How to Cook Signature Cut Strip Steak
Imagine the lean, tender succulence of Filet Mignon combined with the bold, meaty flavor of our Kansas City Strip Steak and you'll understand why our Signature Cut Strip Steaks are a beef lover's dream-come-true! Also known as a “Baseball Cut Strip Filet”, this thick cut comes from the center of a flavorful Strip Loin Steak. This means it’s lean and tender, yet boasts enough marbling to deliver rich, full flavor. The best way to cook a Signature Cut Strip Steak is up for debate, as this cut is great on the grill, broiled in the oven, and pan-seared on the stove. Additional methods such as reverse searing or even Signature Cut Strip Steak sous vide are also impeccable. Follow the instructions below and use a meat thermometer to cook your Signature Cut Strip Steak to perfection!
How to Cook Signature Cut Strip Steak on the Grill
Grilling Signature Cut Strip Steak is a perfect method to bring out the flavor and tenderness of this thick cut. There are two main approaches to consider when determining how to cook Signature Cut Strip Steak on the grill:
- Charcoal Grilling
- Gas Grilling
For each method, you will want to make sure your steak is completely thawed. Bring the Signature Cut Strip Steak to room temperature by removing it from the refrigerator about 30–40 minutes before grilling. The best Signature Cut Strip Steaks cooked on the grill are seasoned to taste with Kansas City Steak Original Steak Seasoning.
Signature Cut Strip Steak on a Charcoal Grill
Preheat your grill on high. Place steaks over the hottest part of the grill, and sear both sides for 1–2 minutes. Then, move to medium, ash-covered coals and continue to grill for the times listed in the Cooking Times Chart below. Turn about 1 minute prior to the halfway point.
Signature Cut Strip Steak on a Gas Grill
Preheat your grill on high. Sear both sides for 1–2 minutes, then, reduce to medium heat and continue to grill for the times listed in the Cooking Times Chart below. Turn about 1 minute prior to the halfway point.
- For the perfect medium-rare cut, Signature Cut Strip Steak grilling times will be 7–8 minutes for a 1-inch steak, and 9–11 minutes for a 1½ inch steak, turning about 1 minute before the halfway point. A meat thermometer should read 130°F.
- Rest your steaks for 5 minutes before serving, covering lightly with foil. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise about 5°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking"). The final temperature will read 135°F.
- Resting steak is important because the heat of cooking pulls the juices in the meat toward the surface; if you slice into it immediately after cooking, those flavorful juices will end up on your plate, not in your steak. Allowing your steak to rest will give the juices time to sink back in and throughout the meat, keeping it moist and flavorful.
- To check the degree of doneness, use a meat thermometer and the Measuring Doneness Chart below.
- Prior to serving, add a Kansas City Steak Finishing Butter for an additional flavor boost.
How to Cook Signature Cut Strip Steak in the Oven
Cooking Signature Cut Strip Steak in the oven takes minimal time and creates a mouth-watering meal. Just as in the grilling method, be sure your steak is completely thawed before cooking. We recommend thawing in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Once thawed, remove your steak from the refrigerator approximately 30–40 minutes before cooking to allow the steak to come to room temperature. Lastly, season your steak as desired. We recommend using our Kansas City Steak Original Steak Seasoning.
Set your oven to “broil” and preheat for 10 minutes.
Once you have seasoned your steaks to taste, cook Signature Cut Strip Steak in the oven to your desired cook time:
- Place steaks on the rack of a broiler pan. Position the broiler pan in the oven so that the surface of the beef is 3–4 inches from the heat. Broil to desired doneness, according to the times listed in our Cooking Times Chart below.
- For the perfect medium-rare Signature Cut Strip Steak in the oven, broil for 9–12 minutes for a 1-inch steak, and 14–16 minutes for a 1½ inch steak, turning about 1 minute before the halfway point. A meat thermometer should read 130°F.
- Rest your steaks for 5 minutes before serving, covering lightly with foil. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise for as much as 5°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking"). The final temperature will read 135°F.
- Resting steak is important because the heat of cooking pulls the juices in the meat toward the surface; if you slice into it immediately after cooking, those flavorful juices will end up on your plate, not in your steak. Allowing your steak to rest will give the juices time to sink back in and throughout the meat, keeping it moist and flavorful.
- To check the degree of doneness, use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the steak.
How to Cook Signature Cut Strip Steak on the Stove
If you've ever wondered how to cook Signature Cut Strip Steak in a pan on your stovetop, this method will give you excellent results. Your pan-seared Signature Cut Strip Steak will have a rich golden-brown color and enhanced flavor.
