An Expert's Top Tips For Getting The Perfect Sear On Your Steak

As many a chef will tell you, the absolute best way to get the ultimate flavor out of a steak is to sear it. And who could ever deny that kind of wisdom? Picture it and try not to drool: a filet mignon or ribeye with that perfect brown crust, with a succulent, ideal medium-rare cook, all thanks to a little culinary magic. But you don't have to head to the closest fine dining establishment to cut into the steak of your dreams, all you need is a few top tips to keep in mind, straight from the mouth of a true expert.

Luckily, we did all the footwork for you and consulted with Sean Thompson, the executive chef at Porter House Bar and Grill in New York City. According to Thomspon, the key to achieving the optimal steak sear all comes down to heat — or rather, high heat. "The main factor [for a good steak sear] is always heat or lack thereof," Thompson explained. "If you don't have adequate heat, you'll tend to overcook your steak by the time you have good color." 

Indeed, high heat marks a difference between searing and browning, in that meat must be seared at a very high temperature (and in short order) to obtain that delicious caramelized crust. But that's not the only factor at play when it comes to achieving the best possible steak sear in the kitchen. 

High heat is indeed a major component of the steak-searing process, but it's not the only one that matters. As chef Sean Thompson noted, the kitchen tools you use also play a big role, specifically, the type of pan you use. For Thompson, there's only one choice: "I love a good cast iron pan."

One of the keys to a great sear is ensuring that steak has a consistently browned crust all around the meat. Since you'll have to sear your meat rather quickly, you don't want to use a pan that will leave your meat seared better in some areas than others. A preheated cast iron pan can sustain high temperatures consistently, which is imperative for a good sear. This will allow your meat to efficiently and evenly get that sizzling brown crust on all sides during the cooking process.

There are several tips for searing steak in a cast iron pan (like leaving off dried herbs during the cooking process, as they have the tendency to burn), but another big one boils to preheating your pan before your meat touches it, and Thompson shared the best way to do this. "Make sure your pan has hit the initial smoke point," the chef advised. (Another tip: You should aim for your pan to reach between 400 and 450 degrees Fahrenheit before throwing in your steak.)

Thompson also shared one trick for getting an even better browning on your meat with a cast iron pan: "You get great caramelization when using [a cast iron pan] with just a little bit of rendered beef fat." Position your steak with its fatty end on the surface of your pan as it sears. This will allow the fat to melt into the pan and brown your steak nicely as you rotate the meat on all sides for searing.