How Long Do I Broil Steak? | Timing By Thickness

Most steaks need 8 to 23 minutes under the broiler, based on thickness, distance from heat, and the doneness you want.

Broiling steak is one of the fastest ways to get a browned crust and a juicy middle without stepping outside. The catch is that broilers run hot, fast, and a bit uneven from one oven to the next. That’s why one steak can hit medium-rare in 10 minutes while another needs close to 20.

If you want a clean answer, start with thickness. A 3/4-inch steak often lands around 8 to 13 minutes total. A 1-inch steak usually needs about 13 to 18 minutes. A 1 1/2-inch steak can run 18 to 27 minutes. Those ranges line up with published beef broiling charts and work best when the steak sits a few inches from the heat.

Then check doneness with a thermometer, not color alone. That one move saves a lot of guesswork and keeps you from overshooting while the steak rests.

How Long Do I Broil Steak? Time By Thickness And Doneness

Here’s the part most cooks want right away: broad timing bands that are easy to use. Treat these as starting points, not hard law. Your oven, pan, and steak cut all nudge the final time up or down.

• 3/4-inch steak: about 8 to 13 minutes total
• 1-inch steak: about 13 to 18 minutes total
• 1 1/2-inch steak: about 18 to 27 minutes total
• 2-inch top sirloin: can stretch to 34 to 39 minutes total

Those numbers fit common cuts such as ribeye, strip, tenderloin, porterhouse, and top sirloin. Leaner cuts can cook a touch faster if they’re thinner. Bone-in cuts can take a bit longer near the bone. A cold steak taken straight from the fridge may need an extra minute or two per side.

Doneness matters just as much as thickness. Pulling the steak early for rare or medium-rare is the whole game. Leave it under the broiler for “just one more minute” and the center can jump from pink to gray before you blink.

What Changes Broiling Time The Most

Broiling feels simple, and it is, but four variables do most of the work. Once you know them, timing gets a lot easier.

Thickness

This is the big one. A thin 3/4-inch steak cooks fast and can go from perfect to overdone in a flash. A thick steak gives you more wiggle room and usually browns better before the center is done.

Distance From The Heat

Steak usually broils best close to the heat source. Beef’s broiling basics places the meat about 2 to 4 inches from the broiler. Closer means faster browning. Drop the rack lower and the center cooks more gently, though total time goes up.

Starting Temperature

A steak fresh from the fridge cooks slower than one that sat out for 20 to 30 minutes. You don’t need a long rest on the counter, but a little takes the chill off and helps the middle catch up.

Your Oven And Pan

Some broilers are fierce. Some are sleepy. A heavy broiler pan or cast-iron skillet holds heat well and helps with browning. Thin sheet pans work too, though they may cook a bit less evenly.

Steak Cut	Common Thickness	Approximate Broil Time
Boneless ribeye	3/4 inch	8 to 10 minutes
Boneless ribeye	1 inch	14 to 18 minutes
Bone-in ribeye	1 inch	13 to 17 minutes
Strip steak	1 inch	13 to 17 minutes
Tenderloin steak	1 inch	13 to 16 minutes
Top sirloin	1 inch	16 to 21 minutes
T-bone or porterhouse	1 inch	15 to 20 minutes
Top sirloin	1 1/2 inches	26 to 31 minutes

Those times come from published broiling charts for beef cuts and are best used as a starting range, not a finish line. Flip the steak halfway through. Start checking a few minutes before the low end if your broiler runs hot.

Broiling Steak In The Oven By Thickness

If you want a tighter method, match your timing to the steak’s thickness and check the center before the last few minutes run out.

For 3/4-Inch Steaks

These are the quickest. Broil them close to the heat and expect a total time around 8 to 13 minutes. Flip once. Check early. Thin steaks don’t give you much time to recover from overcooking.

For 1-Inch Steaks

This is the sweet spot for home broiling. A 1-inch ribeye, strip, or filet often gives you the best balance of browning and interior tenderness. Count on roughly 13 to 18 minutes total, with the lower end aimed at a redder center.

For 1 1/2-Inch Steaks

These need more patience. Total time often falls between 18 and 27 minutes, depending on the cut. If the outside is darkening too fast, drop the rack one level and let the center catch up.

Best Way To Tell When Broiled Steak Is Done

Time gets you close. Temperature gets you home. The USDA says whole cuts of beef should reach 145°F and then rest for at least 3 minutes for food safety. You can see that in the USDA’s cooking temperature advice, which also warns against judging doneness by color alone.

If you like steak below that point, that becomes a personal doneness choice rather than a food-safety benchmark. In practice, many cooks pull steak earlier for rare or medium-rare, then let carryover heat finish the job during the rest.

• Rare: pull around 120 to 125°F
• Medium-rare: pull around 130 to 135°F
• Medium: pull around 140 to 145°F
• Medium-well: pull around 150 to 155°F
• Well done: pull around 160°F and up

Insert the thermometer into the thickest part, away from bone and large fat seams. That gives you the truest reading. Also, don’t skip the rest. Five minutes is a good target for most steaks. The juices settle, and the center usually rises a few more degrees.

Doneness	Pull Temperature	What The Center Looks Like
Rare	120 to 125°F	Cool red center
Medium-rare	130 to 135°F	Warm red center
Medium	140 to 145°F	Warm pink center
Medium-well	150 to 155°F	Slight pink center
Well done	160°F+	Little to no pink

Simple Method That Works In Most Ovens

If you want one reliable routine, this is a solid one.

1. Move the oven rack so the steak will sit about 3 to 4 inches from the broiler.
2. Preheat the broiler and the pan for a few minutes.
3. Pat the steak dry, then season well with salt and pepper.
4. Broil the first side until browned.
5. Flip with tongs, not a fork, and finish the second side.
6. Check the center with a thermometer before the final minute or two.
7. Rest the steak 5 minutes before slicing.

If you want a firmer timing chart by cut, the broiling time guidelines from Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner list common steaks by thickness and estimated total minutes.

Mistakes That Throw Off Broiling Time

A few habits can wreck a good steak even when the timing looks right on paper.

• Using time alone: a thermometer beats guesswork every time.
• Crowding the pan: too many steaks trap steam and dull the crust.
• Skipping the flip: one turn helps both sides cook more evenly.
• Leaving sugar-heavy marinades on the surface: they can burn before the inside is done.
• Cutting right away: the board ends up wet and the steak tastes drier.

One more thing: broiling is best for flatter steaks of even thickness. If your steak is extra thick, reverse searing or skillet-to-oven cooking can give you tighter control.

What To Do If Your Steak Is Too Thin Or Too Thick

Thin steaks under 3/4 inch are easy to overcook under the broiler. Keep them close to the heat, shorten the time, and watch them like a hawk. Thick steaks over 1 1/2 inches can brown too hard before the middle catches up. Lower the rack a notch or finish them at a lower oven temperature after the initial broil.

That’s the real answer to “How Long Do I Broil Steak?”: use thickness for your opening estimate, use a thermometer for the finish, and let the steak rest before you slice it. Once you do that a couple of times, broiling stops feeling fussy and starts feeling easy.