Restaurant Style Steak (Easy Steak Recipe!) - Joyous Apron (2024)

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What I am currently dreaming about: a juicy, perfectly seasoned, perfectly cooked restaurant style steak infused with buttery herb flavors, all in the comforts of my own home.

The good news is, as fancy as that sounded, it is actually super simple to make a steak that looks and tastes like it was made in a steakhouse.

And not just a normal steakhouse. Like a really good steakhouse. 😉

Restaurant Style Steak (Easy Steak Recipe!) - Joyous Apron (1)

This is my tried and true homemade steak recipe. When I want a good slice of steak, this is how I make it. And it is pretty darn simple.

The key is to use the right tools, and understand the details that go into the art of cooking a steak.

Don’t forget to also check these other delicious beef/steak recipes: Cheese Stuffed Burger, Steak Fried Rice, Stovetop Beef Stew, and Beef Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef).

Let’s make Restaurant Style Steak!

I call this my “special occasion” steak – Valentine’s Day, Father’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas Eve dinner (especially when there’s a small crowd), etc.

And also for those few random days in the year when my body just need a good piece of steak.

Often it’s after a long week. Or when I don’t want to spend a lot of money eating out but want a fancier meal. Or after I am on a veggie-heavy diet and my body decides it needs some serious red meat fix.

Restaurant Style Steak (Easy Steak Recipe!) - Joyous Apron (2)

I don’t eat a huge piece of steak often. But when I do, I want to go all the way.

Bring on that butter.

Use those fresh herbs.

And most importantly, get a nice, solid cut of meat.

What do you need?

When it comes to appliances, all you need is a cast iron. If you don’t have a cast iron, use a non-stick skillet that can withstand high heat and cooks evenly.

I love cooking with this cast iron because it retains heat extremely well and distributes the heat evenly. It is also super affordable and will last for a long time. What can I say, it’s one of my favorite appliances in my kitchen!

As for the ingredients, we are looking only at a few simple ingredients:

  • Fresh garlic. None of that garlic powder business please.
  • Fresh herbs. Avoid using dried herbs – it makes a difference here!
  • Butter. You better believe we are talking about real butter!
  • Salt and black pepper.
  • Steak, of course. 🙂

Here’s the truth, when it comes to a solid piece of Steak house Steak, when cooked right, doesn’t need much seasonings on it. Because you want to be able to truly tastes the meat, and the seasonings are just there to enhance it.

The real star is the meat.

How to cook steaks in a cast iron?

There is a little bit of art when it comes to cooking this Restaurant Style Steak on the cast iron. Every step is important and I highly recommend following them closely!

  • Bring steak to room temperature. Avoid cooking steak cold because that will quickly drop the temperature of the cast iron.
  • Pat dry steak (super important!) so that it will sear well.
  • Sprinkle salt and black pepper on both sides of the steak. Only add salt and pepper when ready to cook to avoid drying out steaks. Salt will suck the moisture out of steaks.
  • Sear steak on one side for a few minutes. Do not move it until ready to flip. Then sear on the other side. Also do not move it around after flipping.
Restaurant Style Steak (Easy Steak Recipe!) - Joyous Apron (4)
  • Add butter, crushed garlic and fresh thyme to the skillet. Then take a deep breath and smell the glorious smell of butter, seared steak, and herbs…it is quite amazing.
Restaurant Style Steak (Easy Steak Recipe!) - Joyous Apron (5)
  • Use a spoon to drizzle butter over the top of the steak as it cooks. This will help cook the steak and give the top of the steak more buttery flavor. Okay yum…
  • I like to lower to medium/medium low heat after flipping the steaks. This will ensure the inside of the steak gets cook before the outside burns and becomes too crusty/burned. You should adjust the heat as you see fit.
  • The thicker the steak, the lower the heat you will need because thicker steaks will take longer cook.
  • Remove promptly when ready! Use a meat thermometer to determine when it is ready depending on how you like your steaks cooked.
  • Let steaks sit on a plate wrapped with aluminum foil for 3-4 minutes.
  • Serve that Steak house Steak like a boss! Add with more butter to the steak because why not! 🙂
Restaurant Style Steak (Easy Steak Recipe!) - Joyous Apron (6)

Steak temperature

To make steaks just like a restaurant or steakhouse does it, getting it to the right temperature is important!

