You can’t nail medium rare with a shoe-leather cut. Sorry, not sorry. Go for a steak that’s at least an inch thick. Ribeye or New York strip are your best friends here. Filet mignon works too, but it’s the shy kid at the party—less fat, less flavor.
Bring your steak out of the fridge 30 to 40 minutes before you cook it. Cold meat in a hot pan seizes up like a scared cat. Room temperature meat relaxes. We want relaxed meat, okay?
Pat it bone-dry with paper towels. Moisture is the enemy of a good sear. A wet steak steams. A dry steak sizzles. Which sound do you want? Exactly.
