Food & Cooking Recipes Ingredients Meat & Poultry Pan-Fried Shell Steaks Be the first to rate & review! These simple seared shell steaks make a satisfying dinner any night of the week. By Martha Stewart Martha Stewart Martha Stewart is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and lifestyle expert who has taught millions of people through generations the joy of entertaining, cooking, gardening, collecting, crafting, and home renovating via her eponymous magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Emmy-winning television shows, and 99 books (and counting). Based in Katonah, N.Y., where she helms her 156-acre Bedford Farm, Martha is America's first self-made female billionaire. Editorial Guidelines Published on June 20, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Close Prep Time: 15 mins Total Time: 15 mins Servings: 4 Our recipe for pan-fried shell steaks couldn’t be simpler. To make it, you’ll simply season the ultra-beefy cut with salt and pepper, then sear them over medium-high heat for a few short minutes per side. After a quick rest, they’re ready for serving with your sauce of choice. We recommend pairing them with our spicy pepper vinaigrette, which is made with bell pepper, pickled cherry peppers, basil, and vinegar for a tangy, piquant topper that beautifully complements the rich meat. Accompanied by a salad and a few baked potatoes, you’ve got a steakhouse-caliber dinner in the comfort of your own home. The 22 Best Side Dishes to Serve With Steak What Kind of Cut Is a Shell Steak? The shell steak comes from the short loin of a cow. It's a beefy, bone-in cut that's perfect for searing and grilling. Also known as a Kansas City strip steak, it's similar to a New York strip, except that it has a bone where as the New York strip is boneless. The Keys to Perfectly Cooked Steaks This recipe is as simple as it gets, but there are a few tricks for taking a home cooked steak over the top. Season Ahead of Time (or Just Before Cooking) When seasoning steaks, it's best to do so at least 40 minutes (and up to two days) before cooking. That's because as the salt works its way into the meat, it will draw out moisture before the meat eventually reabsorbs it along with the salt. Cooking seasoned steaks before the meat has reabsorbed the salty liquid can lead to tough, dry meat. If you don't have at least 40 minutes, season the meat right before cooking instead. Room Temp Is Your Friend Before cooking your steaks, aim to let them come to room temperature first. (This can happen during the seasoning step if you time it right.) Room temperature meat cooks more evenly throughout than meat straight from the refrigerator, which can take longer to reach the target temperature. Just before cooking, pat steaks dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, which will ensure they immediately start to sear—not steam—when they hit the pan. Use an Instant-Read Thermometer While you can certain try to estimate the doneness of your steaks by feel, the only way to know for sure that you're hitting your target temperature is with an instant-read thermometer, which you can find at grocery stores, kitchen supplies, and even some hardware stores at a wide range of prices. When taking the temp, it into the thickest part of the meat, being careful not to go all the way through and hit the pan, which will throw off your reading. Let It Rest After removing your steaks from the pan, it's crucial to let them rest for at least five minutes before serving. This gives them time to relax and let the juices redistribute throughout the cut so they don't come pouring out when the meat is sliced into. You can tent the steaks loosely with foil if your kitchen is very cool or you're cooking outside. Your pan and oil are hot enough for searing steaks when the oil is shimmering and you see the faintest wisps of smoke escape from the pan. Ingredients 4 shell steaks (each about 8 ounces and ¾ inch thick) Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 4 teaspoons vegetable oil Directions Season steaks: Season steaks with coarse salt and ground pepper. Heat oil; cook steaks: Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 steaks; cook until medium-rare, about 2 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining meat; let rest: Repeat with another 2 teaspoons oil and remaining steaks. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Storing and Reheating Leftover cooked shell steaks can be refrigerated for three to four days. To reheat, let steaks come to room temperature for about 45 minutes, then sear them in a very hot skillet with a bit of oil. For best results, do not slice meat before reheating as it will dry out more quickly. What to Serve With Pan-Fried Shell Steaks Serve these steaks with a classic steakhouse starch like baked potatoes or potato wedges. For a green vegetable, it's hard to go wrong with creamed spinach or Swiss chard, Brussels sprouts, or crisp-tender asparagus. Start things off with a wedge salad or serve a simple and tangy green salad to counter some of the steaks' richness. More Steak Recipes to Try: Grilled Cowboy Steak Steak and Eggs Grilled Marinated Hanger Steak Flat-Iron Steak au Poivre Curried Steak With Scallion Rice and Peas Originally appeared: Everyday Food, April 2006 Rate It PRINT Updated by Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and freelance writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.