This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Skillet Steak with Gorgonzola Herbed Butter Recipe – Make a restaurant quality steak at home using these helpful tips and recipe!
Nothing beats the sear of a steak cooked in a cast iron skillet! Topped with Gorgonzola Herbed Butter? Makes this skillet steak recipe out of this world!
A big juicy steak just doesn’t get much better than when it is cooked in a hot cast iron skillet. Even though I’ve talked about the perfect steak before, a skillet steak will absolutely knock your socks off. Hearing the sizzle when a steak hits the hot skillet is music to my ears. I know my steaks are getting a good sear, forming a delicious crust if you will, and keeping all that juicy goodness right inside.
The process to cook a skillet steak is really not that difficult at all. You just need a heavy, large cast iron skillet that is well-seasoned and cleaned, your steaks, a couple of seasonings, and a few minutes.
Really.
I like to season my steaks for a few hours before I’ll be cooking them. This serves as a sort of dry brine that helps produce a more juicy and flavorful steak. I sprinkle both sides of my steak with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then store it in the refrigerator until about 30 minutes before I am ready to begin cooking. Then, I pull my steaks out and allow them to warm up easily on the counter as I begin getting everything ready to cook.
I preheat my cast iron skillet over medium heat on my stove. You could easily use a sideburner or directly on your grill or cook these over an open flame on a grate if you are camping, as well.
Once my skillet is hot, hot, hot, I test it with a drop of water. If a sprinkle of water dances and sizzles across the skillet, I know my skillet is ready for cooking my steaks.
Next, I drizzle olive oil into the bottom of the skillet and make sure it has been well-coated.
Then, I place each steak into the skillet, taking care not to crowd them as they are cooking. After the steaks have cooked for about two minutes on one side, I carefully flip them on the other side. After two minutes, I reduce the heat on the skillet to low or slide the skillet to indirect heat if cooking over a grill or on a campfire.
At this point, I’ll test the steaks for doneness with an internal thermometer or by using the “face test.” I saw the tip on some television show when I was first married and the idea of testing steak based on your face completely made sense to me then and has worked ever since.
Basically, here’s how the “face test” works:
Face Test for Testing Steak Doneness
Rare Steaks (145 degrees, before resting*) – If you prefer rare steaks, the steak should have a similar feel as when you touch your cheek. It should have plenty of give and cushion.
Medium Steaks (160 degrees, before resting*) – If you prefer your steaks at the medium level, the steak should have a similar feel as when you touch your chin.
Well-Done Steaks (170 degrees, before resting*) – If you prefer your steaks well-done, the steak should have a similar feel as when you touch your forehead.
*according to USDA Guidelines
I highly suggest that you make skillet steaks soon.
Like tonight!
When you do, pull out your internal thermometer and then do a comparison so that you get a feel for the whole “face test” for testing your steaks. You’ll feel funny the first few times you do it, but believe me, it works like a charm!
Allow your steaks to rest in the skillet for about five minutes for all of the juices to flow back to through the meat. This produces the juiciest, most flavorful steak you can imagine.
As my steaks were resting, I knew they really didn’t require anything else, but they sure did deserve something to elevate them just a smidge. That’s when I whipped up this Gorgonzola herbed butter at the last minute to serve on top of them.
Let’s just say that little tablespoon of goodness was this steaks crowning glory!
Here’s my tried and true Skillet Steak recipe. Don’t skip on the herbed butter!
Skillet Steaks with Gorgonzola Herbed Butter Recipe
Ingredients
For the steaks:
- 4 ribeye steaks or your preferred cut
- salt and fresh ground pepper
- olive oil
For the herbed butter:
- 4 tablespoons butter softened
- 4 tablespoons Gorgonzola cheese
- 1 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Season both sides of each steak with salt and fresh ground pepper. Wrap each steak tightly in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for a few hours up to overnight. Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to cooking in order for the steaks to reach room temperature before cooking.
