The Best Frying Pan for Steak: There are a few things as delicious as freshly grilled steaks. When you prepare them outdoors, you’ll get the real taste. But, we cannot cook them outside of our residence, especially when the weather is too cold or stormy. If you have the best frying pan for steak at that time, you can prepare restaurant-grade steaks at your home.
A good quality frypan for steak lets you experience the same flavor you would enjoy from an outdoor grill. It provides excellent heat retention to ensure that you get a perfectly browned and evenly caramelized steak. It also needs to be regularly seasoned to allow the steak to have great taste and flavors.
When selecting the best frying pan for steak, we cannot say that one particular model will always be the best for you. You might be concerned with even heat distribution instead of using the pan on an induction cookstove. You are probably more careful about choosing a cast iron pan rather than a stainless steel one.
That’s why we’re here to shed some light on the 10- best frying pans among a variety of best cookware for steak. These frying pans can deliver outstanding performance in cooking different styles of steaks. So, you may take any of these into consideration instead of purchasing randomly from the market.
Quick Answer – Top 10 Best Frying Pan for Steak
| 1. Lodge L8SK3 Cast Iron Skillet |
| 2. Lodge Square Cast Iron Grill Pan |
| 3. Utopia Kitchen Pre Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet |
| 4. Lodge L10SK3ASHH41B Pre-Seasoned Skillet |
| 5. Cuisinart CI22-24CR Chef’s Enameled Fry Pan |
| 6. Cuisinart MCP22-20N MultiClad Pro Skillet |
| 7. Tramontina 80131/068DS Enameled Skillet |
| 8. Cuisinart FCT22-24F French Tri-Ply Skillet |
| 9. Almond Nonstick Ceramic Copper Frying Pan |
| 10. De Buyer MINERAL Carbon Steel Fry Pan |
1. Lodge L8SK3 Cast Iron Skillet for Steak
The Lodge L8SK3 Cast Iron Skillet is one of the best cooking materials to make different steaks. This skillet comes with pure quality Iron with a strong base and a decent diameter. The 10.25-inch cast iron is considerably heavy and ensures long-lasting performance.
This cookware mainly features a 4.81-inch assist handle. The handle has a hole so that you can hang the skillet after use. Also, this skillet is large enough for cooking different types of steaks. You can use it in the oven at a very high temperature. That’s why it is versatile and allows you to cook many delicious meals.
Again, the manufacturer doesn’t use enamel or any chemical coating on this skillet. So, this cookware is safe and secure to use. And you won’t feel any weird taste in your meal.
Every time after use, you can wash it easily with mild soap. You can also use a little amount of vegetable oil to coat it after washing.
Key Features
| Made of Pure Quality Iron An Assisting Handle to Hold Free From Chemical Coating or Enamel Usable in the Oven in High Heat Large Enough for Cooking Steaks |
2. Lodge 10.5 Inch Square Cast Iron Grill Pan
The 10.5-inch Square Cast Iron Grill Pan is another item from Lodge. It is an excellent piece of cookware that works well to separate meat from the fat and give the meat the little grill lines. It also looks good and gives you a nearly non-stick surface without the possible harmful fumes.
This grill pan comes with a little handle and also has a handle on the other side. The bottom of it is quite heavy, which also retains heat well and evenly distributes the heat through the sidewalls. Therefore, you can sear meat at higher temperatures to make a freshly grilled steak.
Again, when you’re going to wash it after use, you can use a scraper made by Lodge because it will get grease, oil, and fat in the little valleys.
Then make sure it’s completely dry. You can also coat it with some vegetable oil. Overall, if you’re looking for the best frying pan for steak, we think that it can be a good purchase for you.
Key Features
| Non-ribbed Cast Iron Pan Made of Heavy Material A Holding Handle Nearly Non-stick Surface Ideal for Cooking Steak |
3. Utopia Kitchen Pre Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet
Utopia Kitchen is one of the famous brands in the kitchen cookware industry. The Utopia Kitchen Pre Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet comes with a heavy-duty base and a smooth cooking surface. It features excellent heat retention capabilities to allow your steak to be perfectly cooked inside and out.
This cast-iron skillet features two handles; one is long, and another is short on the other side to make carrying easy for you. The long handle has a keyhole so that you can hang it for easy display. You can use this frying pan on a variety of stoves to make it highly versatile.
Besides that, this excellent piece of cookware includes two spouts to pour excess cooking oil. Once this skillet has thoroughly cooled after use, you can easily clean it with your hands with soapy water. You can also rub some vegetable oil throughout the cooking surface and dry the oil with a soft cloth.
