to the side as a treat for a special occasion.

This is where the other option comes in - cook steak in an oven. By using this method, you can have your steak the way you want it in as little as 20 minutes. The best part? It's still delicious, so much less work, and doesn't turn your kitchen into some kind of smoky nightmare. Here's our tips for achieving the best results.

What's The Perfect Cut For Cooking Steak In The Oven?

For oven-cooked steak you'll want to look into thicker cuts than you might usually opt for. Our recommendations are:

• Top sirloin: Cut from the upper-middle part of the cow and possessing great flavor, this is a popular middle-ground option. It isn't so thin that it won't cook properly in an oven, but is leaner than other available cuts
• Filet mignon: The leanest cut you can get from the tenderloin, it is also often the most expensive, but this price point is because it is the most tender cut available
• Rib-eye Steak: Cut from the rib section, meat from this cut has great marbling and can be served either on bone or off. It is the cut that produces the juiciest steaks
• Strip steak: Cut from just below the backbone, strip steak produces one of the most tender steaks. No doubt you've heard of t-bone steaks; well the strip steak is the largest and tastiest piece of meat on the t-bone.

When cooking, it's important to pay attention to the white fat and marbling of the cut you select. The goal is to find a piece that could be placed somewhere comfortably between lean and fatty.

Some tell-tale signs of the perfect steak are a white strip of fat around the cut with thin marbling throughout. If the marbling is too thick, it can affect the quality of the meat.

Our TOP recommendations for steaks that strike this balance are filet mignon and rib-eye.

Ingredients For A Delicious Steak

Of course, the most obvious ingredient is the steak itself. When choosing the ideal grassfed steak, it isn't just the cut that you need to take into consideration. Quality matters, and with so many cuts available both in stores and online, it can be easy to simply opt for the cheapest option.

Don't. Often when a price is too good to be true, it's exactly that.

When purchasing your meat, keep a special eye out for sustainably raised stock that's grass-fed and grass-finished like all of ours at Seven Sons Farm.

At Seven Sons, Our beef are always grass-fed, pasture-raised, and farmed ethically. We set our standards high for the quality of meat we provide because we know customers receive a better meal when they shop farm-to-table. That's why we believe if you want the best oven-cooked meat, avoid processed factory farm meats.

It isn't just the steak itself you need to consider when creating the perfect dish. There are lots of components that come together to create a delicious end result when cooking steak.

Some of the key ingredients you're going to need are:

• Grass-fed steak of your choosing (preferably an inch thick)
• 1-2 tablespoons of cooking oil: vegetable or olive oil are all fine choices
• 1 tablespoon of grassfed butter (or appropriate alternative depending on your diet)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoonfuls of Salt
• 3 garlic cloves

It's really a simple steak recipe, but it offers magnificent results. Also, yes, salt seems hefty, but when oven-cooking steak, it's beneficial to use more salt than you think. It helps bring out the flavor in a significant way.

While we're on the topic of seasoning: fresh cracked black pepper is vastly superior to the stuff out of regular shakers.

When it comes to high-heat cooking oils, most of your favorites should be fine:

• Peanut oil
• Vegetable oil
• Coconut oil
• Avocado oil
• Olive oil

These are all perfectly acceptable. This is because they can all withstand prolonged periods of high heat without burning, so they're ideal for cooking meat in the oven.

Equipment Needed to Cook a Steak in the Oven

This might be a much easier way to cook a steak, but that doesn't mean your oven is the only thing you need to be armed with. There's still some level of equipment required, but don't worry: it's far from heavy-duty.

To cook steak in the oven we think you need the following:

• A cast iron skillet: These easily retain heat and work to ensure your steak is evenly cooked throughout
• Tongs: You'll need these to move your steak from the hot skillet to the oven and vice-versa, depending on your cooking technique (covered below)
• A meat thermometer: This is vital if you want to cook steak in the oven to a particular level such as rare, medium, or well done. It's also a handy tool to make sure the meat is thoroughly cooked through before serving, especially if you're a fan of rare meat
• A sharp knife: This isn't necessarily for the cooking process and might sound exceptionally obvious, but meat is always best cut against the grain. You'll need a sharp knife to achieve this, so make sure you have one handy!

