Cooking the perfect steak starts with using the best frying pans for steak. But what should you look for to make sure your pan will cook the perfect piece of meat, chicken, or even vegetables? Our guide breaks down everything you should look for when wanting to purchase a frying pan for steak.
Frying pans like cast iron have been a favorite for home cooks and professional chefs alike for years. Not only can you cook a good steak in cast iron but you can cook a great steak in non-stick pans as well meant to duplicate the look and taste of an outdoor grill.
This guide shows what our best picks are for a frying pan for cooking steak and much more. Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Best Pans For Steak Reviews
| Our Pick | Steak Pans | Our Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Cooks Standard Hard Anodized Nonstick Square Grill Pan | 4.8/5 |
| Best cast iron | Backcountry Cast Iron 10" Medium Square Grill Pan | 4.7/5 |
| Best square pan | COOKSMARK 10 Inch Nonstick Deep Square Grill Pan | 4.6/5 |
| Best Korean style | Korean BBQ Nonstick Grill Pan | 4.7/5 |
| Best large steak pan | All-Clad E7954164 HA1 Hard Anodized Nonstick Frying Pan For Steak | 4.5/5 |
1
Cooks Standard Hard Anodized Nonstick Square Grill Pan
(4.8 / 5)This frying pan for steak ranks as our top overall best pan for many reasons. It cooks steaks perfectly directly on your stovetop.
The non-stick square grill pan uses a heavy-gauge aluminum core that helps distribute heat evenly giving your steak an even cook.
The hard anodized surface is harder than stainless steel. This pan works on gas, glass, electric, ceramic, and is oven safe up to 500 degrees.
This pan is not induction compatible and it is recommended that you hand wash this. You should find cleaning this easy because of the nonstick coating.
PROS
- Non-stick
- Excellent handle
- Large square cooking surface
- Oven safe up to 500 degrees
CONS
- Not induction compatible
2
Backcountry Cast Iron 10" Medium Square Grill Pan
(4.8 / 5)This tough handmade cast iron pre-seasoned square grill is great for frying steak. It does not matter if you are indoors on an electric stovetop of an open fire this heavy-duty cast iron will make excellent steak.
This cast-iron pan is seasoned using BackCountrys blend of the finest food grade oils.
Not only can you cook a great steak on this pan but you can just about anything else. Fish, stir fry, casseroles, and more.
We love this cast iron pan because it holds heat and has superior retention of even cooking. This is why restaurants use cast iron pans in a lot of establishments. The more you use your cast iron pan the better it cooks.
You will want to know a few things. This type of skillet can rust so you will not want to use the dishwasher or soak this pan. Instead, wipe it down and make sure you dry it completely before storing it.
PROS
- Very strong
- Excellent heat and distribution
- Pre-seasoned for Teflon like non-stick
- Works on any surface and open fires
CONS
- Very heavy
- Can rust
3
COOKSMARK 10 Inch Nonstick Deep Square Grill Pan
(4.7 / 5)This is an excellent nonstick grill pan that makes cooking healthier because of the ribbed surface. Not only does this leave grill marks but also has is used to drain excess fat from the steak or other food you are cooking.
This is a heavy-gauge grill pan made from aluminum that creates a great even cooking surface that makes cooking steak excellent.
We are a big advocate of handles on every pan. This pan uses a double-riveted stainless steel handle that offers great support while lifting and stays cool while cooking on the stovetop.
The pans are non-stick and have a durable triple-layer, PFOA-free nonstick surface making cleanup a breeze.
This pan is also oven safe up to 440 degrees.
PROS
- Non-stick PFOA-free
- Strong handle
- oven safe up to 440 degrees
CONS
- Coating may scratch off easy
4
Korean BBQ Nonstick Grill Pan
(4.6 / 5)This large non-stick coating frying pan for steak is an excellent choice among home cooks. This pan uses a mega stone coating which is a non-stick coating material that is mixed with ceramic and zirconium that is durable and more resistant against abrasions and scratches while cooking.
There are no harmful chemicals such as PFOA and other harmful chemical ingredients.
We love this pan because you can use it will type of stovetops including induction, hot plates, and electro.
The design also allows for excess grease to drain making it a healthier type of cooking.
PROS
- Non-stick
- Grease channels to drain fats
- No PFOA chemicals
- Use on any cookign surface
CONS
- Grooves are short
5
All-Clad E7954164 HA1 Hard Anodized Nonstick Frying Pan For Steak
(4.8 / 5)This large non-stick griddle pan is an excellent choice for cooking a lot of steak or other foods when you need to produce a larger amount of food quicker.
