American · dinner
Cold-Seared Strip Steak (No Added Oil)
Video by America's Test Kitchen on YouTube · Open on YouTube
- Carnivore
- Low carb (0.2 g net carbs) but not keto: 52% of the energy is from fat, and keto meals get about 60% or more
- Gluten-free ingredients
- Dairy-free
- Nut-free
Contains: none of the common allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
Just beef, pepper and salt, cooked in the steak's own rendered fat with no added oil. A serve gives about 40 g of protein, nearly a day's vitamin B12 and about three-quarters of a day's zinc.
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Ingredients 3
Method
Tap a time to watch that step in the video.
- Pat the steaks very dry and season both sides with pepper. Don't salt them now: either salt 45 minutes to a day ahead (about 1 tsp kosher salt a steak), or salt after slicing, because salt added just before cooking pulls moisture to the surface. 5:35
- Lay the steaks 2.5 cm apart in a cold 30 cm (12-inch) non-stick frying pan with no oil. Turn the heat to high and cook 2 minutes, flip and cook 2 minutes more. They will look grey; the fat and juices are rendering out. 6:12
- Flip again and turn the heat down to medium so the steaks sizzle gently without smoking or spattering. Keep flipping every 2 minutes, mopping up any browned bits with the meat, so the crust builds in layers. 8:06
- After 4–10 minutes at medium (depending on thickness), check the centre from the side with a thermometer and take the steaks off at 49–52°C (120–125°F) for medium-rare. 10:19
- Rest on a board for 5 minutes, slice (thinly, if you like it the cook's way) and finish with a sprinkle of coarse salt. 10:41
Tip. Boneless ribeye of the same thickness works the same way; aim for steaks about 4 cm thick. One steak serves 2. Leftovers keep 3 days in the fridge; slice thinly and eat cold or warm briefly.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 4
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 0%
- Protein 46%
- Fat 54%
Very low carb: under 10% of the energy is from carbs.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Vitamin B12 High93%
2.2 µg a serve, mostly from boneless strip steaks (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Selenium High81%
45 µg a serve, mostly from boneless strip steaks (100%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Zinc High72%
7.9 mg a serve, mostly from boneless strip steaks (100%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Vitamin B6 High53%
0.9 mg a serve, mostly from boneless strip steaks (100%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Iron Source15%
2.7 mg a serve, mostly from boneless strip steaks (98%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Potassium Source11%
510 mg a serve, mostly from boneless strip steaks (99%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Show the other 9
Magnesium9%
37 mg a serve, mostly from boneless strip steaks (98%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Omega-35%
0.1 g a serve, mostly from boneless strip steaks (99%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Vitamin E4%
0.6 mg a serve, mostly from boneless strip steaks (99%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Vitamin K3%
3 µg a serve, mostly from boneless strip steaks (73%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Folate3%
13 µg a serve, mostly from boneless strip steaks (99%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Calcium2%
29 mg a serve, mostly from boneless strip steaks (92%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Vitamin D1%
0.1 µg a serve, mostly from boneless strip steaks (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Vitamin A0%
0.1 µg a serve, mostly from freshly ground black pepper (100%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Vitamin C0%
0 mg a serve. An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by America's Test Kitchen; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.