How to pan-fry a steak

Beef fillet with marrow bones, oyster sabayon and girolle mushrooms

How to pan-fry a steak

by Great British Chefs8 December 2014

How to pan-fry a steak

Often an expensive treat, it is essential to cook steak quickly and carefully. Depending on the cut and thickness of the steak and personal preference, cooking times will vary. Our cooking guidelines are based on a 1 inch thick piece of meat.

Method

1
Season the steak liberally with salt and rub in oil
2
Heat a heavy-bottomed frying pan until very hot and put the steak in the pan
3
Cook until golden brown and turn over
4
Remove from the pan and leave to rest for as long as it has taken to cook

As a general guide:

Rare: 2 minutes each side

Medium rare: 3 minutes each side

Medium: 4 minutes each side

Well done: 6 minutes each side

Tips

Always allow the meat to come to room temperature to ensure even cooking.

Resist the urge to repeatedly turn the meat during cooking – this will lower the temperature of the pan and prevent the steak from colouring properly.

Don’t overcrowd the pan – if you only have a small pan, cook steaks separately as the pan needs to retain its heat.

Serving suggestions

A nice accompaniment to pan-fried steak can either be chips like Josh Eggleton's recipe or a fresh green salad.

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