Stop Cooking Steak On This Common Pan — Here's Why

Life is too short for bad steak. Yet, sometimes the cooking process goes wrong, and it can be difficult to identify what the problem is. Stop panic-grabbing herbs, extra oil, and the salt grinder, though — the culprit could be your cookware. 

Tasting Table caught up with Scott Thomas, owner of The Grillin' Fools, and he had some seasoned cuts of wisdom. "A grill pan makes a fine steak," Thomas explains, "It's a way to mimic the grill marks of an outdoor grill. But to me, a flat pan is better."

Not all surfaces are the same, especially when achieving browning, which is the caramelization process that intensifies the steak's flavor after direct contact with heat. As Thomas reveals, choosing between a flat and grill pan is a nuanced consideration — but put bluntly, if your steak has grill marks, you may be missing out on flavor. "Grill pans create narrow lines of browning," he explains, "And sure, those pretty diamond patterns of browning/flavor crust look fantastic, but having edge to edge browning tastes better. A flat pan will produce edge to edge browning rather than lines of browning surrounded by gray meat. Gray meat is not the goal. It's never the goal." For those keeping tabs on the best ways to cook steak, grill pans and their problematic ridges have disappeared to the blacklist.

Be careful when choosing a flat pan; ol' trusty in your cupboard might not be fit for purpose. To maintain flavorsome browning, Thomas specifically recommends flat pans made of cast iron. The material's fantastic durability and ability to retain even levels of heat crown it as the best type of pan for searing steak. 

The main benefit is that cast iron is less influenced by the temperature of the meat, allowing for a better sear. It's a fact worth noting; chefs are always aiming to mitigate this drop, using strategies like warming cuts to room temperature beforehand. Learn how to season your cast iron pan and give it a quick check for rust or black residue, which should be cleaned before use. Otherwise? You're good to go. 

If heavy cast iron isn't your style, carbon steel is an impressive runner-up. This hardy material has excellent heat retention for sizzling up steaks. The only flat pans to avoid are products with PTFE coatings. You can sear steak in a non-stick pan, but you shouldn't, as it can release harmful contents into your meat. Be warned: a good steak is temporary, but forever chemicals could be permanent.