V-Day Dinner: How to Make Restaurant-Worthy Steaks at Home

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Baste the Meat

Once you've seared the steak all over, and you have about a minute of cooking left, you can try basting your steak with butter and aromatics. This is a trickier step for inexperienced home cooks, but it adds an incredible crust to the meat and infuses it with extra flavor from the nutty browned butter, garlic and herbs.

To baste properly, add unsalted butter to the pan with a few crushed garlic cloves, and place fresh sprigs of herbs—rosemary or thyme work well—on top of the meat. Once the butter is melted, you can lift the skillet (use a dishcloth or oven mitt to protect your hand) on an angle, letting the butter flow to the bottom. Using a large spoon, scoop up the butter and pour it all over the meat. Do this continuously for 30 seconds to one minute, then flip the steak and repeat. Keep a meat thermometer handy so you can verify the internal temperature and stop when it's cooked to your liking.