How Do I Cook Steak on a Grill Pan?

Steaks are among the most grilled foods worldwide. However, not everyone has a grill, or not everyone can grill outdoors. Therefore, an ideal solution is to cook on a grill pan over your stovetop in the kitchen. 

How do I cook steak on a grill pan? Cooking steak on a grill pan is not a complicated process. It’s similar to cooking on an electric grill. This article highlights a step-by-step process on how to do it, from selecting, preparation of steak to removing a cooked steak from the grill pan. It also includes valuable tips you can utilize during the process. 

Which is the right steak to cook on a grill pan? 

There are a variety of steaks you can cook on a grill pan. However, this list entails the best steaks you can cook on a grill pan. Therefore, don’t get surprised if some famous steaks are missing down here.

1. Sirloin
2. Ribeye 
3. Flat iron 
4. Strip 
5. Filet mignon 

Note: steaks such as the porterhouse and T-bone can be cooked on a grill pan, but they require additional cooking like cooking in an oven.  

Additionally, your steak should be at least 1 inch thick and not too thick. The thicker the steak, the longer the cooking time. 

How do you prepare the steak?

Once you have selected your preferred steak, preparation is the next step. 

First, if your steak was stored in a fridge, let it attain room temperature. Then use a paper towel to dry excess moisture on the steaks. 

Suppose your steaks have an excess fat layer; you should trim it. You should also evenly add salt to the steak. You can also marinate the steak with your favorite marinades if you need them. 

Leave the steak to rest for about an hour or two as it absorbs the marinades and salt. It will also make the meat tender. However, some people do leave the steak to rest for a day or two. It all depends on what you want to achieve. 

How do I prepare the grill pan for cooking steak? 

The next step if your steak is ready for cooking is to prepare the grill pan. 

All you’re required to do is to preheat the grill pan. Therefore, heat your grill pan over medium to high stove heat. Also, ensure you attain an even distribution all over the pan before cooking. 

Preheating prevents steak from sticking on the cooking surface. In addition, it makes it easier for the ridges on the cooking surface to impart grill marks on the steak. 

Cooking a steak on a grill pan 

Once the grill pan is preheated and ready, it’s time for cooking your steak. 

Add some butter to the grill pan and let it turn to brownish color. Then immediately put your steak on the grill pan to start cooking. 

Let the steak cook for about a total of 4 minutes on one side before flipping it. The other side should also cook for another 4 minutes. Therefore the total cooking time is 8 minutes. 

However, if you want to achieve criss-crossing grill marks, you’ll have to rotate the steak to 90 degrees after the first 2 minutes of cooking the one side. Repeat the same process after flipping the steak on the other side. 

You should attain an internal temperature of about 135 degrees F. 

After your steak is cooked, you should remove it from the grill pan and let it rest for about 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving it. 

Note: The steak's cooking time may differ depending on the thickness of the steak selected and how well you want the steak cooked. The internal temperature also varies widely. 

Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of your steak. To help you understand the expected cooking times and internal temperature of your steak, check out the below table. 

Bottom Line 

As you see from the above guide, cooking steak on a grill pan is pretty easy. Ensure you select a steak of the right thickness and prepare it well for cooking. Also, preheat your grilling pan before cooking to ensure the steak does not stick on the cooking surface. Once you start cooking, be mindful of how long you cook your steak and the internal temperatures depending on the level of cooking you want to attain. 

Additionally, you should not slice your steak immediately after removing it from the grill pan. Leave it to rest for at least 5 minutes before serving. 

Check out Atgrills indoor electric grills and griddles to cook steak on a cookware with natural stone coating.

Sources
thekittchen.com
paleoglutenfreeguy.com
epicurious.com