Learn how to cook steak in the oven in just 20 minutes! Use these simple tips and tricks to create the perfect steak that’s caramelized, juicy and tender. You’ll never cook steak any other way!
Steak is one of those classic dinners that is perfect for special occasions. My whole family loves it and gets so excited when it’s on the menu. A few of our other favorite special occasion meals are chicken marsala, spaghetti bolognese and fettuccine alfredo.
Steak in the oven
If you’ve never tried cooking steak in the oven, you have to give it a shot! I love to sear it on the stove first, then finish it off in the oven. It creates a caramelized, crisp outside and tender and juicy inside.
We usually only cook steak on special occasions, but it’s one of those meats that everyone in my family loves. There are 3 different types of meat: Select, Choice and Prime. I usually end up buying choice and it always has great flavor.
We love to serve this steak with either a baked potato, mashed potatoes or scalloped potatoes. It also tastes great with green beans, roasted vegetables and asparagus. Feel free to dress your steaks up however you’d prefer. I like adding a slab of butter on top, but sometimes I’ll even make a compound butter with roasted garlic.
Have leftovers? I’ve got you covered! Sliced leftover steak tastes great on top of a Cobb or Mediterranean Salad. You could even use it in a stir fry or when making veggie beef ramen.
Do you bake or broil steak in the oven?
I personally like to bake my steak in the oven.
If you don’t know what the difference between baking and broiling is, it’s simply that baking uses convection heat while broiling uses infrared heat. This means that when you bake, you are heating food by surrounding it with hot air. When you broil, you are heating food from above by using the top elements of the oven. Food that is broiled typically gets more charred, especially on top.
Broiling is great for certain foods, however it has a tendency to cook and brown really fast. I personally just think this gives you more room for error, especially when trying to reach a specific temperature. Baking the steaks is a little more fail-proof in my opinion. :)
How do I know when my steak is done?
Below gives you a good benchmark for each level of doneness (color, baking length, temperature). Cooking times may vary depending on your oven, so be sure to continue to check on your steak. You want to remove the meat 5° before it reaches the desired temp. Temperature will continue to rise while resting.
- Rare: Sear outsides then bake about 4-6 minutes in oven until temperature is around 125°F and color is red.
- Medium-Rare: Sear outsides then bake about 6-8 minutes in oven until temperature is 130°F and color is deep pink.
- Medium: Sear outsides then bake about 8-10 minutes in oven until temperature is around 140°F and color is light pink.
- Medium-Well: Sear outsides then bake about 10-12 minutes in oven until temperature is around 150°F and color is slightly pink center.
- Well-Done: Sear outsides then bake about 12-14 minutes in oven until temperature is around 160°F+ and color is little or no pink.
Note: If you are a visual person, here’s a good chart that shows the doneness of each meat.
Instructions for cooking steak in oven
Scroll down for the printable oven baked steak recipe.
- Bring steaks to room temperature for about 15 to 30 minutes. Trim any excess fat.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F and place large skillet in oven while it’s heating. Remove pan from oven and place over high heat on stove.
- Dry steaks with paper towel, then rub them with oil and season generously with S&P. When pan is very hot, add in the steaks and sear on each side for 1 minute.
- Then place pan in oven and bake for 4-6 minutes on one side. Flip and cook other side for 4-6 more minutes. Remove the meat 5° before it reaches the desired temperature.
- Remove pan from oven and allow to rest for a few minutes. Top each steak with a slab of butter and fresh herbs if desired.
Frequently asked questions for oven baked steak
How do you make steak tender? There are a few easy steps you can take to ensure your steak is tender. First, bring your steak to room temperature. This helps it cook more evenly and lessens the chance of overcooking. Second, season with salt. Salt brings out moisture from the steak and helps break down proteins and muscle fibers. The end result is a soft and amazingly tender steak!
How do you keep steak moist? One of my favorite ways to ensure my steak remains juicy is to let it rest when removed from the oven. When you allow warm steak to cool, the juices flow back in and create a super moist and delicious meat.
How long to let steak rest after cooking? I like to let my steak rest for about 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Once rested, I’ll add a slab of butter and fresh herbs on top. It really brings the flavor up a notch!
What veggies go best with steak?
There are all sorts of side dishes that pair wonderfully with steak! Mixed vegetables and potatoes are our favorites, but below are some other great options.
- Oven Roasted Vegetables
- Baked Potato
- Roasted Broccoli
- Glazed or Parmesan Carrots
- Roasted Cauliflower
- Potato Wedges
- Roasted Asparagus
- Sweet Potato Fries
- Brussels Sprouts
- Scalloped Potatoes
Oven Baked Steak
Ingredients
- 2 beef steaks, 1-inch thick (any type will do)
- 1-2 Tablespoons canola oil
- 1-2 Tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper for seasoning
Instructions
- Remove the steaks from the fridge and bring to room temperature, about 15-30 minutes. Trim any excess fat.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place a large skillet in the oven while it is heating. Remove pan from oven and place on the stove over high heat.
- Dry steaks with a paper towel. Then rub the oil over the steaks and generously season with salt and pepper. Once the pan is very hot place the steaks into the pan. Let each side cook for 1 minute, or until seared. Use tongs to flip.
- Then place the pan in the oven for 4-6 minutes. Flip and cook the other side an additional 4-6 minutes. Check the center with a meat themometor or slice with a knife to check for doneness. You want to remove the meat 5° before it reaches the desired temp. Temperature will continue to rise while resting.
- Remove pan from oven and allow to rest for a couple minutes. Add a slab of butter on the top of each steak.
Notes
- Rare: 125°F (red)
- Medium Rare: 130°F (deep pink)
- Medium: 140°F (light pink)
- Medium well: 150°F (slightly pink center)
- Well done: 160°F (little or no pink)
I’ve never prepared a steak before and didn’t really want to fire up the grill for Father’s Day… I tried this recipe (using my own seasonings) and it turned out better than great!!. Super Juicy, super tender!! My husband loved it and so did my daughters… they can’t wait for the next occasion!!
I’m so glad it was a hit!!
I have 2″ NY Strip steaks. How long would I cook them in the oven at 450 degrees?
Hi Brenda! I would cook them 6-8 minutes instead of 4-6.
Yes I made it but it never told me to cover the steaks or not.
What do I do?
Hi Thomas! You don’t need to cover the steaks.
I used my own flavoring method, but cook time was pretty accurate for how done I wanted it :) thanks for sharing your method!
Glad it worked well for you! Thanks for leaving a comment Brandi. :)
How long would I cook a steak on 400 for medium rare. and one for med. well
Rare: Sear outsides then bake about 4-6 minutes in oven until temperature is around 125°F and color is red.
Medium-Rare: Sear outsides then bake about 6-8 minutes in oven until temperature is 130°F and color is deep pink.
Medium: Sear outsides then bake about 8-10 minutes in oven until temperature is around 140°F and color is light pink.
Medium-Well: Sear outsides then bake about 10-12 minutes in oven until temperature is around 150°F and color is slightly pink center.
Well-Done: Sear outsides then bake about 12-14 minutes in oven until temperature is around 160°F+ and color is little or no pink.
Perfectly tender steak and such an easy recipe to follow!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! :)
My wife has never enjoyed steaks made this way. Well… NOW she does! We all enjoyed this! Thanks!!
I’m so glad you both enjoyed it! Thanks for leaving a comment!