Do You Always Need Oil To Sear A Steak?

Adding butter or oil to a hot cast-iron skillet is a tried and true practice for searing a steak. However, depending on the cut of beef, you can actually sear a steak with no oil at all. One of the best cuts of steak for pan-frying is a boneless ribeye that's between 1-½ to 2 inches thick. Ribeye is a well-marbled cut, and when pan-seared, its fat is rendered, which keeps the steak juicy and flavorful. At the same time, the pan is sufficiently oiled, so additional fat isn't needed.  A strip steak is another tasty candidate for pan-searing, but it's leaner than ribeye and doesn't render as much fat and can dry out.

Pan-searing a steak without oil is more healthful than the usual method.  Many recipes call for adding 2 tablespoons each of oil and butter to the pan. A single tablespoon of vegetable oil has 124 calories and 14 grams of fat, and 1 tablespoon of butter has 102 calories and 12 grams of fat. By eliminating them altogether, you're cutting back substantially on calories and fat. But when using this technique, you'll want to make sure you use the right equipment. Almost all culinary experts agree that when trying to achieve the perfect sear, only a cast-iron skillet or stainless-steel pan will do. Nonstick pans are great for effortlessly sliding fried eggs onto a plate, but the surface's nature makes it extremely difficult to sear anything.

Pan-searing a steak without oil is actually quite easy, but there are a couple of rules to follow. First, take the steak out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking, and pat it dry with paper towels. Next, salt the steak, but don't use table or sea salt. There's a big difference between regular salt and Kosher salt, which is considered the best for steak. Salt draws out the steak's natural juices, so many chefs advocate waiting to salt the steak until just before you're ready to cook it.

Once you've seasoned the steak, heat the cast-iron skillet until it's hot enough to sizzle a drop of water. Carefully lay the steak in the hot skillet, and turn on your oven fan because there will be a lot of smoke. Sear the steak for five minutes, then flip it over, and sear for another five minutes. To determine if the steak is done to your liking, rather than poke it with your fingers, it's more accurate to test its internal temperature with a meat thermometer. For medium rare, transfer the steak out of the pan when its internal temperature hits 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Before cutting into it, let the steak rest for 10 minutes so the steak's juices are reabsorbed into the meat. You could make a delicious pan sauce from the steak's drippings to drizzle over, or if you prefer, simply enjoy the steak as is.