Key Features
| A Heavy-duty Base Highly Versatile Two Carrying Handles Two Spouts to Pour Excess Oil Washable with Hands |
4. Lodge L10SK3ASHH41B Pre-Seasoned Skillet
Since this excellent piece of cookware comes from a renowned manufacturer, you needn’t worry about its quality at all. The Lodge L10SK3ASHH41B Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet comes with a durable body with an incredibly high heat retention capacity. It keeps the warmth of the food even after the stove has been turned off.
This skillet provides a handle covered with a red silicone hot handle holder to protect your hands from heat up to 450-degree Fahrenheit. It can also prepare your favorite steaks since this cookware is pre-seasoned with oil. This best frying pan for cooking steak will improve with time if you use it more frequently.
When you’re cooking delicious steak on this cookware, it will evenly distribute the heat throughout the pan to prevent burning marks on your steak. This skillet is most suitable for induction cooktops, although you can use it on various cooking tops. It is also easy to wash with your hands by using soapy water.
Key Features
| Heavy-duty Construction Durable Holding Handle Red Silicone Hot Handle Holder High Heat Retention Capacity Ideal for Cooking Steak |
5. Cuisinart CI22-24CR Chef’s Enameled Fry Pan
When it comes to selecting an enameled cast iron, the Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Round Cast Iron can be one of the best choices for you. This frying pan features cast iron construction with great functionality, excellent weight, and different stoves’ compatibility. The bottom of this cast iron is perfectly flat, which intersects the pan’s wall at an angle.
The frying pan has a long handle and an oven-safe knob for a secure and comfortable grip. This piece of cookware evenly retains and distributes heat throughout the pan so that you can sear steaks perfectly. You can serve it right to the table with the appealing colors and enameled finish.
Besides that, this frying pan has a safe cooking surface that doesn’t impart flavors or absorb odors. It is incredibly versatile that you can use it on an induction stovetop. If you like to cook on the best frying pan for steak due to durability and ease of cleaning, this one could be a suitable option for you.
Key Features
| Cast Iron Construction A Long Handle and an Oven Safe Knob Perfectly Flat Bottom Extremely Versatile Ideal for Cooking Steaks |
6. Cuisinart MCP22-20N MultiClad Pro Skillet
The MCP22-20N MultiClad Pro Stainless 8-Inch Open Skillet is another piece of cookware from Cuisinart, a unique 3-ply construction. It features a brushed stainless steel exterior with a pure aluminum core, which provides equal heat all over the bottom and sidewalls.
Aside from its construction and heat distribution technology, this skillet comes with a holding handle joined with rivets. The handle is sturdy and made of the same stainless steel pan for steak that allows you to hold the pan while cooking. You can use it on induction cooktops and put the frying pan in the oven up to the temperature of 500-degree Fahrenheit.
Plus, this open skillet includes tapered rims for drip-free pouring. It also has sloped sides to maximize the cooking surface of this skillet. After al, if you’re looking for one of the best stainless-steel skillets for cooking your favorite steaks, this one can be one of the best choices for you.
Key Features
| Unique 3-ply Construction Stainless Steel Exterior Stainless Steel Handle Drip-free Pouring Rims Suitable for Cooking Steaks |
7. Tramontina 80131/068DS Enameled Skillet
Tramontina is one of the well-known manufacturers that make different types of cookware materials. It produces the enameled cast-iron 12-inch covered skillet that is the Construction of quality materials and excellent design. It also has a matte black porcelain enamel cooking surface with compatibility with a variety of cooktops.
This covered skillet features a convenient handle that helps you hold the skillet to provide you added support. The handle might be too hot while cooking, so you need an additional holder to use the skillet. It also includes two pouring lips to allow vapor back onto foods for preparing flavorful recipes.
Besides that, this skillet offers a stainless steel lid knob, which is exceptionally durable. It also provides you with superior heat retention and distribution throughout the pan up to 450 Fahrenheit. If you’re after an excellent piece of high-quality cookware that allows you to cook steak, you can pick it for your home kitchen.
Key Features
| High-Quality Cookware Enameled Cast Iron Covered Skillet A Convenient Helper Handle Two Pouring Lips A Stainless Steel Lid Knob |
8. Cuisinart FCT22-24F French Tri-Ply Skillet
Here, we’ve come out with a review of another cookware item of Cuisinart. This 10-inch French Skillet features tri-ply stainless steel construction both inside and outside. But some interior portions of the cookware are made of aluminum.
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This skillet comes with a swooped handle that allows you to hold it while cooking. You will notice a thumb notch on the handle that provides you comfort when the cookware gets hot. It also includes solid stainless steel side grips to ensure easy lifting.
