The Steak Flipping Tip You Need For The Ultimate Sear

There are several ways to cook a delicious steak. Throw one on a grill for an uncomplicated cooking process that will lead to a scrumptious meat dish. Let the oven do all of the work by baking the steak in the optimal amount of heat and it will be delectable. There's also the option of searing a steak in a pan or cast-iron skillet. If you choose this option, work out your wrist before you start cooking because you absolutely must flip your steak throughout the entire time it cooks. Why? Because all that flipping will create a thoroughly seared steak that's delicious, and it'll be done cooking in no time. 

When you constantly turn the steak over while it cooks in the pan, even as often every 30 seconds, you minimize the heat loss from the parts of the meat that are not in contact with the flame burner. As a result, the entire outer layer of the steak keeps absorbing heat from the source beneath the pan or skillet, which makes cooking the steak an even quicker process. The interior of the steak benefits from constant flipping, too, because every single part of it gets completely cooked. Those who have experimented with this flipping method have even attested on social media why it's one of the best ways to cook steak perfectly on the stove.

In a Reddit thread titled, "Cooking a steak in a pan, is it better to keep flipping it every minute or so or keep that to a minimum?" Redditors discussed their results after flipping their steaks repeatedly as they pan-seared them. One user explained how it's a demanding cooking process but one that ultimately pays off. They said, "After trying the flip every 30 seconds method for the past couple months, I do think it produces even better [steaks], but it is both significantly more work and less error tolerant."

Thankfully, you don't have to adhere to flipping your steaks every 30 seconds to cook them perfectly. There are other time intervals for flipping that work as well. Another commenter shared, "I just flipped it once every 4 minutes or so on extremely high heat ... It came out a perfect medium rare with a perfect crust. Extremely happy!" Getting the perfect sear on your steak doesn't stop at just flipping constantly, though. There are other ways to ensure you get that beautiful, even browning on your cut of steak.

After you've flipped your steak enough to be evenly browned on both sides, cut a few thick slices of softened butter and drop them in the pan. Lower the heat on your stove and let the butter melt in the pan. Baste the surface of the steak completely with the caramelized butter, then turn the heat back up on your stove. You will get an even more beautifully seared steak.

You can also ensure that your steak gets the perfect sear before it ever touches the stove by prepping the cast-iron skillet or pan with oil. Simply add a very light layer of oil to the pan (make sure it's evenly distributed) and turn on the gas to let your stove heat the pan. Drop your steak in the pan, and you'll see that the oil will help your steak get a nice, even sear. Just don't forget to flip — often! Now you can save money by cooking a steakhouse-style steak at home.