How to Cook Every Steak Pre Sells
- 4 days ago
- 6 min read
Every Pre steak responds to a slightly different touch. Use the wrong one and you waste a great cut. Use the right one and you cook the best steak of your week. Good news: the foundation is the same for all four, and it is genuinely simple.
The universal Pre method (works on every cut)
Before we go cut by cut, learn the base method once. It is the same six steps on the ribeye, the New York strip, the petite sirloin, and the filet mignon. Master this and you are most of the way there.
Pull the steak from the fridge. Let it lose some of the deep chill while you get set up.
Pat it dry with a paper towel and salt liberally on all sides. A dry surface is what gives you a real crust. Water is the enemy of a sear.
Preheat a cast-iron skillet or stainless steel pan over medium-high heat. Not screaming hot. Medium-high. Grass-fed beef is lean, and lean beef scorches if the pan is too aggressive.
Add about a tablespoon of high-heat cooking oil to the pan. Avocado, grapeseed, or refined olive oil all work.
Cook to your target temperature (see the charts below), flipping halfway through.
Take it out and let it rest at least 5 minutes before slicing. The juices need that time to settle back into the meat.
A few rules that apply no matter the cut:
Defrost in the fridge or in cold water. Never on the counter, never in the microwave. Cold-water thawing runs roughly 30 to 60 minutes per pound.
Salt early or salt right before. Forty minutes ahead or immediately before the pan are both great. The 5-to-30-minute window in between is the worst spot, because the salt has pulled moisture to the surface but has not had time to reabsorb.
Use a thermometer, every time. Cook to internal temperature, not to the clock. The clock is a guide. The thermometer is the truth.
Because 100% Grass-Fed & Finished beef is leaner than grain-finished, it cooks faster and dries out faster. Pull it about 5° F below your target and let carryover heat finish the job during the rest.
Slice against the grain on cuts where the grain is visible, like the strip and the petite sirloin.
That is the whole game. Now the personalities.
How to cook a Pre Ribeye
The ribeye is forgiving because it carries a lot of fat. That fat marbling bastes the meat from the inside and gives you a little more margin if your timing slips. It is rich, beefy, and hard to mess up.
Method: Run the universal method above. Medium-high pan, a tablespoon of high-heat oil, flip halfway, rest 5.
Temps and times (per the Pre Ribeye page):
Doneness | Target temperature | Average time per side |
Rare | 120 to 125° F | 4 to 5 min |
Medium rare | 125 to 130° F | 5 to 6 min |
Medium | 135 to 140° F | 6 to 7 min |
Medium Well | 140 to 145° F | 7 to 8 min |
Well | 150 to 160° F | 8 to 9 min |
We would gently steer you away from going past medium on a ribeye. The fat tastes best when it is rendered but the meat is still pink.
Optional level-up: In the last minute, drop in a tablespoon of butter, a smashed garlic clove, and a sprig of thyme, then tilt the pan and spoon the foaming butter over the steak. It is a flavor flourish, not a requirement. The temps above do not change.
Common mistake: Cranking the heat too high to "get a better crust." On a lean grass-fed ribeye that just burns the outside before the inside catches up. Medium-high and a dry surface do the work.
How to cook a Pre New York Strip
The New York strip is the most balanced steak Pre sells. Beefy flavor, less fat than a ribeye, more structure than a filet. If you are new to cooking steak, start here. It is the most delicious place to build your confidence.
Method: Universal method. The strip is a textbook skillet steak.
Temps and times (per the Pre New York Strip page):
Doneness | Target temp | Average time per side |
Rare | 120 to 125° F | 4 to 5 min |
Medium Rare | 125 to 130° F | 5 to 6 min |
Medium | 135 to 140° F | 6 to 7 min |
Medium Well | 140 to 145° F | 7 to 8 min |
Well | 150 to 160°F | 8 to 9 min |
Common mistake: Skipping the slice. A New York strip is noticeably better sliced against the grain on a board than served whole on a plate. The grain is easy to see on this cut, so cut across it and watch the texture improve.
