Colin Cowie’s Famous New York Strip Steak

• 4 aged New York strip steaks, cut 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick, at room temperature (see Note)
• 4 tablespoons coarse sea salt
• 3 tablespoons coarsely cracked black pepper
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

1. Season the steaks generously with salt and pepper.

 

2. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over high heat. When the oil is very hot but not yet smoking, cook the steaks on one side for 4 minutes. Turn the steaks over and cook for another 4 minutes. Cook each side again for 2 minutes and then each end for a minute. Allow to rest for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving. (Adjust the cooking time according to thickness of steaks and desired doneness; for example, thinner steaks might take just 3 minutes per side before flipping. The extra flipping helps ensure a well-cooked, nicely caramelized exterior with plenty of delicious juices running inside.)

 

Note: A steak should always be kept at room temperature before it is cooked, so if it is refrigerated, take it out at least an hour in advance. If it’s cold, right out of the fridge, you’re going to get a steak that’s seared on the outside and nearly raw on the inside. When it’s cooked at room temperature, you’ll see a nice gradation of doneness from the crispy, caramelized exterior to the pink and red center. In addition, a cold steak will take longer to cook, invalidating most recipe cooking times.