Though the equipment needed may vary from recipe to recipe, these items listed above are the most important for the recipe we'll be covering in this guide.

How To Cook Steak In The Oven: Step-By-Step

There's more than one way to cook steak in the oven. The biggest variance is how you like your meat cooked. In an oven, you can achieve a perfectly cooked rare steak just as much as well done.

The key difference in how to achieve these results is to monitor the internal temperature of the meat. Besides that, the process is very similar. Just follow our complete guide below. We've included the most popular ways to cook your meats. Simply scroll to your preferred steak for a full explanation.

Here are all the ways to cook steak in the oven broken down into simple steps:

Rare

Step 1: Let the steak reach room temperature by allowing it to sit for thirty minutes

Cold meat will seize up if thrown directly into a pan, which will make the end result much tougher and less palatable.

Step 2: While the meat is thawing, preheat your oven to 400

Place a cast iron skillet inside to heat it up.

Step 3: Rub both sides of the steak with your choice of oil (vegetable, canola, or olive oil)

Then season thoroughly with fresh black pepper, salt, and the roughly cut garlic cloves.

Step 4: Remove the hot skillet from the oven

Place it on top of your stove on a medium heat.

Step 5: Using some tongs, move the steak onto the cast iron skillet

Sear both sides for a minute each.

Step 6: Move the steak into the oven

Turn halfway through cooking, usually at the fifteen-minute mark. To ensure it's cooked rare, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. If it's between 125 and 130 degrees, then you know you're done.

Step 7: Once fully cooked, remove the steak from the oven

Let the steak rest for five to ten minutes before bringing it to the cutting board. This allows the meat to settle.

Last step: Cut the meat against the grain and serve up!

Medium-Rare

Step 1: Allow the steak to thaw out on a kitchen side for 20 minutes

This is so that it can reach room temperature. Frozen meat will seize if heated too quickly.

Step 2: Once thawed, remove any excess moisture from the steak by blotting it with kitchen paper

Step 3: Once dry, rub down both sides of the steak with your chosen cooking oil until fully covered

Step 4: Begin to season your steak with your choice of salt (we prefer kosher salt), pepper, and garlic (or whichever dry seasonings you wish to use)

Step 5: Place into the oven and for a cooking time of 20 minutes

Just a note that some ovens are different so the total time might be different depending on how you want your steak cooked.

Step 6: Cover the bottom of a cast iron skillet in oil

Step 7: Move the steak from the oven to the cast iron skillet

Cook on both sides until brown and crispy

Step 8: Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of your steak

For medium rare, you'll want a temperature of 130 degrees.

Last step: If cooked to the correct temperature, remove from heat and let steak rest for 10 minutes

Then, serve by cutting against the grain. Enjoy!

Medium

Step 1: Blot your steak dry with paper towels and allow for it to sit for 20 minutes

If you think it needs more prep time to reach room temperature, you can extend this to 30 minutes. This allows the meat to cook more evenly.

Step 2: Preheat your oven to 500 or 550 degrees

Or follow whatever your personal broiler setting dictates.

Step 3: Heat your cast iron skillet beneath the broiler

Heat for up to 20 minutes before cooking. To get this to the desired temperature the total time heating might be slightly different for your broiler.Just keep an eye one it.

Step 4: Prepare your steak by covering it in olive oil (or oil of your choice)

Use either your hands or a brush.

Step 5: Season it with your chosen dry seasonings

Step 6: Using an oven mitt, move the cast iron skillet from the oven to the stove-top

Then place the steak into the very center of the skillet. You should hear it begin to sizzle immediately. Sear for thirty seconds on one side and do the same for the other side.

