How Long Should I Cook a 2-Inch Steak?

Cooking steak isn’t always easy, especially when you’re working with a thicker cut; what may look cooked on the outside may still be raw on the inside. When this happens, a thick steak can easily overcook, and you may need to exert all your effort into chewing. Luckily, we know exactly how long it takes to cook the best steaks, and we’ll tell you how to achieve the best results for a 2-inch steak below. 

What Kind of Steak Should I Get?

It doesn’t matter whether you prefer a tender piece of filet mignon or love a medium-rare steak; it’s important to master the cooking process to ensure your steak is just perfect. Many people will look for steaks at least 1 inch in thickness — there are many reasons for this:  

• These will be harder to overcook compared to thinner cuts, so you can take your time to get a proper crust on the surface. 
• Thicker steaks tend to be juicier and more satisfying when cooked right. 
• Using a thinner steak will lead to faster cooking times, but if you’re not careful, it can become overcooked and dry out quickly. 

Choosing the Right Cut of Steak 

The first step to ensuring that you get a great steak at the end of your cook is selecting the right cut. For instance, if you want to get thick 1 to 2-inch steaks, be sure to choose options that are loved for their flavor and tenderness. You can choose from cuts like porterhouse, filet mignon, New York strip, or ribeye steaks, all of which come with great marbling, which adds to their overall taste and texture. 

For many people, the best choice for this purpose is a thick ribeye steak, which comes with good fat content and flavor, helping them stay tender and juicy. 

Preparing a 2-Inch Steak 

Before you rush over to cook your steak, it’s important to understand how to prepare it properly. 

Bringing the Meat to Room Temperature

Starting with a room temperature steak is an essential part of your cook. This step will ensure that your steak will cook evenly from start to finish, resulting in a tender and perfect steak. Make sure to remove your steak from your fridge at least 30 minutes before you use it and let it sit on your counter until it reaches room temperature. 

Using the Correct Seasoning

The key to enhancing the natural flavors of your steak is proper seasoning. Begin this process by patting your steak dry and removing excess moisture using paper towels. Once your steak is dry, start seasoning it generously using ground black pepper and kosher salt on both sides. Additionally, there is a wide range of steak rubs that you can try to see what suits your taste. 

How Do I Cook My Steaks? 

When you want to serve up great-tasting steak to your friends and family, it’s vital to understand the differences between the two cooking methods: the direct sear and the reverse sear. 

Direct Sear 

For many cooks, applying a direct sear to their meat is a quicker method since their steaks will be cooked at higher temperatures from the beginning to the end. Using a high heat sear provides a nice and even crust that everybody loves, and is a great option if you need to cook quickly. This will work well for a thinner cut, ensuring it cooks through without overcooking the outside. 

Once you finish searing, the meat should then be finished inside an oven or the cooler area of your grill to help it reach the right internal temperature. 

Reverse Sear

A reverse sear works by cooking your meat at a low temperature, which can be achieved through the use of a hot grill or placing the meat under indirect heat. Your steak will then be cooked evenly and slowly until it reaches 10 to 15 degrees below the right temperature. When you’re done slow cooking your steak, you can finish it off inside a hot skillet to get that delicious crust. 

Through the reverse sear method, you can easily achieve your desired level of doneness, and it’s the ideal option for thicker cuts since it can help to retain moisture and deliver a really juicy steak. 

What are the Different Cooking Methods?  

If you’re not familiar with the cooking methods above, below are more detailed explanations that you can follow, along with two other ways to cook your steak if you feel like experimenting. While we can’t really say that any particular method is the best way to cook your steak, all of the options below will work well with a thick cut of meat. 

Direct Sear on the Grill 

Start by rubbing a light coat of olive oil on your steak to act as your binder before seasoning it generously with some black pepper, kosher salt, and garlic powder all over its surface. Next, use a medium-high heat to sear the meat on both sides and flip it back and forth to create a nice crust. Many seasoned cooks will work with a charcoal grill to help them get the best results, but a pellet grill or gas grill will work well too. 

Once you get a crust on all sides of the steak, place your steak in an area with indirect heat and keep cooking it until you reach your preferred temperature. Next, remove your steak from the grill and allow it to rest, then put a tablespoon of butter on your steak and place aluminum foil over the top. 

Reverse Sear on the Grill 

Follow the same instructions as above, but use indirect heat instead of direct grill. Allow your meat to cook nicely and slowly until it reaches an internal temperature of around 115 degrees. Next, remove your steak from the grill and increase the temperature to allow for searing, finishing your meat at 130 degrees. Finish it with butter and allow it to rest for 15 minutes with loose foil on top for a well-flavored steak that’s juicer and more tender.  

Using the Sous Vide Method 

Start with the usual coating of olive oil, then season your steak with the ingredients already mentioned above. Now, place your steak inside a vacuum-sealed bag and sous vide for the next 2 ½ to 3 hours at 135 degrees F. Remove your steak from the bag and pat it dry using a paper towel before you re-season and pan-sear it with a cast iron skillet for a tasty crust. 

Using the Pan Sear Method 

Once again, we’ll start with a light coating of olive oil with the generous seasoning of your prepared ingredients. Inside your cast-iron skillet, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sear your steak until you see a good crust form on each side. Next, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F before placing your steak over a wire rack; place a pan under it to help you catch drippings. 

Now it’s time to place the steak into your oven to finish it — once it reaches an internal temperature of 130 degrees, it should be done. This will take around 15 to 20 minutes, but each piece of meat will be slightly different, so be sure to check it for doneness. Again, give your steak time to rest and place 1 tablespoon of butter on top before loosely covering it with foil to ensure you get a good steak. 

Checking the Doneness of Your Steak 

To make sure that your steak is cooked thoroughly, it’s important to have an instant-read thermometer ready to use. Place it inside the thickest part of the steak to get an accurate reading on your meat’s internal temperature. Not all cooking methods will need to work with a high temperature, so be sure to use your meat thermometer to get a reading on your level of doneness, which we’ve shared below. 

• Rare: 125°F (52°C)
• Medium Rare: 135°F (57°C)
• Medium: 145°F (63°C)
• Medium Well: 155°F (68°C)
• Well Done: 160°F (71°C)

Resting Your Steak

When your steak reaches your desired temperature, take it out of the heat and put it onto your cutting board. Give it time to rest for the next 10 to 15 minutes before slicing it and serving it to your guests. If you have a thicker slice, such as a 2-inch steak, you may want to rest it for 15 to 20 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the steak. 

Top Tips for the Best Results

• Always have a good quality meat thermometer to make sure you get accurate temperatures. 
• Never skip the resting time to ensure that your steak retains all its juices while maximizing flavor. 
• Use different cuts of steak and experiment with different cooking methods to see which suits your taste.  
• Don’t forget to account for the residual heat that will continue to cook the steak even after removing it from the heat. 

Conclusion

Now that you know how to get a perfectly cooked steak, you should have no problems tackling a 2-inch steak. With the guide above, you should be able to get good results every time, which means more backyard parties with your friends and family!

Sources 

• theninjacue.com
• fattybuttsbbq.com
• whatscookingamerica.net