Besides, this skillet has a heat surround technology that evenly distributes the heat throughout the pan. You can use it on any stovetops and oven up to the temperature of 500-degree Fahrenheit. If you’re after the best frying pan for steak for your home kitchen, this one could be an appropriate option for you.
Key Features
| Tri-ply Stainless Steel Construction Aluminum Interior Portion A Swooped Handle Heat Surround Technology Compatible with a Variety of Stovetops |
9. Almond Nonstick Ceramic Copper Frying Pan
When it comes to cooking steak on ceramic pan or purchasing the perfectly crafted non-stick frying pan to cook steak, the Nonstick Ceramic Copper Frying Pan from Almond is an excellent option for you. This frying pan is manufactured with high-quality aluminum to ensure maximum performance and durability for cooking steak in nonstick skillet.
This frying pan features an ergonomically designed stainless steel handle to provide added support for a safe cooking experience. It measures a robust 3.0 millimeters for optimum heat control and distribution that evenly supply the heat throughout the pan.
Besides that, this frying pan includes a tempered glass lid that keeps dishes warm inside until they’re ready to serve. This also features high-quality ceramic coating, which is free of PTFE and PFOA. Therefore, you can prepare your favorite meals without adding too much oil.
Key Features
| Made of aluminum and copper Stainless Steel Handle Ceramic Nonstick Coat A Tampered Glass Lid Oven Safe for up to 420 F |
10. De Buyer MINERAL Carbon Steel Fry Pan
De Buyer is one of the well-known brands in the cookware industry, which has already produced many cooking materials for both restaurants and home use. The Mineral B frying pan from De Buyer is the Construction of 1% carbon and 99% iron. This frying pan is 100% free from harmful PTFE and PFOA materials and other toxic chemicals.
This frying pan comes with a signature handle for a comfortable grip and balance. The handle is coated with silicone, which makes it a lot cooler to touch. It includes three pieces of rivets that keep the handle secure for a long time. The frying pan also has a nice steep angle, which means you can cook different steaks with perfection.
Besides that, the frying pan comes with a bee wax coating finish to protect it from rust and oxidation. It also features 3mm of thickness that ensures extra durability of the cookware. This frying pan is perfect for searing, grilling, and browning due to the non-stick patina developments after using it a couple of times.
Again, this frying pan works safely with a wide variety of stovetops, including induction tops and ovens. You can use this cookware at a temperature of up to 500-degree Fahrenheit. Overall, if you’re looking for a high-quality frying pan with excellent features, especially cooking steak, this one could fulfill your requirements.
Key Features
| Made of Iron and Carbon Steeped Angled Cookware An Assisting Handle Bee Wax Coating Finish 100% Free from PTFE and PFOA |
The Ultimate Frying Pan for Steak Buying Guide
Pan for Steak
When you’re looking for the best frying pan for steak, you need to consider some essential factors before purchasing the right equipment. Not all cast iron frying pans are made of the same materials and uses, but they usually come for different purposes. To pick the best frying pan for you, you shouldn’t overlook the following features.
Right Size
If you’re going to cook steak in a frying pan, you will need the right amount of space to sear the steak. The frying pan will also allow the steam to escape so that you can have a perfect browned crust. Let’s talk about the right size of cast iron frying pans for cooking steak. A 12-inch thick cast iron fry pan has 9 to 10 inches of cooking space. So, you can consider this size for making your desired steak.
Comfortable Weight
Heavy frying pans are suitable for cooking steak due to the metal’s thickness, which efficiently retains heat for longer. Almost all cast iron frying pans are bulky in weight, and they come in between 8 to 10 pounds. So, you should pick a weighty cast iron frying pan for your home kitchen to cook different types of steaks. Although the thinner one is comfortable to carry, we don’t recommend choosing it for this purpose.
Easy to Grip Handle
The handles of cast iron frying pans are essential things that you must consider before purchasing the suitable one for you. Since cast iron frying pans can get hot while cooking, these pans must have long and rounded handles that you can hold easily with grip. You must go for one that includes a helper handle in the opposite of the main handle. It will help you lift the pan more easily. A stainless steel frying pan needs to come with a handle-holder. Otherwise, your hands can get burnt.
Factory Seasoned
Factory-seasoned cast-iron frying pans have already been coated with oil and heat to make it ready for use. If you choose one that comes with factory seasoned, this will be a suitable option for you to cook different steaks.
Mess-free Pour Spouts
Since you need to deal with many greases while cooking steak, mess-free pour spouts can help with easy clean-up after cooking. So, you should consider this feature before purchasing the right one for you.
