How to Cook Steak in the Oven

My favorite meal on the entire planet is a perfectly cooked steak! Lucky for me, it’s so simple to achieve restaurant-worthy greatness for anyone and everyone at home. This oven baked steak with melted butter and thyme leads to the most tender boneless ribeye. I’ll show you how to cook steak in the oven with a good cast iron skillet, less than 5 ingredients, and just under 30 minutes in the kitchen!

overhead view of oven baked steaks in a cast iron pan, topped with a pat of butter and thyme.

Pat and I have a tradition of going to a fancy steak restaurant every Valentine’s Day. We try to choose a different one every year, and after 14 years together, it’s getting harder to find new ones to try! This year we decided to make them at home, and dare I say we had an even better meal than the past few years at places that charged an arm and a leg for their steak.

But I’m here to tell you that you don’t need much to cook the most flavorful and juicy steak in the oven. Just grab some ribeye and a couple of staple ingredients and you’ll be ready to go.

Ingredients for Oven Baked Steak

Boneless Ribeye Steaks: Let your steaks sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before cooking. This will allow them to cook more evenly.
Olive Oil: You can cook the steak in avocado, vegetable, or canola oil instead of olive oil.
Salt and Pepper: Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper are all you need for seasoning.
Fresh Thyme: This is an optional ingredient, but I like the way the herbaceous flavor complements the oven baked steak. Feel free to use your favorite herbs instead.
Butter: I like to use unsalted butter since we’re adding salt separately. This adds so much rich flavor while cooking.

oven baked steaks in a cast iron pan with thyme.

Tips for Success

I sear the steaks before moving them to the oven because it helps to par-cook them, plus it helps create a browned, crisp crust. It also locks in moisture, so they stay super tender and juicy while cooking.
I never press on the steaks as they sear in the pan because this will remove the juices. Try to touch them as little as possible while they cook.
I’m showing you how to cook steak in the oven with ribeye, but you can also use sirloin, NY strip, t-bone, porterhouse, or filet.
Be sure to check the internal temperature to make sure each cut is properly cooked to your liking.

How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover oven cooked steaks in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or in a skillet set over medium-low heat until warmed through.

Or freeze them in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

close up of partially sliced oven cooked steak with a pat of butter on top in a cast iron pan.

Serving Suggestions

Just because I know how to cook steak in the oven at home, doesn’t mean I want to skip the full steakhouse experience. So I usually pair these oven baked ribeyes with creamy mashed potatoes or baked potatoes, asparagus with pancetta or roasted broccoli, and my favorite rosemary focaccia. For extra special occasions, I pair this steak with a lobster tail to create my very own homemade surf and turf dinner.

Oven Baked Steak Recipe

Juicy and tender oven baked steak with melted butter and fresh thyme comes together quickly in less than 30 minutes.

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Rest Time 5

Total Time 30

Servings steaks

Calories 871kcal

Author Becky Hardin

Equipment

Cast Iron Skillet
Instant Read Meat Thermometer (optional, but recommended!)

Ingredients

24 ounces boneless ribeye steaks 2 (1-inch thick) steaks
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2-4 sprigs fresh thyme optional
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (¼ stick), plus more for serving

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Rub both sides of each steak with olive oil. Season both sides with salt and pepper.

24 ounces boneless ribeye steaks, 1 tablespoon olive oil, Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once it is very hot, add in the steaks. Sear for 1-2 minutes or until you get a nice crust. The hotter the pan, the faster the crust will form.
Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes on the second side.
Remove from the heat and top each steak with a tablespoon of butter. Add the thyme to the pan.

2-4 sprigs fresh thyme, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Bake for 10-15 minutes, until desired temperature is achieved.
Let the steaks rest for 5-10 minutes before serving with more butter.

Video

Notes

Instead of ribeye, you can also use sirloin, NY strip, t-bone, porterhouse, or filet!
You can cook the steak in avocado, vegetable, or canola oil instead of olive oil.
Feel free to use other fresh herbs, such as rosemary or sage!
A cast iron pan creates the best sear, but any oven-safe pan will work!
Let your steaks sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before cooking. This will allow them to cook more evenly.
Preheat the pan while the steaks come to room temperature to ensure the skillet is hot enough!
Do not press on the steaks as they sear in the pan; this will remove the juices.
Use a meat thermometer to check that the steaks are to the temperature you like.
Internal Temperature Guide:
- For rare steak: 125-130°F
- For medium-rare steak: 130-140°F
- For medium steak: 140-150°F
- For medium-well steak: 150-160°F
- For well-done steak: 160-165°F
Let the steaks rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing to lock in the juices.
Always slice against the grain, not with it! Slicing with the grain will make the steak tough.

Storage: Store oven baked steak in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

How to Cook a Steak in the Oven Step by Step

Season the Steaks: Preheat oven to 400°F. Rub both sides of each steak with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then generously season both sides with salt and pepper.

2 seasoned ribeye steaks on a wooden cutting board.

Sear the Steaks: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, and once it’s very hot, add the steaks. Sear for 1-2 minutes, or until a nice crust starts to form. Remember, the hotter the pan, the faster the crust will form, and we don’t want the steaks to cook here for too long–so make sure it’s fully heated!

2 seasoned steaks in a cast iron skillet.

Flip the Steaks: Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes on the other side.

2 partially seared ribeye steaks in a cast iron pan.

Cook Steak in the Oven: Remove skillet from the heat and top each steak with a tablespoon of butter, then add 2-4 sprigs of fresh thyme to the pan. Move skillet to the oven and bake steaks for 10-15 minutes, until desired temperature is achieved (125°F is rare, 160°F is well-done).

2 seared ribeye steaks topped with butter and thyme in a cast iron skillet.

Rest and Serve: Let the steaks rest for 5-10 minutes before serving with more butter.

How long does it take to cook steak in the oven?

That depends on how you like your steak done! I like my steaks medium-rare, so I cook them for about 10-12 minutes. For rare, cook the steaks for about 8-10 minutes; for medium, cook the steaks for 12-15 minutes; for medium-well, cook the steaks for 15-17 minutes; and for well done, cook the steaks for 17+ minutes.

Can you cook a steak in the oven without searing it?

Yes, you sure can! The steak will take a bit longer to cook if you skip searing, though, and it won’t have that lovely crust!

How do I know when the steak is done cooking?

Use a meat thermometer to check that the steaks are to the temperature you like.
Internal Temperature Guide:
For rare steak: 125-130°F
For medium-rare steak: 130-140°F
For medium steak: 140-150°F
For medium-well steak: 150-160°F
For well-done steak: 160-165°F