If you cook one steak method this year, make it this one. Reverse-searing (low oven first, ripping-hot finish) gives you edge-to-edge pink with a crust that pan-searing alone can't touch — and it's nearly impossible to overcook.
What you need
- 1 thick-cut steak (1.5in+ — ribeye, strip, or sirloin)
- Kosher salt, pepper, a high-smoke-point oil
- Instant-read thermometer (non-negotiable)
The 6 steps
- Salt early. Season generously and rest uncovered in the fridge 1-24 hours — dry surface = better crust.
- Oven at 250F. Rack in the middle, sheet pan ready.
- Low and slow. Cook until 10-15F below your target (115F for medium-rare) — about 20-30 minutes.
- Rest the pan. Pull the steak, crank the oven to 500F (or heat a cast-iron until smoking).
- Sear hard. 45-60 seconds per side. Don't move it. Butter-baste if you're feeling it.
- Rest 5 minutes. Then slice against the grain and finish with flaky salt.
Why it works
The gentle start means the interior cooks evenly before the crust forms, so you're never choosing between gray edges and a raw center. Thermometer in, crust on, rest, done.