Be sure your steak is completely thawed before cooking. We recommend thawing in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Once thawed, remove your steak from the refrigerator for 30–40 minutes before cooking to bring to room temperature. Season your steak as desired; we recommend a generous serving of our Kansas City Steak Original Steak Seasoning.
Here is how to cook medium-rare Signature Cut Strip Steak on the stove:
- Heat a heavy non-stick skillet over medium heat until hot, for about 5 minutes. A very hot pan delivers the best sear.
- Place steaks in the hot skillet (do not overcrowd). Do not add oil or water. Do not cover.
- For the perfect medium-rare Signature Cut Strip Steak, sear in a skillet for 7–8 minutes for a 1-inch steak, and 9–11 minutes for a 1½ inch steak, turning about 1 minute before the halfway point. A meat thermometer should read 130°F.
- Rest your steaks for 5 minutes before serving, covering lightly with foil. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise for as much as 5°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking"). The final temperature will read 135°F.
- Resting steak is important because the heat of cooking pulls the juices in the meat toward the surface; if you slice into it immediately after cooking, those flavorful juices will end up on your plate, not in your steak. Allowing your steak to rest will give the juices time to sink back in and throughout the meat, keeping it moist and flavorful.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of your Signature Cut Strip Steak to ensure it is cooked to the perfect level of doneness, from rare to medium-well.
Similar to using a non-stick skillet, Signature Cut Strip Steak in a cast iron skillet can provide mouth-watering flavor and the deep brown crust and remarkable finish we all crave. Follow the same set of directions as you would if cooking Signature Cut Strip Steak on the stove in a non-stick skillet.
Specialty Signature Cut Strip Steak Cooking Methods
Want to try a different method for your next meal? There are several specialty cooking methods available and each provides a unique flavor. Reverse sear your Signature Cut Strip Steak the professional way, use a sous vide machine, or select a smoker. No matter which specialty method you choose, make sure your steak is completely thawed in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Remove the Signature Cut Strip Steak from the refrigerator approximately 30–40 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature. Prior to cooking, season your steaks as desired using Kansas City Steak Original Steak Seasoning.
For perfect doneness, we recommend using a meat thermometer.
Take the cooking process a step further with the professional reverse sear Signature Cut Strip Steak method.
Follow these steps for how to reverse sear a Signature Cut Strip Steak:
- Preheat oven to 275°F. Place steaks on a wire rack over a baking sheet.
- Place baking sheet on the center rack of the hot oven. Cook until internal temperature reaches 10°F lower than the desired final temperature. View our Measuring Doneness Chart and Cooking Times Charts below for reference.
- Remove and let steaks rest for 5 minutes, covering lightly with foil.
- Preheat a heavy skillet or cast iron skillet over high heat until very hot, about 5 minutes. A hot skillet delivers the best sear.
- Add some butter or a high smoke point oil such as avocado oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil and sear steaks for 1 minute on each side. The final internal temperature of your steak should be 135°F for medium-rare and 145°F for medium.
- The sear will give your steaks the rich golden-brown color and enhanced flavor that is typically associated with grilled steaks.
- Serve immediately. Unlike other methods of cooking steak, the low heat of the oven used in reverse searing does not draw the juices of the meat to the surface so additional resting time is not needed.
By using a sous vide machine to cook your Signature Cut Strip Steak, you remove the guesswork of cooking your steaks to perfection and desired doneness. Sous vide uses a low-heat, long-time cooking process which allows for an evenly cooked Signature Cut Strip Steak from start to finish.
Note: Steaks cooked under 130°F should not be cooked longer than 2½ hours at a time due to food safety concerns.
Follow these directions to cook your Signature Cut Strip Steak sous vide:
Prepare It
- Preheat your water bath: Fill your sous vide container up with warm water and set the sous vide device to the appropriate temperature for the desired doneness.
- Rare: 122°F
- Medium-Rare: 129°F
- Medium: 135°F
- Medium-Well: 145°F
- Repackage your steaks into sous vide heat-stable bags. We recommend seasoning your steaks with Kansas City Steaks Original Steak Seasoning for an enhanced flavor, prior to cooking in the sous vide. Another option is to add fresh herbs and a Kansas City Steak Finishing Butter, along with your raw steak, into the heat-stable vacuum seal bag before sealing.
Cook It
- Make sure the water bath has fully reached the desired temperature for cooking before adding in the steak.
- Place the packaged steak in the water bath and allow it to cook for the recommended amount of time, based on your desired degree of doneness.
