In my home state of Minnesota, I don’t look forward to standing outside grilling steaks once the temperature drops into single digits. But that’s okay because I actually prefer to cook venison steak in a pan on the stovetop. (Don’t knock it until you try it.)

1. I prefer 1-inch-thick steaks for pan frying. If steaks are frozen, thaw them in the refrigerator and then set them on the countertop to reach room temperature. Yes, this requires a bit of planning. I prep the uncooked venison with McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning. It’s insanely delicious. Sprinkle the venison with the seasoning and then press it into both sides of the steaks.

2. On a stovetop, heat a pan with oil to medium-high and then add the steaks. At this point, start watching the clock, because the surest way to ruin a venison steak is by overcooking it. Don’t fuss with the steak; don’t move it around constantly checking it. For a rare steak, you want to cook each side for 1.5 minutes; for medium-rare, cook each side for 2 minutes. Watch the clock!

3. When the time is up, remove the steaks and then place them on a warm plate. Cover with aluminum foil and rest the steaks for 10 minutes. Why? Because resting a steak allows it to relax, finish cooking and spreads the juices evenly. In other words, if you cut into the venison immediately, the juices will flow out onto your plate. You want the juices to remain in the steak.

4. This final step is the icing on the cake: Place the rested steaks back in the pan (medium-low heat) and quickly top each steak with a slice (teaspoon) of butter. You can also add parsley, as shown in the video. Baste with the butter as it melts off the steaks. This butter/basting step should take about 1 minute. The steaks are now ready to serve.

Enjoy the perfect venison steak! And don’t be surprised if you find yourself cooking venison this way even during next summer’s comfortable grilling season.

Below is an excellent video from Scott Rea on how to cook what he calls “the ultimate venison steak.” He doesn’t follow my four steps listed above exactly, but as you’ll see, the results are outstanding.