Here is the guideline for temperature and doneness for a steak! Remember to use a meat thermometer to check the thickest spot of the steak and also a few other random spots.

  • Medium rare – ~140 degrees F
  • Medium – ~150 degrees F
  • Medium well – ~160 degrees F
  • Well done – ~165 degrees F
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What cut of meat to use?

I highly recommend a more tender cut of meat, and to avoid tough cuts. Rib eye, sirloin, filet mignon are all good options. NY strip would work too but it could be slightly tougher than the ones I just mentioned, but a thinner slice will be more tender.

We are searing the meat and cooking it fairly quickly, not taking the time to break down the fiber like you would if you are cooking Beef Stew. So a nicer, more tender cut is ideal.

When selecting the meat, I typically look for some marbling, which is fat that runs through the meat, but also avoiding high fat to meat ratio.

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Seriously, this Restaurant Steak is one of the easiest and most delicious recipes.

When I want a steak at home, this is how I make it happen.

It tastes just as good as Steakhouse Steaks that you get at fancy restaurants.

Easy. Delicious. Quick. Budget-friendly.

And before you know it, you’ll be making your own steaks at home and skipping those fancy and expensive steaks in restaurants!

Give it a try and let me know what you think! 🙂

What to serve with steaks?

Here are some of my favorite sides to serve with steaks!

  • Cheesy Garlic Scalloped Potatoes
  • Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese
  • Brown Sugar Pecan Roasted Sweet Potatoes
  • Honey Butter Rolls
  • Roasted Lemon Garlic Broccoli
  • Easy Garlic Parmesan Asparagus
  • Honey Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
  • Creamy Mashed Potatoes

DID YOU ENJOY THIS RECIPE? Please comment below and give us a 5-star rating! This will help others find this recipe on Google and Pinterest. We very much appreciate your help! 🤍

Restaurant Style Steak (Easy Steak Recipe!) - Joyous Apron (9)

Restaurant Style Steak

Easy, delicious, flavorful, perfectly seared steaks cooked on a cast iron. Skip the fancy steakhouse and make these Restaurant Style Steaks at home today!

4.95 from 18 votes

Print Pin

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 3 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 people

Calories: 580kcal

Author: MinShien

Ingredients

  • 1 lbs ribeye, sirloin , filet mignon or NY strip steak
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • 2-3 tbsp salted butter more if needed
  • 3-4 cloves garlic
  • A few springs fresh thyme

Instructions

  • Bring steak to room temperature. Avoid cooking steak cold.

  • Preapre other ingredients – cut butter into smaller pieces, and crush garlic cloves.

  • Pat dry steak and sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides (only add salt and pepper to steak when ready to cook).

  • Add vegetable oil to cast iron. Heat on medium to medium high heat. Once cast iron is hot, sear steak on one side for a few minutes until it is slightly golden brown. Do not move the steak until it is ready to flip. Flip, then sear on the other side.

  • Add 2 tbsp of butter to cast iron (spread them out around the steak), then add crushed garlic and fresh thyme.

  • Lower to medium/medium low heat after flipping the steaks. This will ensure the inside of the steak gets cook before the outside burns and becomes too crusty/hard. Adjust the heat as you see fit. The thicker the steak, the lower the heat you will need because thicker steaks will take longer cook.

  • Use a spoon and scoop melted butter and drizzle onto the top of the steak a few times. Add more butter if the bottom of the cast iron has dried out.

  • Use a meat termometer to check the temperature of the thickest part of the steak and other random spots on the steak. Once it is ready, remove from heat.

  • Place steak on a plate and wrap with aluminium foil. Let it sit for 3-5 minutes.

  • Optional: Add more butter to steak if desire! 🙂

  • Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 580kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 168mg | Sodium: 800mg | Potassium: 636mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 387IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 4mg

Did you make this recipe?Take a pic and tag me at @joyous.apron, or hashtag #joyousapron on Instagram!