How to cook a Pre Petite Sirloin
Lean, beefy, and the leanest grilling steak in the line at a tidy 5 oz per steak (sold in a 2-pack). The flavor is excellent and the margin for error is a little smaller than the ribeye, so a thermometer earns its keep here.
Method: Universal method. Cast iron is its best friend.
Temps and times (per the Pre Petite Sirloin page):
Doneness | Target temperature | Average time per side |
Rare | 120 to 125° F | 4 to 5 min |
Medium Rare | 125 to 130° F | 5 to 6 min |
Medium | 135 to 140° F | 6 to 7 min |
Medium Well | 140 to 145° F | 7 to 8 min |
Well | 150 to 160° F | 8 to 9 min |
Pull it on the lower end of your target and let carryover finish it during the rest. Then slice it thin and on the bias. That step is non-negotiable on a petite sirloin, and it is what turns a lean cut into a tender one.
Bonus: The petite sirloin loves a marinade. An hour or two in something acidic and aromatic before you pat it dry and cook adds flavor and a little tenderness. It is also the cut to reach for when a recipe calls for flank or skirt, since it slices beautifully for sandwiches, tacos, salads, and skewers.
How to cook a Pre Filet Mignon
The most tender cut, the leanest, and the most fragile. Treat it gently and do not try to cook it like a ribeye. It has almost no fat to protect it, so precision matters more here than anywhere else.
Method: Same universal skillet method. A cast-iron or stainless pan over medium-high heat, a tablespoon of high-heat oil, flip halfway, rest 5. Because the filet is thick and narrow, its per-side times run a touch shorter at the lower doneness levels.
Temps and times (per the Pre Filet Mignon page):
Doneness | Target temp | Average time per side |
Rare | 120 to 125°F | 3 to 4 min |
Medium Rare | 125 to 130°F | 4 to 5 min |
Medium | 135 to 140°F | 5 to 6 min |
Medium Well | 140 to 145°F | 6 to 7 min |
Well | 150 to 160°F | 9 to 10 min |
Common mistake: Overcooking. Past medium rare a filet dries out fast because there is no fat to fall back on. Pull it early, rest it, and serve it whole or sliced on a board with a flake of finishing salt.
How to cook every steak: the quick reference
If you remember nothing else, remember this. Medium-high pan. Dry surface. Tablespoon of high-heat oil. Flip halfway. Thermometer to your target. Rest 5 minutes. Slice against the grain on the strip and the petite sirloin. That single rhythm covers how to cook every steak Pre makes, and the charts above handle the fine-tuning.
FAQ
What is the best thermometer?
Any instant-read with a thin probe and a fast read (under 3 seconds). The brand matters far less than actually using it. A $20 thermometer you use beats a $100 one in the drawer.
Can I cook a Pre steak from frozen?
You can, but defrosting first is better. The sear comes out cleaner and the cook is more even. A cold-water thaw runs about 30 to 60 minutes per pound, so it is faster than most people expect.
Why is grass-fed beef different to cook?
100% Grass-Fed & Finished beef has less marbling than grain-finished beef. Less fat means it cooks a little faster and dries out faster if you overshoot, which is exactly why the thermometer and the rest matter. Pull about 5°F below target and you are set.
Is grass-fed steak actually healthier?
It is a lean, high protein food with no added hormones and no sub-therapeutic antibiotics, and Pre beef is Non-GMO Project Verified. A single Pre steak delivers a serious dose of protein for the calories, which is why it is a staple for people who want healthy, satisfying meals without a lot of fuss. Pre Brands curates every cut against its 15 Points of Curation, so the quality is consistent from pack to pack.
Do these times work on a grill too?
The temps are identical. Grilling adds a hot zone and a cooler zone, so you have more ways to manage the cook, but you are still cooking to the same target numbers and resting the same way.
