Pan-Seared Wagyu Steak with Sea Salt
A Japanese-style celebration of wagyu beef's natural richness, seared hot and finished with fleur de sel and a whisper of yuzu. Simple, elegant, and finished in under 15 minutes.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 42g
Ingredients
- 2 pieces (6 oz each) wagyu beef ribeye or strip steak
- ¼ teaspoon fleur de sel or sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tablespoon neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
- 1 teaspoon yuzu juice or fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- 1
Remove the steaks from the refrigerator and place them on a cutting board for 8 minutes so they reach room temperature, which helps them cook evenly.
- 2
Pat both sides of each steak dry with paper towels by pressing firmly to absorb all moisture, which allows the meat to brown properly.
- 3
Place a 12-inch cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed stainless steel pan over high heat and wait until it is very hot and a drop of water immediately sizzles and evaporates, about 3 minutes.
- 4
Pour 0.5 tablespoon of neutral oil into the hot pan and tilt the pan to coat the bottom evenly; the oil should shimmer immediately.
- 5
Lay both steaks gently into the pan away from your body so oil doesn't splash, and do not move them; listen for a loud, steady sizzle for 3 minutes.
- 6
Flip each steak exactly once using a metal spatula and cook for another 2.5 minutes without moving them, until the second side is deep golden brown.
- 7
Transfer both steaks to a clean cutting board and let them rest undisturbed for 3 minutes so the juices redistribute inside the meat.
- 8
Sprinkle one-eighth of a teaspoon of fleur de sel and one-sixteenth teaspoon of black pepper evenly across the top of each steak.
- 9
Drizzle 0.5 teaspoon of yuzu or lemon juice onto the center of each steak and serve immediately on warm plates.
Tools you’ll need
- 12-inch cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed stainless steel pan
- metal spatula or tongs
- cutting board
- paper towels
- meat thermometer (optional, for checking doneness)
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