Restaurant Style Steak (Easy Steak Recipe!) - Joyous Apron (2024)

FAQs

How do you make steak taste like a restaurant? ›

  1. -Take steak out of refrigerator and let it get close to room-temp.
  2. -Rub with oil.
  3. -Season generously with salt and pepper.
  4. -Don't overcook your steak.
  5. -Don't overcook your steak.
  6. -Don't overcook your steak.
  7. -Finish by putting butter in pan and spooning it over the steak.
  8. -Let it rest after taking out of the pan.
Jun 6, 2015

How to make steak just like a steakhouse? ›

The steaks should be evenly coated with the salt and pepper. When the pan is extremely hot, add the steaks and sear evenly on all sides (top, bottom, and sides) for about 2 minutes per side. (Be sure the cooking area is well ventilated.) You'll probably need about 3 turns to sear the sides and about 10 minutes total.

What is the secret to a steakhouse steak? ›

They use a lot of butter

That's the result of adding a big dollop of butter to the pan right before the steak is served. Steakhouses use all sorts of techniques to make sure their steaks are juicy and flavorful, but many steakhouses aren't afraid to use a whole lot of butter.

How to cook the best restaurant steak? ›

Heat skillet: Heat oil in a heavy based skillet over high heat until it is very hot – you should see smoke! Season: Sprinkle each side of the steak generously with salt and pepper, then immediately place in the skillet. Sear Side 1: Cook for 2 – 2.5 minutes until you get a great crust, then turn.

How do you make steak taste tasty? ›

Add some chopped herbs such as thyme, rosemary or sage to your salt to make a flavored salt for your steak. For restaurant-quality steaks, baste them in butter and herbs during the final few moments of cooking. This will impart the delicious buttery flavor you know and love from your favorite steakhouse.

What seasoning do restaurants put on steak? ›

A classic found in every steak house the world over: 1 tablespoon paprika. 2 tablespoons crushed black pepper. 1 tablespoon crushed coriander.

How do restaurants make their steaks so tender? ›

Aging: Many fine restaurants age their beef to enhance flavor and tenderness. Aging involves letting the meat sit in controlled conditions for several days or weeks [2]. This process intensifies the natural flavors and breaks down the connective tissues, resulting in a more tender steak.

How do you cook Ruth's Chris style steak? ›

Sear the steak on one side for about a minute. When you flip the steak, add a tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Baste the steak in the melted butter until seared on the second side, in about 45 seconds. The butter leads to enhanced browning and gives your steak that signature Ruth's Chris flavor.

How does Texas Roadhouse prepare their steaks? ›

How does Texas Roadhouse tenderise their steaks? Season each side of the steak well with the seasoning and set aside to rest for about 40 minutes. This causes the salt to infiltrate the surface (through osmosis) and actually aids in the breakdown of muscle fibres, resulting in more tender meat.

How do you make a juicy tender steak? ›

7 Ways to Tenderize Steak
  1. Pounding. Using a meat mallet (or kitchen mallet) to pound steaks helps soften and tenderize the meat. ...
  2. Salting. Most cuts of steak benefit from being salted up to an hour in advance of cooking, but especially tougher cuts. ...
  3. Marinating. ...
  4. Velveting. ...
  5. Slow Cooking. ...
  6. Enzymatic Application. ...
  7. Scoring.
Oct 18, 2022

How do chefs make steak so good? ›

Food scientist McGee is convinced that frequent flipping is what keeps the best steaks moist: “Frequent turns mean that neither side has the time either to absorb or to release large amounts of heat. The meat cooks faster, and its outer layers end up less overdone.”

How do you make a juicy steak? ›

As I said, the best way to get sizzling steaks on the outside and juicy, buttery steak on the inside is to first sear the steaks over a hot, high flame, then move the steaks over to a cooler, unlit portion of the grill to finish cooking via indirect heat.

Why does steak always taste better at a restaurant? ›

On top of sourcing Prime meats, restaurants also often feature dry-aged steaks. Whether aged in-house or sourced from a meat purveyor, dry-aged beef, which is left to age in a temperature and humidity controlled environment, has additional layers of flavor compared to fresh beef.

What brings out the flavor of steak? ›

What spices go well with steak? There are many spices available for seasoning a steak, with salt and pepper topping the list. However, other spices, like thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, and minced onion, are also good options to enhance your steak's flavor. Or, use a one-and-done approach with Chicago Steak Seasoning.

Why are restaurant steaks more tender? ›

When the aging process is finished, the funky bits are cut away, leaving a prime piece of deliciousness. With the moisture removed, the flavor becomes more concentrated and flavorful. Dry aging also breaks down more proteins, leading to a more tender steak.

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