Pan-seared steak: cooking time by thickness
Thickness changes steak timing more than anything else. A thin steak is done in a few minutes; a thick one needs more time per side, or a finish in the oven. This page gives tested times by thickness and the temperature that confirms each doneness.
The times are ranges: your pan, burner and cut change the result, so the thermometer always has the final word.
How long do you cook a steak on each side?
It depends on thickness. A ½-inch steak is done in 3 to 4 minutes in total, turning occasionally, according to the Beef Checkoff. A 1-inch steak takes 4 minutes on the first side and 4 to 6 on the second, from rare to medium, according to America’s Test Kitchen.
4 + 5 minutes: a 1-inch steak cooked to medium rare over medium-high heat after a 3-minute preheat. Source: America's Test Kitchen.
| Thickness | Time | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ½ inch (1 cm) | 3 to 4 min in total, turning occasionally (medium rare to medium) | Beef Checkoff |
| 1 inch (2.5 cm) | First side 4 min; second side 4 (rare), 5 (medium rare) or 6 min (medium) | ATK, 2012 |
| 1½ inches (4 cm), strip | Flip every 2 min: 4 min over medium-high, then 4 to 10 min over medium, to 120–125 °F | ATK, 2020 |
| 1½ inches (4 cm), filet mignon | 3 + 3 min in the pan, then a 450 °F oven for 4–6, 6–8 or 8–10 min | ATK, 2011 |
- ½ inch: 3–4 min total
- 1 inch: 4 + 4 to 6 min
- 1½ inches: 4 + 4 to 10 min, flipping
How to cook a 1-inch steak
Step by step 1: Heat the skillet3 min
Preheat the skillet over high heat for 3 minutes, then turn it down to medium-high before adding the meat.
Step by step 2: First side4 min
Lay the steak in the pan and leave it for 4 minutes without moving it.
Step by step 3: Second side4 · 5 · 6 min
Flip and count 4 minutes for rare, 5 for medium rare and 6 for medium.
Step by step 4: Check the temperature
Insert the thermometer into the center. America’s Test Kitchen pulls rare steak at 115–120 °F and medium at 130–135 °F.
Step by step 5: Let it rest5–10 min
Rest the steak before slicing, as the tested recipes do. The temperature still climbs about 5 °F while it rests.
Can you tell a steak is done by its color?
Not safely. The CDC says you can’t tell whether food is safely cooked by checking its color and texture, and that the only way is to use a food thermometer. The color of the center helps you recognize doneness, as America’s Test Kitchen describes for filet mignon, but it doesn’t replace the thermometer.
145 °F (63 °C) with a 3-minute rest is the FDA’s safe minimum for steaks. Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Did you know?
What temperature is each doneness?
America’s Test Kitchen takes meat off the heat a little before the serving temperature, because it keeps rising during the rest.
| Doneness | Take off the heat | Serve |
|---|---|---|
| Rare | 115–120 °F (46–49 °C) | 125 °F (52 °C) |
| Medium | 130–135 °F (54–57 °C) | 140 °F (60 °C) |
| Well done | 150–155 °F (66–68 °C) | 160 °F (71 °C) |
The FDA lists 145 °F (63 °C) with a 3-minute rest as the safe minimum for steaks. Rare and medium sit below that, so they are not recommended for higher-risk groups.
What about well-done steak or a ¾-inch steak?
We found no tested time for well-done steak, or for a ¾-inch steak in a skillet, so we don’t publish a number. Use the thermometer instead: America’s Test Kitchen pulls well-done steak at 150 to 155 °F.
Should you flip a steak more than once?
For thick steaks, America’s Test Kitchen flips every 2 minutes: that is the tested technique for a 1½-inch strip steak, which starts in a cold pan. A 1-inch sirloin flipped every 2 minutes was done in 8 to 10 minutes in total.
Sources
- 3 Simple Steps for Pan-Frying Beef. Beef Checkoff (CBB/NCBA), January 1, 2013.
- Pan-Seared Steaks. America's Test Kitchen, October 4, 2012.
- Pan-Seared Sirloin Steaks with Creamy Black Pepper–Tarragon Pan Sauce. America's Test Kitchen, February 26, 2021.
- Pan-Seared Strip Steaks. America's Test Kitchen, January 5, 2020.
- Pan-Seared Filet Mignon. America's Test Kitchen, October 4, 2011.
- How to Know When Food Is Done. America's Test Kitchen, November 26, 2018.
- Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), August 1, 2017.
- People at Risk of Foodborne Illness. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), January 16, 2025.
- Preventing Food Poisoning. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), November 24, 2025.
Every source was opened and checked by Equipe Timertok on .