Step 7: Place the skillet back into the oven and cook for four minutes on each side

Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature. If it's at 140 degrees then it's ready to remove from the oven.

Last step: Cut your juicy steak against the grain and serve

Add extra butter for some additional moisture!

Medium-Well

Step 1: Take your cast iron skillet and place it in your oven at 450 degrees

If the skillet and oven are the same temperatures, you'll benefit from an evenly cooked steak.

Step 2: Place your steak on the kitchen side to reach room temperature

This should take around 20 minutes.

Step 3: Whisk together your salt, pepper, and garlic (or other dry seasonings)

Whisk until they're fully mixed as one powder. Leave this aside for the moment.

Step 4: Blot your steak with paper towels to remove excess moisture

Then begin covering it in your cooking oil of choice. You can do this by hand or with a brush. Once done, begin to sprinkle the powder mixture from before across the steak.

Step 5: Heat a cast iron skillet on the stove-top on high heat for 6-8 minutes

One hot, place the steak into the pan and press firmly on it with a spatula to cook the surface. Do this for thirty seconds each side.

Step 6: Once it has been seared on both sides in this way, move the cast iron skillet into the oven

Broil for 2-3 minutes, flip the steak, and then repeat the process.

Step 7: Check the internal temperature of the steak using a meat thermometer

If it's at 150 degrees then you've hit medium rare and you're good for serving.

Last step: Remove from oven and serve by cutting against the grain

Well-Done

Step 1: Allow steak to sit on the kitchen side for up to 30 minutes

This gives it the chance to thaw out so that it won't seize when heated.

Step 2: Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Step 3: Baste the steak in the cooking oil of your choice either with your hands or with a brush.

Ensure both sides are covered.

Step 4: Next, season thoroughly with salt

If you feel like you've gone overboard with the salt, you're doing it right. This helps bring out the flavor. Add pepper and garlic or any other dry seasonings if you choose.

Step 5: Preheat a cast iron skillet on high heat

Check it's hot enough by placing a drop of water on top: if it immediately evaporates then you know you have the right temperature.

Step 6: Place the steak onto the skillet and sear both sides until a crust begins to form

This usually takes 3-4 minutes. Once this is done, transfer the skillet to the heated oven.

Step 7: Keep inside oven and roast until internal temperature sits at 160 degrees

This is the temperature it hits when it's well done. You can measure this most accurately with a meat thermometer.

Last step: Cut against the grain and serve up

Conclusion

However you choose to cook your steak, whether it's rare or well done, rib-eye or t-bone, it goes without saying that this meat makes for a delicious meal.

Now you know how to cook steak in the oven, it's an even more realistic meal option for everyday enjoyment. Now, you can cook your steak mid-week and enjoy casually on a Wednesday night, with or without guests, just as easily as chicken or pork.

In fact, if you're the type to pre-prepare your meals for an entire week, steak might be a perfect addition to your routine. You don't have to eat it immediately; you can store it in the fridge for up to three days. If frozen, store it for up to three months! Just remember to leave it overnight to thoroughly defrost before any attempting to reheat.

Granted, even the hottest of broilers or cast iron skillets won't replicate the smoky taste gained from a grill, but that doesn't mean if you cook steak in an oven, that it’ll be sub-par. Oven-cooking is an easy way to enjoy a meal that is usually reserved as a treat or for special occasions.

We do ship our Seven Sons Farm pasture-raised beef to much of the USA, so add your zip code here to confirm we serve your area.

And always remember: it isn't necessarily the heat or equipment that makes a steak meal so enjoyable: it's how it's cooked. Get creative with your seasoning, or mix up your favorite steak recipe with unique sauces. Cooking doesn't have to be time-consuming to be exciting: with these simple oven-cooked recipes, you'll enjoy convenient and creative steaks without the extra hassle of grilling.