How to Cook a Thick Steak?

There’s nothing quite like sinking your teeth into a thick steak. It looks incredibly tempting, and that’s just the beginning. The combination of a beautifully caramelized crust and a juicy, tender center is what makes it a true delight. Compared to a thin steak, it’s really the difference between eating and dining. But how to cook a thick steak? Traditional methods often burn the crust before the center is even cooked through. So, I’ve dedicated time to testing and curating the most effective methods specifically for thick steaks in this guide. 

What You’ll Need to Cook a Thick Steak?

Before you even think about heating things up, gather your basics.

Ingredients:

• Steak itself, at least 1.5 to 2 inches thick. Ribeye, Porterhouse, T-bone, and New York Strip are excellent choices.
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• High-smoke-point vegetable oil, such as avocado oil, grapeseed oil, or canola oil
• Unsalted room temperature butter
• Garlic cloves
• Fresh rosemary sprigs

Equipment:

• INKBIRD meat thermometer
• Sous vide machine
• Oven
• Cast-iron skillet
• Grill
  Paper towels
• Tongs

Thick Steak Doneness Temperature Chart

Regardless of your cooking method, internal temperature is the most critical indicator, which is why a meat thermometer is a must-have. Here’s a straightforward doneness chart for thick steaks. Keep in mind that the steak will keep cooking while resting, so remove it from the heat about 5 degrees below your target.

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4-Probe Wireless Smart Meat Thermometer

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Reverse Sear a Thick Steak

In short, reverse sear is a method of first cooking your steak to desired doneness low and slow, and then searing both sides over high until brown and crispy.

1. Season the steak. Pat the steak dry with paper towels, then sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper and let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
2. Gentle oven cook. Preheat your oven to 250°F (121°C). Insert your wireless probe thermometer into the center of the steak, and place the steak on a wire rack set inside a baking sheet. Cook until the internal temperature reaches about 15°F below your desired doneness, such as 110°F (43°C) for medium rare.
3. Sear for the crust. Heat your cast iron over high until it’s seriously hot. Add a thin layer of oil. Sear the steak for 1 minute per side, until a rich, deep, beautiful crust forms. In the last 30 seconds, toss in butter, garlic, and herbs. Tilt the pan and baste the bubbling butter over the steak repeatedly.
4. Rest. Once done, let it rest on a clean rack for 10 full minutes.

Sous Vide a Thick Steak

As you might have heard from all the rumors, sous vide does produce the most tender and juicy steaks. This is because it’s an even more precise method than reverse searing, though it requires a sous vide machine to get started.

1. Season and bag. Season your thick steak generously with salt and pepper, then place it in a vacuum-seal bag along with garlic cloves, butter and rosemary sprigs. Seal the bag using an INKBIRD vacuum sealer or the water displacement method.
2. Sous vide in water bath. Set your sous vide machine to 5°F lower than your target final temperature, such as 125°F (52°C) for medium rare. Once the water reaches that temperature, submerge the bagged steak. Cook for at least 1.5 to 4 hours.
3. Sear. Remove the steak from the bag and pat it extremely dry with paper towels. Then sear it quickly in a hot pan or on the grill for 1 minute per side, just enough to build that beautiful crust. In the last 30 seconds, add butter and aromatics for basting. No need to rest, serve immediately.

Pan Sear a Thick Steak

Cooking a thick steak on a stovetop only is undoubtedly the most convenient and efficient method, but it does come at a cost. This means your steak might end up a bit chewy, even if you cook it just right to the desired doneness.

1. Season the steak. Similar to reverse searing, start by using paper towels to pat the steak dry, then season both sides generously with salt and pepper and let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
2. Sear the first side. Add oil to a cast-iron skillet and heat over medium-high. At the same time, insert your wireless meat thermometer in the center of the steak. Once the oil begins to smoke, place the steak in the pan. Don’t touch it for a solid 3 minutes to build a crust.
3. Flip and sear. Flip, sear another 3 minutes. Now, reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking, flipping it every 30 seconds. Keep at eye on your thermometer. When it’s 5°F from your target, add butter, garlic, and rosemary. Baste constantly for 1 minute.
4. Rest. Transfer the steak to a wire rack to rest for 10 minutes, pouring the pan butter over top.

Grill a Thick Steak

I’ve always enjoyed cooking thick steaks on the grill, especially in the summer or during peak season. The grill gives the steak a smoky flavor and the deepest char. Plus, because it’s large, I can prepare a full meal with other side dishes and proteins.

1. Season the steak. Again, pat dry, season, and let it for 1 hour.
2. Set up a two-zone fire. Pile coals on one side, and leave the other empty. For gas, turn one side to high, and the other to low.
3. Sear the steak over direct heat. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of your seasoned steak. Then, oil the grates and sear it over direct heat for 3 minutes per side.
4. Transfer to indirect side. Move the steak to the cooler, indirect heat side of the grill. Close the lid, turning it occasionally, and cook until the internal temperature is about 5°F below your target doneness.
5. Rest as usual. Remove the steak from the grill. Tent it with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.

FAQs

How long to cook a 2-inch thick steak?

This question is difficult to answer precisely and uniformly because it depends on your cooking method, steak thickness, and desired doneness. But ballpark, reverse sear and grilling take 45-60 minutes total, sous vide takes 2-4 hours total, and pan sear takes 10-15 minutes total. Always rely on your meat thermometer over the clock.

Can I cook a thick steak without a thermometer?

Sure you can, but it’s riskier. Using the touch test is notoriously unreliable, especially on thick steaks. Invest in a meat thermometer, which literally takes the guesswork and anxiety away.

Can I cook a frozen thick steak?

Not if you want a great result. The outside will likely burn before the inside thaws. But you can still cook a steak directly from freezer using sous vide. Just leave it in the water bath for an extra hour.