Pan Searing

Now sear this: Pan searing is a simple way to create restaurant-style steaks at home. Once you know how, you’ll be surprised how easy it is to do.

Get Ready

START with about a pound (500 g) 1-inch thick Beef Steak, e.g. Bottom Sirloin Flap (a.k.a Bavette) Rib Eye, Top Sirloin, Strip Loin.
PAT dry; season lightly with salt and pepper and a simple seasoning – try 1/4 tsp (1 mL) Chinese Five Spice for a bit of adventure.
USE a cast iron or shallow heavy stainless pan. Add a splash of vegetable oil; heat over high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Set kitchen fan to HIGH (see note below).

SEARING

ADD steak – for best searing results don’t overcrowd the pan. For med-rare doneness, cook 6 to 7 minutes until browned and steak releases easily from pan.

FLIP with tongs; cook 5 minutes, until the steak releases easily from pan. Remove from pan; let rest.

FINISHING Make a simple pan-sauce (try Chili Maple Sauce recipe below)

RETURN pan to med-high heat; add a generous splash of liquid such as a broth or wine, and some fresh herbs or seasonings.

Return skillet to medium-high heat. Add 1 ½ cups chicken broth, ¼ cup maple syrup and 1 tbsp Asian chili-garlic sauce; bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan.
Meanwhile, mix cornstarch with 2 tsp water; whisk into sauce and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in green onions. Serve drizzled over steaks.

Note: Turn on the stove exhaust fan or prop the kitchen door or window open to avoid setting off the smoke detector.

Equipment

Use a shallow stainless steel pan with a heavy bottom (Nonstick pans don’t brown as well).
Use a pan that is large enough to cook the meat without over-crowding. If you overcrowd the pan, the meat will steam rather than brown. Brown the meat in batches to avoid overcrowding.
Use tongs to turn the meat.
Wear an apron as there will be splatter.
If using steaks more than 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick, set oven to 375°F (190°C) and use pan with ovenproof handles.

Skip Step 2 and roast at a constant 275°F (140°C). This is especially good for less tender cuts and smaller roasts (less than 1 kg/2lb). Allow approximately 15% longer cook time.

For Super-thick Steaks: For steaks thicker than 1- inch/2.5 cm, brown sides of steaks by turning with tongs, then, pan -sear for 3 minutes per side. Transfer steak (in searing-pan) to a 375°F (190°C) oven and cook to desired doneness (see chart). Test doneness by inserting digital instant read thermometer sideways into steak.

MINUTES IN OVEN (after pan -searing)
1-½ inches (4 cm) thick steak
MED-RARE	MEDIUM	WELL-DONE
(140°F/60°C)	(155°F/68°C)	(165°F/74°C)
8 to 10	12 to 13	15 to 18

Common Cuts

Top Sirloin Grilling Steak

Rib Cap Off Grilling Steak

Rib Eye Grilling Steak

Top Sirloin Cap Off Grilling Steak

Tenderloin Grilling Steak (FILET)

T-Bone Grilling Steak

Strip Loin

Tips for Pan Searing

Pan-Seared Beef Bavette with Chili-Maple Sauce

Use a shallow stainless steel pan with a heavy bottom (Nonstick pans don’t brown as well).
Use vegetable oil or a mix of equal amounts of butter and vegetable oil in the pan – you don’t need much – a tablespoon (15 mL) or so will do.
Heat oil or oil/butter in pan over high heat until sizzling – test by sprinkling a drop of water into the pan – the drop will sizzle and evaporate on contact.
Place steak in pan – it will sizzle as the brown crust forms. For medium doneness, cook a 1-inch (2.5 cm) steak for 6 to 7 minutes. Flip steak using tongs.
Test doneness with a digital instant read thermometer (Med-rare:140°F/60°C; Medium: 155°F/68°C)
Remove steak form pan and let rest loosely covered with foil for 5 to 10 minutes (to allow juices to settle). Meanwhile, make pan sauce.

Note:

If you turn or move the steak before the crust forms, the meat will stick and tear. The steak lifts easily from the pan when it’s ready to turn.

Simple Pan-Sauce

Add some chopped onion, garlic and fresh herbs (such as sage or thyme) to the pan; pan -fry for 2 minutes, adding extra oil if necessary.

Stir in beef/chicken stock and/or a splash of port or red wine, stirring up any browned bits from the pan (this is known as “deglazing the pan”).

Cook until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Thicken with some cornstarch if you like (mix a spoonful of cornstarch with a spoonful of cold water and gradually stir into pan; bring to boil while stirring).

Myth Buster

MYTH:

Seasoning steaks before grilling draws out moisture and makes steaks dry.

TRUTH:

Seasoning steaks before grilling will not draw out enough moisture to make the steak dry out. Seasoning prior to grilling enhances the flavour better than if you season the steaks after grilling. Do the taste test and try it for yourself!

Cuts used with Pan Searing:

Common Cuts | Sirloin + Loin

Raw, Top Sirloin Grilling Steak

Top Sirloin Grilling Steak

This lean steak is good for pan-searing, broiling or grilling. Top Sirloin delivers great beef flavour and terrific tenderness at an intermediate price.

Raw, Top Sirloin Cap Off Grilling Steak

Top Sirloin Cap Off Grilling Steak

This steak is the standard grilling steak that most people reference – Cap Off means that the Top Cap portion has been separated off, so this steak will be more consistent than a whole Top Sirloin Steak. Sirloin delivers great beef flavour and terrific tenderness at an intermediate price. This lean steak is good for pan-searing, broiling or grilling.

Raw, Top Sirloin Grilling Steak

Top Sirloin Grilling Steak (Filet)

This lean steak is good for pan-searing, broiling or grilling. Top Sirloin delivers great beef flavour and terrific tenderness at an intermediate price.

