Baseball Steak, Pan Seared and Oven Finished

Pan Fried Baseball Top Sirloin steak served with green beans.

Baseball Steak, Pan Seared and Oven Finished

A Baseball Steak looks similar to a filet mignon, but it's actually a steak cut from the top sirloin. Lean and beefy flavored, this thick cut steak benefits from a quick high-heat pan searing to lock in juices while forming a deeply browned crusty exterior. By the end, you'll have a beautifully medium-rare steak with a deep toasty flavored crust.

Course Main Course Beef

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 8

Room Temperature and Resting Time 35

Total Time 48

Servings

Calories 174kcal

Author Lea Ann Brown

Equipment

1 Oven Safe Skillet Cast Iron or Carbon Steel

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon Neutral Oil canola, vegetable, avocado or butter
16 0ounce Baseball Top Sirloin Steaks 2 8-ounce steaks, about 2 inches thick
½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
¼ teaspoon Fresh ground pepper
2 Tablespoons Compound Steak Butter see notes below

Instructions

If making compound butter, allow a couple hours in advance for the butter to set-up, once flavored.
Prep The Steaks: Remove steaks from the refrigerator and place on a paper towel. Let steaks come to room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Season The Steaks: Once the steaks have been patted dry with a paper towel, season both sides with Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Add the oil to the pan and heat the pan over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the seasoned steaks.
Cook The Steaks: Cook for three minutes without moving the steak. Use a sturdy spatula to flip the steak and cook for three more minutes. Move the steaks to the oven and cook for a few minutes or until internal temperature reaches 120 - 125 degrees for medium-rare.
Rest and Serve: Remove steaks to a cutting board and tent for 5 minutes. This will allow the juices to reabsorb and redistribute into the steak. Letting the Baseball steaks rest is a critical step for a perfectly cooked medium rare steak.

Notes

Tips For Success:

- Start with steaks of similar thickness. My method uses two-inch-thick baseball steaks. Thickness affects cooking time more than weight alone, so choose steaks that are as uniform as possible.
- Thoroughly dry the surface. Excess moisture interferes with browning. Patting the steaks dry before seasoning makes a noticeable difference in the crust.
- Use the right skillet. Cast iron and carbon steel are excellent choices because they retain heat and tolerate the high temperatures needed for searing.
- Don't move the steaks during the initial sear. Allowing the steaks to cook undisturbed for three minutes on each side encourages even browning.
- Use a meat thermometer. A two-inch-thick steak can look beautifully browned on the outside while the center still needs more cooking time.
- Don't skip the resting period. Resting gives the steak time to finish its carryover cooking and helps reduce the amount of moisture lost when you cut into it.
- Slice against the grain. Baseball top sirloin is not as naturally tender as filet mignon. Slicing across the muscle fibers helps make each bite easier to chew.

Before cooking the steaks, make a simple compound steak butter like my recipe for Whisky Butter. Once the steak is plates, top with a pat of the butter. Balsamic Glaze is also a good option.

Nutrition