For Best Results, Pan-Sear Steak Tips Before Putting Them In The Oven
When we think of steak tips, our minds jump to the grill. And why not? Grilling is an excellent way to cook steak tips. But there are other cooking methods that yield equally crispy and flavorful results. If you haven't yet thought of roasting your steak tips in the oven, we highly encourage you to do so — as long as you pan-sear them first.
Though your steak tips will be perfectly flavorful if you just cook them in the oven without a primary sear, they won't develop that killer crust that everyone loves and is essential to a successful steak tip dish. After all, one of the reasons we love to grill them so much is specifically because you get a wonderful, crispy exterior on the meat while the inside stays moist and tender. But by pan-searing them briefly before tossing them in the oven, you'll be able to establish that fantastic crust on the outside of the steak tips without having to fire up the grill. If you have the right tools, it's even a relatively painless process.
Use cast iron for both the stove and oven
Cast iron is without question the best type of pan to use when cooking steak on the stovetop. The heat retention capabilities and high temperatures you can reach with cast iron help achieve that desired crust. If you don't have cast iron, stainless steel pans work fairly well; nonstick pans aren't a good choice, but they'll work in a pinch if you have nothing else. But cast iron really is best, because you can also take it right off the stove and put it into the oven.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit as you prepare your steak tips and sides. Once the oven is ready to go, heat the cast iron pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Add your cooking fat and sear the steak tips briefly — typically around only one minute per side — to ensure that they are sealed and develop a good crust. Transfer the cast iron to the oven, and continue roasting the steaks tips for an additional three to five minutes until they reach the appropriate internal temperature (think 125 degrees Fahrenheit for medium rare and 155 for well done).
Not only is this a quick and easy method, but it yields similar results to grilling. If the steak tips have been marinated, the flavors should be amplified thanks to the outer char from the crust. You could also just pan-sear them, as we do in our recipe for New England-style steak tips.