Raw, Centre Cut Tenderloin Premium Oven Roast

Centre Cut Tenderloin Premium Oven Roast

This centre section of the whole tenderloin is also known as the Chateaubriand and is characterized as having a nice even shape that makes it ideal for making Beef Wellington. Tenderloin is a soft textured beef cut with less marbling and a unique mild flavour. As a premium Oven Roast, it delivers an extremely lean and tender eating experience at a higher price point.

Raw, T-Bone Grilling Steak

T-Bone Grilling Steak

Cut from the large end of the Short Loin the T-bone Grilling Steak is characterized as having meat from the strip loin on one side of the bone and tenderloin on the other. Fast cooking and convenient, grilling steaks are tender by nature and always delicious.

Raw, Strip Loin Premium Oven Roast

Strip Loin Premium Oven Roast

This Oven Roast has a thinner flatter shape than most roasts, so it will cook in less time that many other roasts. Strip Loin is characterized as having an excellent blend of firm texture and fine marbling delivering exceptional flavour and tenderness.

Raw, Strip Loin Grilling Steak

Strip Loin Grilling Steak

The Strip Loin Grilling Steak has fine marbling, delivering exceptional flavour and tenderness. A lean cut, also known as the New York steak. Fast cooking and convenient, simply season and cook by grilling, broiling or pan-frying.

Alternate Cuts | Sirloin + Loin

Raw, Top Sirloin Premium Rotisserie Roast

Top Sirloin Premium Rotisserie Roast

A premium Rotisserie Roast meaning it is cut and tied to have an even shape so that it rotates easily and cooks evenly when rotisserie roasted. Top Sirloin is one of the most tender Rotisserie Roasts with good beefy flavour.

Raw, Top Sirloin Grilling Medallion

Top Sirloin Grilling Medallion

This lean steak is cut steak-house style: thick cut, trimmed and tied in a medallion shape so it is easily cook to perfection and serves up neatly on the plate, without any carving or cutting to serve. Top Sirloin delivers great beef flavour and terrific tenderness.

Raw, Butt Tenderloin Premium Oven Roast

Butt Tenderloin Premium Oven Roast

This tenderloin section is the larger end of the whole tenderloin and is characterized as soft texturized with less marbling that delivers a unique mild flavour. As a premium Oven Roast, this cut is luxury priced and it delivers an extremely lean and tender eating experience.

Raw, Strip Loin Premium Quick Roast

Strip Loin Premium Quick Roast

Strip Loin Quick Roast is a Strip Loin Oven Roast that has been cut to be about a 1 lb and shaped much like a Tenderloin. It can be oven roasted in less than an hour and is perfect for small families. Strip Loin is characterized as having an excellent blend of trim texture and fine marbling delivering exceptional flavour and tenderness.

Raw, Porterhouse Grilling Steak

Porterhouse Grilling Steak

Similar to T-bone Grilling steak, this cut is characterized as having meat from the Strip Loin on one side of the bone and Tenderloin on the other – with the Porterhouse, the Tenderloin portion is larger. This cut can also be called a His and Hers Steak since there are really 2 types of steak here in the one cut – perfect for sharing. Fast cooking and convenient, grilling steaks are tender by nature and always delicious.

Raw, Short Tenderloin Premium Oven Roast

Short Tenderloin Premium Oven Roast

This tenderloin section is the smaller tapered end section of the whole tenderloin and is characterized as having soft texture with less marbling and a unique mild flavour. As a premium Oven Roast, it delivers an extremely lean and tender eating experience at a high price point. With the tapered end, the thinnest portion can be used for excellent stir-fry strips or fondue/grilling kabob cubes.

Raw, Sirloin Grilling Steak

Sirloin Grilling Steak

This steak is the standard grilling steak that most people reference. Sirloin delivers great beef flavour and terrific tenderness at an intermediate price.

Recipes that use Pan Searing

Pan-Seared Steak with Chimichurri Sauce and Garlic Brussels Sprouts

This is a great recipe for two people. If you’d like to make a larger batch of Chimichurri Sauce double the ingredients and use a food processor to help with the chopping. If you have any leftover sauce, keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days and use to top any other cooked meats, poultry or fish or stir into grain or pasta dishes. Add to some mayo for a yummy sandwich spread. Fresh chimichurri can also be frozen for up to a month if in a sealed container with a layer of olive oil covering the surface.

Pan-seared Filet Mignon with Herbed Butter Baste

This time-honoured technique is key to making the steakhouse style steak that you crave. For best results, use a cast iron pan that has a flat surface (i.e. without the grill ridges). Be sure to have your stovetop vent on high, good oven mitts at the ready and an apron on to catch spatters. This is a messy technique but it’s worth every minute of cleanup. If you don’t have both rosemary and thyme, use just one. Also good with a sprig of fresh tarragon.

Beef Liver and Onions

I used to hate liver, probably because of a run-in I had with some that wasn’t cooked very well when I was a wee lad. That all changed when I started working in restaurants and cooking liver regularly. I became much more used to the flavour and aroma, and I grew to enjoy it. Liver and onions are a classic diner dish, slightly elevated here with the addition of balsamic vinegar.

Seared Steak with Fat Pasha Hummus and Salsa Verde

This is a unique way to serve steak as either a main dish that is shared for two, or as an appetizer course or part of a buffet spread for 4 to 6 people.

Pan-Seared Steak Salad with Strawberries and Blue Cheese

This healthy salad is a huge blast of summer colour! Perfect for a simple weeknight dinner for two, this is a delicious choice for a mid-summer meal on the deck. If you don’t have strawberries on hand, substitute any summer fruit such as blueberries, cherries or sliced peaches.