With all the ways to cook a steak (and there are a lot of great ways from sous vide to reverse searing to grilling, etc.), there’s just something about the flavor you can develop in a skillet. It’s 100% contact with the pan.
The Fast Flip Cooking Method
With a good steak, the goal is always to cook it perfectly from edge to edge without the dreaded gray band, but still have a flavorful crust. This modern “quick flip” method turns tradition on its head, by starting the steak in a cold, dry skillet with no fat. It’s so easy to do and it has some big benefits.
This technique sounds like the complete opposite of tradition. As in many things, the popular or usual solution is not always the best. One of the most important parts of developing flavor on a steak is the crust on the outside, but it can be easy to overcook over high heat in a skillet or grill. The quick-flip method gets you an even doneness from edge to edge, and with a superior crust.
I usually avoid cooking steak inside because of the high heat and smoke that fills the house and can be smelled for the next few days. Not to mention all the grease splatter that requires a cleaning crew. This method fixes these problems, and the steak tastes even better.
Why It Works So Well
Starting with a cold skillet with no fat in it allows you to slowly render the fat out of the steak, giving it its own fat to brown the outside. Frequent flipping evenly cooks it on both sides and through the middle, without one side overcooking or a ring of overcooked meat appearing. By gently cooking the steak, the result is more tender and you get to taste more of that delicious beef!
Big Juicy Benefits to the Fast Flip
- Less smoke!
- No grease splatter.
- Faster, more even cook than just flipping once.
- More tender – from the gentle cook.
- Superior crust with more flavor.
- Not much carryover cooking because of the low heat.
What You’ll Need: Ingredients & Tools
- Boneless Strip Steak AKA New York Steak – 1 1/2″ thick-cut preferred with well-marbled fat, 12 to 16 ounces.
- Diamond Crystal kosher Salt and Black Pepper
- Finishing Salt such as Maldon sea salt flakes.
- Skillet – A well-seasoned cast-iron or carbon-steel skillet. Or even a nonstick skillet, since we aren’t cooking with high heat.
- Tongs – I love the OXO 9″ tongs.
- Meat Thermometer – An instant-read probe thermometer is perfect for checking the steak’s temp.
- Kitchen timer that is easy to repeat (you can also use your phone’s timer).
Keys to the Perfect Strip Steak
- Season it early – Salting the steak ahead of time acts like a dry brine. Do it at least 45 minutes and up to 48 hours before it hits the pan.
- Dry the surface of the steak before cooking for the best crust.
- Flip every 2 minutes – Watch the clock.
- Take the temp – Insert the probe thermometer through the side, not the top.
- Rest – A quick 5-minute rest is all it needs to relax and redistribute the juices, and it’s short enough to stay nice and hot, which is how a steak should be eaten.
How to Cook a New York Strip Steak
1. Trim the Steak
Trim down the fat on the sides of the strip steak to about 1/4″. If it is too thick, the surface of the steak will not evenly come into contact with the skill