Bobby Flay Thinks You’re Cooking Steak All Wrong — Here’s How to Get Steakhouse Results at Home

Steve SabicerTue, June 9, 2026 at 3:00 PM UTC

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Credit: ClarkandCompany / Getty ImagesKey Takeaways

• Bobby Flay says home cooks often under-season steak; restaurant chefs use far more salt, spices, and dry rubs than most people realize.

• A screaming-hot cast-iron skillet is the easiest way to create a steakhouse-quality crust without expensive equipment.

• Flay prefers cooking steak to about 140°F, or "medium-rare plus," to better render fat and maximize flavor.

Celebrity chef Bobby Flay knows his steak. He's cooked thousands in restaurant kitchens and has judged the best of backyard grilling on his show BBQ Brawl. And according to Flay, home cooks often overcomplicate their pursuit of steakhouse-quality results with expensive gadgets, trendy techniques, and premium cuts.

To get that perfect steak at home, he says, all you need is a good pan, plenty of heat, and lots of extra seasoning.

Season boldly

"One of the main differences between restaurants and home cooks is the amount of seasoning that we use," says Flay. "Professional cooks push the envelope when it comes to seasoning. We're not as timid."

That flavor bravery applies to more than just salt and pepper. While Flay says he rarely marinates things, he's a fan of dry spice rubs that penetrate the steak and don't increase crust-killing moisture. He recommends a blend of paprika, dry mustard, coriander, cumin, oregano, and fennel. Add some brown sugar to aid caramelization, and ground ancho chiles for a little kick of heat. If you're not up for mixing your own rub at home, look for southwestern or Santa Maria–style rubs in the grocery store, or buy one with ingredients similar to Flay's blend.

Picking the right pan

Seasoning alone isn't enough for that perfect steak. According to Flay, the real secret to restaurant flavor is heat. Far more heat than most home cooks have in the kitchen. "When you're cooking in a steakhouse, we have these high-powered broilers with 1,200°F," he says. "That gives it a crazy amount of crust." Most household broilers can't deliver half that amount of heat, and backyard grills seldom get above 600°F.

That doesn't mean you need to invest in some commercial-grade equipment, Flay says. "A $20 cast-iron pan is all you need, and it will last you generations."

The key to cast iron is patience. Turn your burner all the way up and let the pan sit until it feels almost intimidatingly hot. Properly heated cast iron can take five to eight minutes to fully come to temperature. But that heat is what creates a steakhouse-quality crust. To reduce flare ups or smoke, lightly oil the steak itself rather than pouring oil directly into the pan. If you hear an immediate hard sizzle when the steak hits the surface, you know you're building flavor.

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Related: The 9 Best Cast Iron Cookware Pieces of 2026, Tested and Reviewed

The correct temperature for a steak

"I want the fat to melt," he says. "Without the fat melting, it doesn't become a juicier steak."

Flay clarifies that he's really aiming for what he calls "medium-rare plus," or about 140°F internal temperature. That leaves the meat pink — but not red — inside, softening the marbled fat and transferring more flavor to the meat.

Why Flay skips rib eye

While rib eye has become the social media darling of beef culture, it's not always Flay's first choice for the perfect steak due to its high amount of external fat.

"Rib eye can be inconsistent because the fat doesn't always melt even when cooked properly." That means diners can end up cutting around chewy pockets instead of enjoying a balanced bite.

At the opposite end of the spectrum sits ultra-lean filet mignon: top in terms of tenderness, but light on flavor. Flay argues that getting this pricy cut of meat to taste great is a real test of a cook's skills, so it might not be for everyone.

If he had to choose, Flay's perfect at-home steak would be skirt steak. This "fabulous" and more affordable cut is especially delicious when cooked over high heat, seasoned assertively, and sliced properly against the grain to keep it tender. And while America's steak culture can sometimes veer into obsession, Flay ultimately sees the explosion of food influencer opinions as a positive thing.

"The more information the better," he says. "You're watching younger people learn how to cook earlier and earlier because they have social media at their fingertips."

Online influencers might not offer perfect cooking advice every time, but if they get more people in the kitchen, Flay is happy to take it from there when it comes to helping them cook a great steak.

Related: The 6 Best-Value Steak Cuts You Can Buy Right Now, According to Chefs and Butchers

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”