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How long to cook a steak
A 2.5 cm (1 in) steak takes about 6–8 minutes in a hot pan for medium-rare; pull it at 51 °C (124 °F) and rest it 5 minutes. Thickness decides the time; a thermometer decides when it is done.
Estimates to plan with, not a guarantee: every piece, butcher and grill is different. Nothing you type leaves this page.
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The numbers at a glance
| Thickness | Pan, medium-rare | Grill, medium-rare | Pull at (medium-rare) | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 cm / 0.5 in | 3–5 min | 3–5 min | 53 °C / 127 °F | 2–3 min |
| 2.5 cm / 1 in | 6–8 min | 6–10 min | 51 °C / 124 °F | 5 min |
| 4 cm / 1.5 in | 9–12 min | 10–14 min | 49 °C / 120 °F | 5 min |
| 5 cm / 2 in | 12–16 min | 14–18 min | 48 °C / 118 °F | 8–10 min |
Questions
How long do I cook a 1-inch steak?
In a hot pan, about 6–8 minutes in total for medium-rare, turning every minute or so; pull at 51 °C (124 °F) and rest 5 minutes.
How long for a 2-inch steak?
Too thick for the pan alone: reverse sear it (about 40–55 minutes at 120 °C, then a hard sear) or sear and finish in the oven.
Do I need a thermometer?
Times are a guide; thickness, the grill and the starting temperature move them. The core temperature is the only reliable sign.
Where the numbers come from
- Field data: 279 butchery sheets weighed piece by piece by the Steakpedia Field Kitchen, up to 17 Oct 2026. Download them at Field data (CC BY 4.0).
- Times and temperatures: the tables of Steak temperatures, Cast-iron steak, Reverse sear, Sous vide steak and Resting steak on this site.
- Grill times: published guides (AHDB Simply Beef & Lamb, MLA, The Greatest Kitchen Guide, Weber grilling chart, Cattlemen’s Beef Board/NCBA “Beef Grilling” (2012)). Our field kitchen grills about 100 steaks a day and is timing them; measured times will replace these.