what temp to finish steak in oven
For finishing a seared steak in the oven, most home cooks use a hot oven between 400°F and 450°F (about 200–230°C) and then cook to an internal temperature that matches their preferred doneness.
Ideal internal temps (what you really finish to)
Use a meat thermometer and pull the steak out a few degrees before these numbers, since it will rise about 5°F while resting.
- Rare: 120–125°F internal when you pull it, aiming for about 125–130°F after rest.
- Medium-rare: 125–130°F pull, finishing around 130–135°F.
- Medium: 135–140°F pull, finishing around 140–145°F.
- Medium-well: 145–150°F pull, finishing around 150–155°F.
- Well-done: 155–160°F+ pull, finishing around 160°F and up.
Many steakhouse-style guides suggest taking medium-rare steaks out of the oven at about 125–130°F internal, then letting them rest so they coast up to 130–135°F.
Typical oven temperature
Once you’ve seared on the stovetop, here are common oven temps used to “finish” the steak:
- 400–425°F (about 200–220°C): Very common for pan-seared then oven-finished steak; one popular recipe uses 425°F and bakes 8–10 minutes to reach 130–140°F in the center for medium-rare to medium.
- 450°F (about 230°C): Some home-cook guides recommend 450°F for thicker steaks, which helps crisp the outside while keeping the inside juicy.
In practice, anything in the 400–450°F range works well, as long as you track the internal temperature and pull the steak before it overshoots.
Quick step-by-step example
- Preheat oven to 400–425°F (204–220°C).
- Sear steak in a very hot skillet (about 2–3 minutes per side) to build a crust.
- Move the whole pan to the oven.
- Roast until the thermometer in the center reads about 5°F below your target final temp (for medium-rare, pull at 125–130°F).
- Rest 5–10 minutes; the steak will rise a few degrees and juices will redistribute.
If you want a simple rule of thumb:
- Finish at 400–425°F, and cook until the steak is about 125–130°F in the center for a classic medium-rare result.