New York Steak

Learn how to make restaurant-style New York Steak at home using this straightforward recipe. Perfectly seared with herby, garlicky butter in the iron skillet, it is finished in the oven and served warm.

I typically cook steak for my family once or twice a week, and they are usually more affordable cuts like flank steak, air fryer steak, or skirt steak. Of course, nothing beats an elegant and incredibly delicious cut for special occasions or when I’m entertaining some friends, and that is where my New York strip steak recipe comes into play.

Table of Contents

1. What is New York steak?
2. Ingredients Needed
3. How to cook New York steak
4. Recipe tips and variations
5. How to store leftovers
6. Frequently asked questions
7. More steak recipes to try
8. New York Steak Recipe (Recipe Card)

What is New York steak?

Also known as New York strip steak or strip loin steak, NY strip steak is one of the least-used cow muscles, which makes it tender, rare, and expensive. It is cut from the smaller end of the tenderloin and is so soft that you can cut into it like butter (and when cooked correctly, tastes like it!).

Now, expensive cuts of steak can be intimidating to cook but trust me, my foolproof method guarantees perfectly cooked steak every time.

Here are some reasons why I love this recipe:

• Quick. Like a hanger steak, this cut is super quick to cook. It’s similar to both pan seared steak and cast iron steak, in that there is very little effort needed.
• Perfect texture and flavor. The perfectly cooked tender meat melts in your mouth, and you get lost in the rich herby garlic butter-coated bites.
• Fancy. Like filet mignon or tomahawk steak, this dish is perfect for impressing guests or as I do, my better half. Paired with a glass of red wine, you’d think we were at some fancy steakhouse.

Ingredients Needed

Besides the steak, aromatics, and cooking fat, there isn’t anything else needed to make this cut of beef shine. Here is what you’ll need:

• Strip loin steak. Opt for smaller cuts of this steak for this recipe. If buying from the butcher or in the supermarket, buy a bright red steak with a thickness between 1-2 inches and even edges. If buying prepacked steak, ensure there no liquid is in the packet. 
• Butter and olive oil. I like to use two kinds of fat when cooking steaks. The oil prevents the steak from sticking to the pan, and the butter gives the meat a gorgeous crust and unmatched flavor.
• Garlic. You cannot go wrong with the garlic and butter combination. Use fresh, whole garlic so that the flavor steeps into the butter.
• Herbs. I have used fresh rosemary and thyme, but you can use any fresh herbs you like.
• Kosher salt and black pepper. To taste. 

How to cook New York steak

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step 1- Season the steak. Rub the steak generously with salt and pepper on both sides and let it sit at room temperature for half an hour. After prepping the filets, preheat the oven to 200°C. 

Step 2- Make garlic butter. Heat the iron skillet over high heat for roughly 3 minutes. Add fresh thyme, rosemary, and garlic cloves, and stir constantly for 2 minutes to prevent it from burning. Once the butter is infused with the aromatic flavors, add the steak to the pan. 

Step 3- Pan sear the steaks. Cook the steak for three minutes on each side. Baste the filets with herby butter to flavor the steak thoroughly.

Step 4- Finish cooking in the oven. Once searing is done, transfer the skillet to the oven and cook the filet for another 6 minutes.

Step 5- Rest and serve. Once cooked, rest the meat at room temperature for 5 minutes to retain moisture. Then, take the filet off the pan and pour over the remaining juices. Season with some flaky salt and serve warm.

Recipe tips and variations

• Start with room-temperature steaks. If you start with cold steaks, the outside cooks quickly and burns while the inside remains undercooked. I recommend removing them from the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking.
• Use a cast iron skillet. While cooking steak in a pan will work, I always recommend cooking the steaks in a cast iron skillet. Like with my cast iron steak, the meat will retain maximum flavor.
• Leave some fat. Like with a porterhouse steak, I recommend if you trim the fat, leave around 1/4 of an inch intact. This will yield a more juicy piece of meat and you can discard it once cooked.
• Make a wine sauce. Deglaze your pan with red wine and vinegar, and reduce the butter sauce. Use it to glaze your steaks. If there’s excess liquid in the pan after cooking (this doesn’t always happen as it depends on the size of the steak), I like to make a simple wine sauce by deglazing the pan with equal parts red wine and vinegar. If needed, add a teaspoon of butter.
• Play around with spices. Instead of fresh herbs, use dried oregano, red chili flakes, and onion powder to make the herbed butter.  
• Add a marinade, like a 3 ingredient steak marinade or your favorite store-bought one.

How to store leftovers

To store. Store the leftover steak in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 

To freeze. New York steak is best frozen before cooking. I don’t recommend freezing cooked steaks. 

To reheat. Reheat the steaks in the oven with water or broth at the bottom. Cover them with a lid to trap the steam. Reheating this way will prevent moisture loss, and you’ll have a juicy steak to enjoy. 

Frequently asked questions

More steak recipes to try

Steaks should not be reserved for special occasions, and these simple and elegant cuts are just as delicious for weeknight dinners, too.

• Bavette steak– Similar to flank steak, this cut doesn’t need much to make it taste incredible.
• Flat iron steak– One of the most affordable cuts that tastes so good.
• Cube steak– My family’s favorite weeknight dinner.
• Sous vide steak– The foolproof cooking method for perfect steaks.
• Picanha steak– If you LOVE a Brazillian steakhouse, you will love this steak.