Grilling and pan-searing are both excellent ways to cook steak, but with thick cuts the exterior can overcook before the center reaches the desired doneness. I tried a skillet-to-oven method to achieve even cooking through the steak, and the results were deliciously tender and juicy. I did miss a bit of the heavy char you get from a grill, but the evenly cooked interior more than made up for it.
I strongly recommend using a remote probe thermometer for this technique so you can remove the steaks from the oven the moment they reach the target internal temperature.
Try this method the next time you have thick steaks and want reliably even results.
Oven Steak: Tips & Tricks
- While many prefer grilled steak, finishing steaks in the oven is one of the easiest ways to ensure even cooking and frees you to finish the rest of the meal.
- Thickness matters: For best results use steaks at least 2″ thick; if that isn’t possible, aim for a minimum of 1.5″.
- Rough total cooking times by thickness:
- 1.5″ – ~14 minutes total
- 2″ – ~18 minutes total
- 2.5″ – ~20 minutes total
- 3″ – ~25 minutes total
- Internal temperatures for doneness:
- Rare: 120–125°F — center red
- Medium Rare: 130–135°F — red center with pink around
- Medium: 140–145°F — light pink center
- Medium Well: 150–155°F — slight pink
- Well Done: 160–165°F — mostly brown
- Always preheat the oven. Whether you finish steaks in the oven, on the grill, or in a skillet, preheating is essential.
- Season and sear the steaks in a hot, oven-safe skillet before transferring the pan to the oven.
- Add a little extra fat to the pan when baking—olive oil works, but butter gives a richer brown color.
- Use a timer to avoid over-searing. I often set an initial 3-minute timer for the first side to gauge how quickly the surface is browning.
- After removing the steaks from the oven, transfer them to a plate or cutting board to rest. Leaving them in the hot skillet will let carryover heat continue cooking the meat.
- If you want a deeper crust, cook the steak in the oven until it’s about 25°F below your final target (for example, 110°F for medium-rare). Rest 5 minutes, then finish in a very hot skillet with a little oil for about 1 minute per side to rebuild the seared exterior.
Juicy Oven Steak
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Turn to your oven for a perfectly cooked steak!
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 2
Ingredients
- 2 thick cuts of steak
- 2 tablespoons softened butter or olive oil (butter will brown better)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Heat an iron skillet or other oven-safe pan over high heat until very hot. While it warms, rub the steaks with butter or oil and season both sides with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
- Place steaks in the hot pan and sear about 2 minutes per side, just to brown the exterior.
- Turn off the burner and carefully transfer the hot skillet to the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 200°F (93°C). Bake for 5 minutes, then flip the steaks and continue baking until the internal temperature reaches about 120°F for rare or 135°F for medium-rare — typically another 2–5 minutes depending on thickness. Use a probe thermometer for precise timing.
- Remove steaks to a plate or cutting board and rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing or serving.
Notes
Recipe adapted from trusted technique guides on baking and finishing steaks. Adjust seasoning and finish methods to suit your taste.
- Author: Andi Gleeson
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Red Meat
- Cuisine: American
How to Perfectly Cook Steak in the Oven?
We’d love to hear your take on this oven steak method. Feel free to adapt the seasoning — a simple salt-and-pepper approach works perfectly if you prefer a classic steak flavor.
Use the comments to ask questions, share adjustments, or offer tips based on your experience. Hearing from readers helps everyone cook better steaks.
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