Cook Steak in a Frying Pan: Cooking a steak is an art that, like any art, requires experience, inspiration, and, of course, high-quality materials. So, if you already have a great mood, a quality cast-iron grill pan is available, and a good steak has already been selected, then you’ll only need just 4-5 minutes to cook steak in your regular frying pan.
How to Grill a Good Steak
The best way to cook a steak in a pan is to take ribeye. It is not only tender and meaty but also fatty enough to not burn and retain its juiciness and rich flavor during the cooking process.
Choosing Meat
Ribeye, with its impeccable taste, is easy and pleasant to cook. Even if you first decide to do it yourself, you already know that you must choose well-ripened meat. Steamed beef is greatly overrated, at least because it is considered such only four hours after slaughter.
Later, natural processes begin, due to which the meat becomes stiff, and only after at least twenty days does the product mature to the desired degree. Here is a cut worth taking if you want to get a steak with a reference taste.
Preparing the Steak
The steak should not be sent to the pan directly from the refrigerator; you need to let it rest at room temperature for at least an hour. During this time, you can think over the savory nuances with which you complement the dish.
Any master will tell you that the ideal addition to a steak is salt and pepper, a minimum of sauce, and no aggressive marinades (of course, when it comes to premium beef steaks ).
Salt the meat before cooking or after; it’s up to you. If you add salt long before frying, it will draw out the necessary moisture from the meat, and if you add salt after frying, then the distribution of salt can be uneven.
The Pan Matters
So, you have a perfect steak, the size of a palm and a thickness of 2.5-3 cm, a heavy grill pan with a thick bottom, and the desire to cook a delicious steak. You must heat the best pan for cooking meat to such an extent that a drop of water on it instantly boils.
During this time, you should dry the steak with a paper towel. So that instead of frying, the effect of stewing is not obtained. It is better to lubricate the steak with vegetable oil; eminent chefs generally recommend frying ribeye in a dry frying pan.
Cooking a Steak the Right Way
To make the meat juicy, it is essential to “seal” the steak. The meat must be quickly fried on all sides over a strong, uniform fire and then brought to the desired level of roasting (by the way, you can also do this in the oven). Gourmets appreciate in grilled steaks the divine taste and aroma and the appetizing ruddy “mesh.”
To maintain an even temperature, fry no more than one, maximum, two steaks at a time. In this case, the meat should not occupy more than 2/3 of the pan’s surface. The steak is fried on both sides for 2-3 minutes to the degree of medium rare; the medium roast is considered ideal.
How to Cook Steak in a Frying Pan
After that, the meat is laid out on a hot plate or a wooden board, covered with foil and allowed to rest. Further, as they say, welcome to the table!
To fry a steak, we need:
- Pan for steak
- Premium beef steak
- Vegetable oil
- Salt and spices to taste
Meat has certain degrees of doneness. Roasting depends on how long to fry the steak in a pan. It can rather also depend on the internal temperature of the meat. It is determined by the probe (a special device for measuring the temperature inside the product). However, 6 degrees of roasting are in demand.
Steak Roasting Chart:
- Rare: 39-43°C
- Medium rare: 43-47°C
- Medium: 47-50°C
- Medium well: 55-57°C
- Well done: +60 °C
How to Fry a Beef Steak in a Pan
- Start frying the steak in a well-heated pan and high heat for no more than 2-3 minutes on each side. Lift the meat with tongs to tell when a steak needs to be turned. You will see if a crust has begun to form.
- Do not forget to fry the side edges of the steak- the crust should be even throughout the piece. To do this, grab a piece with tongs. Then lean each side against the edge of the pan for 10 seconds.
- Then proceed as follows: reduce the heat and “fry” the steak for another 2-3 minutes, depending on the piece’s thickness. And if you have a ribeye or tibon three centimeters thick in front of you, it’s easier to send it to cook in the oven at 180 ° C for 6-8 minutes.
- And do not forget: after leaving the pan, the steak should “rest” for another 5-10 minutes – so the flavorful meat juice will have time to distribute evenly throughout the piece.
The prejudice that you can only cook a good steak on an open fire is long overdue. There are a lot of cooking methods – in restaurants, steaks are cooked in a JOSPER (a professional closed grill-oven), a smoker (to get the smoked effect), and even in a vacuum using the sous vide method.
How to Fry a Steak in a Pan at Home
At home, you can cook a steak in a regular frying pan. It is better to take a heavy pan that holds heat. And most importantly, before coming into contact with meat, the pan should not be heated “to smoke,” as they say on some Internet resources, but rather strongly. You need to hold the pan on fire for 3-4 minutes and then fry.
