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Broiled Steaks

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on April 17, 2012

Time

1 hour

Yield

Serves 4

Broiled Steaks

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard Salt and pepper 4 strip steaks, rib-eye steaks, or tenderloin steaks, 1 to 2 inches thick, trimmed (see note)

Before You Begin

To minimize smoking, be sure to trim as much exterior fat and gristle as possible from the steaks before cooking. Try to purchase steaks of a similar size and shape for this recipe. If you like your steaks well-done, continue cooking and flipping as directed in step 3 until the steaks reach the desired internal temperature.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 375 degrees. Beat butter, thyme, mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in bowl and refrigerate.
  2. Spread 2 cups salt over bottom of 3-inch-deep disposable aluminum pan. Pat steaks dry with paper towels, season with salt and pepper, and transfer to wire rack. Set rack over aluminum pan and transfer to lower-middle oven rack. Cook 6 to 10 minutes, then remove pan from oven. Flip steaks, pat dry with paper towels, and let rest 10 minutes.
  3. Heat broiler. Transfer pan to upper-middle oven rack and broil steaks, flipping every 2 to 4 minutes, until meat registers 125 to 130 degrees (for medium-rare), 6 to 16 minutes. Transfer steaks to platter, top with reserved butter mixture, and tent with foil. Let rest 5 minutes. Serve.

Broiled Steaks

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

1 hour

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
4 strip steaks, rib-eye steaks, or tenderloin steaks, 1 to 2 inches thick, trimmed (see note)

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
4 strip steaks, rib-eye steaks, or tenderloin steaks, 1 to 2 inches thick, trimmed (see note)

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
4 strip steaks, rib-eye steaks, or tenderloin steaks, 1 to 2 inches thick, trimmed (see note)

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

We usually rely on a red-hot skillet or the grill for our recipes that include putting a crusty sear on steaks, but we wondered if our oven's broiler could do the job just as well. Starting the steaks at a moderate temperature took the chill off, and letting them rest before putting them under the broiler produced evenly cooked meat. Covering the bottom of the pan with salt helped absorb the grease from the meat and greatly minimized smoking. To ensure a good sear on our steaks, we placed a wire rack over a 3-inch disposable pan, to bring the meat closer to the heating element. 

Before You Begin

To minimize smoking, be sure to trim as much exterior fat and gristle as possible from the steaks before cooking. Try to purchase steaks of a similar size and shape for this recipe. If you like your steaks well-done, continue cooking and flipping as directed in step 3 until the steaks reach the desired internal temperature.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 375 degrees. Beat butter, thyme, mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in bowl and refrigerate.
  2. Spread 2 cups salt over bottom of 3-inch-deep disposable aluminum pan. Pat steaks dry with paper towels, season with salt and pepper, and transfer to wire rack. Set rack over aluminum pan and transfer to lower-middle oven rack. Cook 6 to 10 minutes, then remove pan from oven. Flip steaks, pat dry with paper towels, and let rest 10 minutes.
  3. Heat broiler. Transfer pan to upper-middle oven rack and broil steaks, flipping every 2 to 4 minutes, until meat registers 125 to 130 degrees (for medium-rare), 6 to 16 minutes. Transfer steaks to platter, top with reserved butter mixture, and tent with foil. Let rest 5 minutes. Serve.

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