- Rare: 45 minutes (1-inch steak) and 1–2½ hours (1½ inch steak)
- Medium-Rare: 45 minutes (1-inch steak) and 1–4 hours (1½ inch steak)
- Medium: 45 minutes (1-inch steak) and 1–4 hours (1½ inch steak)
- Medium-Well: 45 minutes (1-inch steak) and 1–4 hours (1½ inch steak)
- Once your steaks are finished cooking, remove them from the sous vide and take them out of the packaging.
- Preheat a skillet over high heat for about 5 minutes (this can be done on a grill or in your kitchen). A hot skillet delivers the best sear.
- Lightly coat the bottom of your skillet with high smoke point oil such as avocado oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil. Place your steaks on the skillet and sear for approximately 2 minutes on each side. Sear until the steaks reach the final desired internal temperature, according to the Measuring Doneness Chart below.
- The sear will give your steaks the rich golden-brown color and enhanced flavor that is typically associated with grilled steaks.
- Serve immediately. Unlike other methods of cooking steak, the low heat used in sous vide does not draw the juices of the meat to the surface so additional resting time is not needed.
- We recommend adding an additional savory flavor by topping your strip steak with with Kansas City Steak Finishing Butter (even if you added butter during the sous vide).
Every bite of a smoked Signature Cut Strip Steak is packed with flavor! Smoking time varies greatly depending on the cut of meat, thickness of the cut, quality of smoker, smoke and smoke retention, wind, etc. It is best to use a meat thermometer and base doneness off of internal temperature.
Note: Steaks cooked under 130°F should not be cooked longer than 2½ hours at a time due to food safety concerns.
To begin, fire up your smoker and preheat it to 225°F.
- Place your well-seasoned steak onto the grates of your smoker, close the lid, and smoke the meat until the steaks reach about 10°F below the desired internal doneness temperature (see recommendations, on our Measuring Doneness Chart below.)
- You can check for smoking doneness by internal temperature. Temperatures are as follows:
- Rare: 115°F
- Medium-Rare: 125°F
- Medium: 135°F
- Medium-Well: 145°F
- Next, preheat a skillet over high heat (this can be done on a grill or in your kitchen). Once hot, lightly coat the bottom of your skillet with a high smoke point oil such as avocado oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil.
- Place the steaks in the skillet and sear them for approximately 2 minutes on each side. Cook until the steaks reach approximately 5°F less than your final desired internal temperature.
- Remove steaks from the skillet and allow them to rest for 5 minutes, covering lightly with foil. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise about 5°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking").
- Resting steak is important because the heat of cooking pulls the juices in the meat toward the surface; if you slice into it immediately after cooking, those flavorful juices will end up on your plate, not in your steak. Allowing your steak to rest will give the juices time to sink back in and throughout the meat, keeping it moist and flavorful.
- To check the final degree of doneness, use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of your steak.
- Prior to serving, expand upon the delicious taste by topping with Kansas City Steak Finishing Butters for full flavor.
Cooking Signature Cut Strip Steak in an air fryer is a fast and easy way to prepare your meat.
Here's how to cook Signature Cut Strip Steak in an air fryer:
- Preheat your air fryer. Set temperature to 400°F. Allow your air fryer to preheat for approximately 2–3 minutes.
- Place your steak in the center of the air fryer and begin frying. We recommend using the grill rack option if available.
- Flip your steak halfway through your cooking time listed in the Cooking Times Chart below).
- Remove the steak from the air fryer and allow it to rest for 5 minutes, covering lightly with foil. The temperature of the steak will continue to rise about 5°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking").
- Resting steak is important because the heat of cooking pulls the juices in the meat toward the surface; if you slice into it immediately after cooking, those flavorful juices will end up on your plate, not in your steak. Allowing your steak to rest will give the juices time to sink back in and throughout the meat, keeping it moist and flavorful.
- To check the degree of doneness, use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of your steak.
- Prior to serving, apply Kansas City Steaks Finishing Butters for an additional flavor-filled experience.
Cooking Times for Signature Cut Strip Steak
Select a cooking method for your Signature Cut Strip Steak and follow the recommended cooking times for the best results. For perfect doneness, we recommend you use a meat thermometer and use the Measuring Doneness Chart, below.
Measuring Doneness for Signature Cut Strip Steak
Remove when your steaks are 5°F less than the temperatures listed.
The centers will continue to warm as they rest.
Signature Cut Strip Steak Recipes
Looking for a specific recipe, marinade, seasoning or rub for Signature Cut Strip Steak? Check out our most popular Strip Steak Recipes below or click Kansas City Strip Recipes to view our recipe library.