- Heat large, heavy cast iron skillet over medium heat. You can also use a sideburner on a grill or an open flame with a grate if camping. To test if properly heated, sprinkle a drop of water into the bottom of the skillet. If it dances, the skillet is properly heated.
- Drizzle olive oil into the bottom of the skillet and make sure it is well-coated.
- Place each steak into the skillet and cook over the medium heat for two minutes. Flip and cook the other side of the steak for about two minutes. Test for doneness. Cook longer if needed to reach the level of doneness desired.
- Remove from heat and allow to rest for about five minutes in the skillet.
For the herbed butter:
- Cream together butter, Gorgonzola cheese, and fresh parsley.
- Place one tablespoon of herbed butter onto the top of each steak and allow to melt over the sides as serving.
Notes
Nutritional Information
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
From the Add a Pinch recipe archives. Originally published 2012.
My daughter and husban LOVE steak and I don’t make it enough for them. I have got to start using my cast iron skillet more! That butter looks heavenly. Yes, heavenly.
Oh that butter is very heavenly, Aggie. I could eat it right by itself, but on this steak – angels were singing! 🙂
Oh my gosh, Robyn…you had me at Gorgonzola butter. The steaks look absolutely scrumptious, but oh, that butter! YUM.
Isn’t that butter just amazing? I can’t wait for you to make it, Kate! I do believe your Southern Husband will love it, too!
Robin, these look amazing! Can hardly wait to make them! Thanks so much!
Thanks, Elise. You really, really do need to make them. It will totally rock your steak-loving world! Can’t wait to hear!
That butter. That buttterrrrrrr.
I have never done steaks in my skillet. I need to remedy that…you made it look simple!
Oh yes! Don’t forget that buttah on that steak! Anyone that can make creations like you can deserves a skillet steak with that butter dripping on it!
Double yum.
🙂 It really is perfection. I hope y’all have a great weekend!
I can practically taste how wonderful these are Robyn! Yum 🙂
Thanks so much, Jenny.
We just went thru 16 fresh steaks we bought from a local farmer….they were the BEST we’ve ever had, I’m planning to buy more, I can’t wait to try this Robyn!!
Nothing beats a good steak in my book. I bet yours were amazing. We have a local organic farmer’s market that sells beef from local farmer’s. Their steaks are out of this world!
I can already see the huge grin on my hubby’s face. I love the addition of gorgonzola!
Oh yes, he’ll be singing your praises if you have this for supper! That gorgonzola just MAKES that herbed butter.
Oh mercy, I need that butter on the next steak I cook. I cook mine exactly like you, in my good ol’ cast iron skillet.
Aren’t those the best steaks? Mercy! Yes, you have to do that butter, Milisa. You’ll be hooked!
These are heavenly!!!
Thanks so much, Rachel.
Oh my, this looks SO good! Now I’m craving steak like crazy.
Oh my word…these look fantastic! I have to have steak now this weekend. Have to.
This looks SO amazing! I cannot even tell you how much I’m drooling right now!
Boy am I glad you posted this. The boyfriend has been requesting steak at the house lately but I’ve been pushing it off because I don’t know how to make steak. I don’t know anything about grilling. But I do know how to use my cast iron skillet so for sure I’ll be making this! And I’m so excited about that face test. As I was reading your post, I was checking my cheek, chin and forehead and it totally makes sense. It’s genius actually.
Oh my gosh, Robyn. We just finished dinner and my mouth is watering from looking at this recipe and photo. Do you think it would be wrong to have a steak for dessert :-)?
Robyn….these are absolute perfection. You know what? Steaks scare me. My dad always cooked them on the grill, and we don’t grill much, so I rarely make them. For Father’s Day, I cooked ribeyes in my cast iron skillet and they were perfect! I cannot wait to try your tips! The face test?!? That’s so neat!
Oh, and the butter….let’s not forget the butter. *sigh*
Gorgeous pictures, too. What lens do you use?
Holy Heaven!! Those are some good looking steaks. Sounds like dinner tonight.
I don’t think that I’ve ever cooked a steak in a skillet, but judging from your photos, it’s a pretty fantastic method!