The popular magazine Cook illustrated thoroughly analyzes the technology of cooking a steak. They advised wiping the surface of the steak dry with a waffle or paper towel before cooking. And this is excellent advice, so the steak will be fried, not boiled on its juice, acquiring a uniform caramel crust.
You can brush the surface of the steak with oil, but you don’t have to. Black Angus marble steaks with many fatty layers do not need additional tuning. If you have a lean filet mignon or an alternative flank steak, where there is not so much fat, then butter the steak, not the pan – so the crust will be more glossy.
Steak at Frying Pan Recipe
You will need:
- Beef.
- Pepper, salt, and sunflower oil.
How to fry:
- Rinse the meat piece, and cut into serving steaks of approximately the same size.
- Mix salt and pepper in a bowl, sprinkle the meat on all sides, and rub it lightly with your fingers.
- Lubricate the workpiece with oil from the bottom and top.
- Preheat the pan thoroughly. Lay out the blank. I advise you to fry one steak at a time, even if there is still room in the pan.
- Cooking time on every side-3-4 minutes on moderate heat. If you have a special thermometer, be sure to measure the temperature of the steaks. It should not exceed 60 ° C.
- After turning off the hotplate, cover the pan with a lid, and let the dish “rest” for 6-7 minutes.
What is the Best Oil for Frying Steaks?
What is better to fry a steak – in vegetable oil or butter? Many argue that the best option is a mixture of both, explaining the butter itself begins to burn and give the meat an unnecessary color much earlier than the temperature necessary for frying the steak. Somehow, a mixture of two oils seems to be able to increase the heating threshold, which is not true.
When we say “butter burns,” we don’t mean all the butter but the milk proteins it contains. And these molecules, which we can see when melting butter, don’t care if we mix them with vegetable fats or not; they still burn.
Then, what type of oil is appropriate for a steak? Everything is straightforward: refined olive or vegetable oil. This oil lacks flavor and aroma but has excellent thermal conductivity and a high smoke point (an indicator of the temperature when the oil begins to smoke).
It means that the best choice for frying meat is regular vegetable oil. At least for starters. Adding a little butter to the pan just a minute or two before it’s done is not such a bad idea. It is enough time for the meat to absorb the smell and creamy texture of the oil.
Do I Need to Salt My Steak Before Frying It?
If you salt the steak before cooking, the salt will draw all the moisture out of it, and the meat will be completely dry. To prevent this, you must salt the steak already on the plate. In extreme cases, you can salt the steak at the very end of frying.
Why a Cast Iron Skillet is Best for Cooking Steak?
We love good grilled steaks, but we don’t think it’s the only way to grill them. Sometimes we lock ourselves up and cook steaks in our kitchen. It is true! Sometimes we fry steaks in a regular cast iron skillet, and for some types of steaks, such as high-marble Japanese wagyu steak, we strongly recommend using this method.
Regular cast iron skillet? -you ask. Yes, it is the best. A cast iron skillet is great for cooking meat and other dishes, and here are some of its benefits. The benefits are:
- Nothing burns to it: When handled properly, a cast iron skillet retains its excellent non-stick surface. You can cook steaks on it with a minimum of oil and burnt guilt (although we rarely experience this feeling in our kitchen). More importantly, a dish cooked in such a pan absorbs much fewer synthetic and other harmful substances when compared with other pans.
- Retain heat: Cast iron pans retain heat much better than other pans of the same size.
- Source of iron: Cooking in a cast iron pan enriches food with iron.
- Has a long service life: Cast iron kitchen utensils are famous for their long service life. The longer you cook on it, the better (and “sharper”) it gets. Many cast-iron pans or cast-iron baking sheets have been inherited from their grandmothers, and this is a family heirloom that benefits!
- It is inexpensive: Due to simple manufacturing techniques, cast iron pans are much cheaper than pans made from other materials.
Here, in general, are the main advantages of using cast iron pans. But, in our opinion, another important advantage is its excellent frying. A cast iron skillet can achieve a steak quality that other methods cannot replicate.
Conclusion
We’ve already known that frying pans can be excellent pieces of cookware to cook steak. They can produce a nice brown crust and also allow you to cook using any metal utensils available in your kitchen. You can also clean them easily with your hands, using soapy water.
However, the frying pans reviewed above also offer an extraordinary experience. Most professionals always pick the frying pans that are coated with oil and have a non-stick surface. When you’re going to choose one, you should select the frying pan that comes with a variety of features to cook a perfect steak.
So, if you’re still looking for the best frying pan for steak, any frying pan from our list can be a suitable purchase for you. Purchasing the best frying pan is not enough unless you don’t know how to cook steak in a pan.