This is a 13 x 20-inch surface area with stainless steel handles.
The PFOA-free and scratch resistant nonstick coating makes cooking healthier and easier cleanups. It is also oven safe up to 500 degrees. While this pan is dishwasher-safe its is still recommended that its hand washed.
The bonded stainless steel base is compatible with most cooktops.
PROS
- Non-stick
- Big cooking area
- Easy to clean
- Oven safe
CONS
- Reviews say not inductioin capatible
Best frying pans for steak buying guide
While there are many different types of frying pans for steak not all stack up with the best ones. This guide explores the best frying pans for steaks and what to look for before purchasing one.
Size
The size of the pan you purchase makes a difference. We always opt to go for a larger size pan even if you don’t think you will need it. This is because when the time does come that you may need to cook more food you will not have the room.
A larger pan will not cost that much more when you look at pans that are slightly smaller.
Heat distribution
Heat distribution is extremely important. Having hot or cold spots on the pan will lead to either undercooking or overcooking your meat. The proper heat distribution pans make cooking much easier and it helps you turn on properly cooked food consistently.
The pans listed on our list all provide excellent heat distribution properties.
Non-stick
Non-stick materials help foods not to stick to the pan while cooking. They also help cleanup much easier. Even cast iron that has been seasoned with food-grade oils make for a non-stick environment
Pan material
The material of pans can make a difference in how the pan performances and for how long. Materials like cast iron or super strong and can be used directly on open flames or on stovetops. However, if you wet cast iron and you do not dry before storing the material can rust.
Regardless of what type of pan you purchase be sure to properly maintain the pan by following the manufacture’s suggested way of keeping the pan clean and properly stored for longer use time.
Handle
The handle on your best frying pans for steak should be strong and secure. These would be either handle that is built as part of the pan like in cast irons. Or when stainless steel handles are used they have double-riveted handles for extra security.
Oven safe
When cooking a steak on a pan it is not uncommon for you to finish off that steak in a hot oven.
If that’s the case you will want to have a frying pan that can handle and be put into an oven. Cast irons are great for this and so handle that is made for stainless steel as they are all oven safe.
Be sure to know what the recommended oven temperatures are for pans before you put them into the oven as some cannot take high heats or be put into the oven at all.
Ease of cleaning
Some pans will allow you to add them to your dishwasher others will not and should only be wiped down.
Most non-stick materials make cleaning frying pans a breeze. These materials cause the food not to stick and cleaning becomes quick and easy. So even if you cannot add the pan to the dishwasher cleaning still will be fast.
How to cook a steak on a pan
If you have never tried cooking a steak in a pan you should definitely add this to your list to try. Even though you may think of steak going on a grill and believe us a grilled steak can be awesome there is something about pan-frying a steak that works.
First step: You will want to use at last a 1 inch thick cut of steak. Even a 1 1/2 inch steak would be best. Ribeye is a great cut to pan fry.
Second Step: You will want to get a good crust on your steak so dry it off by patting int with a paper towel for adding it to the pan.
Third Step: Season your steak. We won’t tell you what to use because you may have a favorite way to season your steak. For us, its high-quality salt and pepper. That’s it.
Fourth Step: Add a little oil and or butter or just butter and get the pan HOT. You want that pan hot to get the proper crust.
We like to throw in 3 or 4 garlic cloves that have been peeled. Keep them whole.
Once you add your steak to the pan it is up to you how you like your steak cooked. For us it’s medium rare for you it may be different.
Fifth Step: As the meat cooks take a spoon and carefully take the oil, butter, and juices and pour over the top of the steak.
Sixth Step: Do not cut the meat until it rests properly. Let your meat rest for at least 8 to 10 minutes before you cut into it. This will allow the juices to re-distribute back inside.
What is our overall choice for the best product
When looking for the best frying pans for steak you need to make sure you get a pan that can cook evenly and still provide an easy cleanup afterward. All while having the ability to keep going this way for years to come. With that said our best pan for steak is…
The Cooks Standard Hard Anodized nonstick square grill pans is an excellent pan to fry steak. With its heavy-gauge aluminum core, it helps to maintain and distribute heat evenly to cook steak perfectly. It is also oven safe up to 500 degrees.
We hope this guide has provided you the information needed to make a more informed decision on your next pan purchase.