YUM. I want a cast iron skillet, pronto!
Wow – that has to be the perfect steak! I’m so jealous – I have absolutely no luck with meats, but this is incredible… I’m featuring this in today’s Food Fetish Friday (with a link-back and attribution). I hope you have no objections and it’s always fun to be following along with your creations…
Robyn, this looks just delectable. The steak is perfectly cooked. It looks perfect, the charred effect makes me wanting for more.
I made these for my family tonight and WOW were they delicious. I used a screaming hot cast iron skillet that made a delicious and beautiful steak. I’m definitely adding this to my rotation. My husband is eating his second one right now…….I know, I know…he didn’t eat a potato so I guess I won’t complain too much. Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
Yay, Bettie! I’m so glad you loved this steak as much as we do. Isn’t that Gorgonzola butter amazing?
Yes, the Gorgonzola butter is amazing. I actually did some quality control tasting before the steaks were done. Can’t wait to search your more recipes to prepare very soon!
Umf!!! I hate that I cannot find a cast iron skillet in Croatia…This is definitely the first thing I am going to buy if I ever visit the US!!!
The steaks are mouthwatering and I’m gonna take you up on that advice and make some tonight for dinner even though I don’t have the right cooking apparatus 🙂 🙂
Found these on Pinterest and made them for Sunday afternoon lunch. Hubby said best meal since we’ve been married (5 months). Thanks!
YAY! So excited that you both loved these steaks! They are our favorites. Congratulations on your first five months of marriage. It just keeps getting better and better with time. Enjoy it!
Was wondering what the nutritional facts were for this… Do you know by any chance??
Hello. I love your pictures. What type of lens do you use?
the best steak I have ever had even in the restaurants
Here is something I can try when I get my new cast iron skillet! 😉 You know I’m Pinning it!
Never had heard of putting salt and pepper on steak and leaving it for hours. I did just like you said,but only left it about 2-3 hrs. Did everything else as instructed and WOW my husband and I were very impressed. My husband had been wanting a steak,but different from the ” throw it on the grill kind.” So as I was cooking this I thought if I ruin his steak, but with each bite he would say, this is good, I like this one, it’s a keeper. So thanks Robyn. It’s a keeper.
I’m so glad you both enjoyed it!
i’d love to make this recipe however I have a corningware cook top stove and I am unsure if I can use cast iron skillets on it, what do you think?
I’m going to skip the BBQ Saturday and try your skillet trick. Let you know how it works for me.
Your photography is outstanding!
I hope you enjoyed this, Vincent! My family loves it!
Thank you so much! You are so kind – I appreciate the compliment! 🙂
I use mine. Just be careful not to scratch the surface. Works great.
Great recipe and I love the “face” test. This makes a lot of sense. We just ordered from Omaha and I can’t wait to try this. Hubby likes his meat well well done and I love mine rare. I usually broil or BBQ them but this will be fun to try. Today may be the day. Thanks. : )
So glad you are trying this and I hope you enjoy it! It has such an amazing flavor.
Hope the test helps you. I enjoy little tips to make meal time easier!
Thanks so much! xo
WOW! The gargonzola butter!!! It took a delicious steak to a DAY-UM That’s Crazy Good steak! So delicious. The only noise at the table was the mmmms and yummmms and steak knives. Thank you for making me look good with my company! 🙂
There’s nothing more trusty for steak than a cast iron skillet – I have two in two different sizes. And OH THAT BUTTER! Happy weekend, my friend!
You have it right about cast iron skillets, Kate!!! There’s nothing like them! Hope your weekend is fantastic too! Thanks! xo
face test! Nice metric, haven’t heard that one before love the Gorgonzola butter too, thank you for this!
Hi there! Just curious how long I would want to cook the steak on each side to reach a medium-well temperature? I am pregnant so I have to be cautious about my meat temps! Thank you in advance 🙂
Any suggestions for a different herbed butter? I’m not a fan of Gorgonzola.Â