20 Sizzling Steak Recipes

March 8 came and went. I'm still here. That's the report. That's all of it.

I drove to the cottonwood grove along the Musselshell at dawn. The trees were bare and the ice was breaking up along the banks and the water was running fast and gray, snowmelt from the mountains pushing through. I parked the truck and sat. Three hours. I didn't bring anything — no phone, no coffee, no plan beyond being there at that spot on that date because I needed to be somewhere specific and the ranch felt too crowded even though it's 800 acres and three people.

I talked to Derek. Out loud. First time I've done that since the hospital, since the morphine haze when I didn't know what was real and what was medication. I told him I was home. I told him about the ranch. I told him I couldn't sleep and that the chili wasn't as good without real beer and that Montana was cold and that I missed him in a way that doesn't have a bottom, just depth. I told him I was sorry. I've said that before, in my head, a thousand times, but out loud was different. Out loud it hit the air and the river took it and I sat there and watched the water carry it away, which is probably not how grief works but is exactly how it felt.

I drove home. Mom had supper ready, as promised. Chicken fried steak — the real Montana version, pounded thin, breaded heavy, fried in a cast iron skillet with an inch of oil until the crust is golden and shattering and the meat inside is tender enough to cut with a fork. Mashed potatoes. White gravy. Green beans from a can because it's March in Montana and fresh vegetables are a memory. I ate all of it. Every bite. Not because I was hungry but because Mom made it and eating it was the conversation we were having — she cooked her love onto a plate and I ate it, and that was how we talked about March 8 without saying the words.

Dr. Kessler had said, "Make a plan." The plan was: drive to the river. Talk to Derek. Come home. Eat Mom's chicken fried steak. The plan worked. A rope. Something to hold. I held it. I'm still holding it.

Mom’s chicken fried steak was the anchor that day — pounded beef, heavy breading, cast iron, white gravy — and it reminded me that a good piece of beef cooked with intention is one of the most grounding things a person can put on a plate. If you’re looking to carry that same weight into your own kitchen, these 20 steak recipes are the ones I keep coming back to: simple enough to make on a hard night, serious enough to feel like you mean it.

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 25 min | Servings: 2

Ingredients

2 ribeye or New York strip steaks (about 1 inch thick, 8–10 oz each)
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, smashed
2–3 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary

Instructions

Season the steaks. Pat steaks dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Let rest at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before cooking.
Heat the pan. Place a cast iron skillet over high heat until it begins to smoke lightly, about 2–3 minutes. Add the oil and swirl to coat.
Sear the steaks. Lay steaks away from you into the pan. Sear without moving for 3–4 minutes until a deep brown crust forms. Flip and sear the other side for another 3 minutes for medium-rare.
Baste with butter. Reduce heat to medium. Add butter, smashed garlic, and herb sprigs to the pan. As the butter foams, tilt the pan and spoon the butter over the steaks repeatedly for 1–2 minutes.
Check doneness. For medium-rare, the internal temperature should read 130–135°F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove steaks and let rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes before slicing.
Serve. Slice against the grain or serve whole. Spoon any remaining pan butter and juices over the top. Pairs well with mashed potatoes or roasted vegetables.

Nutrition (per serving)

20 Sizzling Steak Recipes — The Meal That Held Me Together on the Hardest Day