Simple Steak

Ingredients

• Beef tenderloin

  Separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/8" fat, all grades, raw

  12 oz or 340g

• Salt

  Table

  ½ tsp or 3g

• Pepper

  Spices, black

  ½ tsp or 1g

• Olive oil

  Salad or cooking

  2 tsp or 9g

Directions

1. Remove the steak from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature, about 30 to 45 minutes.
2. Season the steak on both sides with the salt and pepper. Rub both sides with the olive oil and set aside.
3. Heat a medium heavy-bottomed frying pan (not nonstick!) over high heat until very hot but not smoking, about 3 to 4 minutes. (If the pan gets too hot and starts to smoke, take it off the heat to cool a bit.) Place the steak in the pan and let it cook undisturbed until a dark crust forms on the bottom, about 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Flip the steak using tongs or a spatula and cook until it's medium rare, about 3 to 4 minutes more. To check for doneness, use your finger to press on the steak: It should be firm around the edges but still give in the center. You can also use an instant-read thermometer; it should read about 125°F to 130°F.
5. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.