To achieve the perfect sear on your steak, opt for olive oil over butter due to its higher smoke point, which prevents burning and allows for a flavorful crust.

While butter adds richness, it can burn more easily due to its lower smoke point, which compromises the texture and flavor of the steak, so add it later in the cooking process.

Pan-searing your steak in light or refined olive oils creates a brown crust due to the Maillard reaction. Other neutral oils with high smoke points, like canola oil, also work.

These oils have a neutral taste, so they don’t affect the flavor of the meat. When searing steak, the oil on the pan should look thin and watery, not thick and slow to spread.

After you’ve seared your steak for a few minutes on each side, add a couple of pats of butter and some herbs to the pan. Then, tilt the pan so the melted butter coats the steak.

You can also spoon the liquid evenly over the steak. Continue to baste and flip the steak until it reaches your desired doneness — try to flip the meat at least once or twice.