A 16oz rump is not a weeknight 8oz. Our Big Daddy Rump Steak 16oz is a full pound (454g) of British rump in one thick steak: dinner for one serious appetite, or two people sharing with sides. Rump has more beefy flavour than sirloin and a bit more bite, and a steak this thick needs a different approach from a thin one. Here is how to cook a 16oz rump steak in the pan, in the oven with a reverse sear, and on the BBQ, with a cooking times table and core temperatures for every doneness.
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Before you cook a 16oz steak
Thaw it properly. If it is frozen, thaw it in the fridge overnight. See how to defrost meat safely.
Take the chill off. Take it out of the fridge 20–30 minutes before cooking. A fridge-cold centre on a thick steak means a grey band round the outside by the time the middle is done.
Dry and salt. Pat it dry with kitchen paper, then salt it well on both sides. Dry meat browns; wet meat steams.
Get a probe thermometer. On a 16oz steak, guessing by colour or by pressing it is how you end up with grey rump. A probe takes the guesswork out.
How to cook a 16oz rump steak in a pan
1. Heat the pan. Get a heavy frying pan or cast-iron skillet smoking hot. Oil the steak, not the pan.
2. Sear hard. Lay the steak away from you and leave it for 2 minutes to build a crust, then turn it and give the other side 2 minutes. Hold it on its fat edge with tongs for a minute to render the fat.
3. Keep turning. Turn the heat down to medium-high and carry on, turning every minute, until it reaches your take-out temperature (see the table below). Add a knob of butter, a crushed garlic clove and some thyme for the last couple of minutes and spoon the foaming butter over the top.
4. Rest. Rest it on a warm plate for 8–10 minutes, loosely covered.
5. Slice. Carve it thickly across the grain for one, or thinner for sharing.
One steak, one pan. Crowding two 16oz steaks into a small frying pan drops the heat and steams them. For a thinner everyday rump, follow how to cook rump steak instead.
Reverse sear: the best way to cook a thick steak
For a steak this thick, the reverse sear gives the most even result. Heat the oven to 120–130°C. Put the seasoned steak on a rack over a tray and cook it until the centre is about 10°C below your take-out temperature, roughly 30–50 minutes depending on thickness and doneness. Rest it for 5 minutes, then sear it in a smoking-hot pan for 60–90 seconds a side and on the fat edge. Because it is already rested, it only needs a short rest after the sear. Our reverse sear a 16oz steak guide covers the method step by step.
16oz rump steak cooking times
These are guide times for a thick 16oz (454g) rump steak cooked from room temperature. Thickness, the heat of your pan and how cold the steak starts all change the time, so use them as a starting point and go by the probe.
| Doneness | Take off at | Pan only (total, turning every minute) | Sear 2 min a side, then 180°C oven | Reverse sear at 120–130°C (before searing) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rare | 48–50°C | 7–9 minutes | 4–6 minutes | 30–40 minutes |
| Medium-rare | 52–54°C | 9–12 minutes | 6–8 minutes | 35–45 minutes |
| Medium | 57–60°C | 12–14 minutes | 8–10 minutes | 40–50 minutes |
| Medium-well | 63–65°C | 14–16 minutes | 10–12 minutes | 45–55 minutes |
Rest every steak for 8–10 minutes after cooking (about 5 minutes after a reverse sear). We recommend medium-rare for rump: it is lean, so cooking it well done makes it chewy. If you prefer it well done, take it to 68°C and slice it thinly.
How to BBQ a 16oz rump steak
Set the BBQ up with two zones: hot coals on one side and none on the other. Sear the steak over the coals for 2–3 minutes a side, then move it to the cool side, close the lid, and cook it until it reaches your take-out temperature. Or reverse sear it: cook it on the cool side first with the lid down, then finish it over the hot coals. Watch for flare-ups from the fat edge. Planning a full spread? Browse our BBQ meat range.
How to cut and serve a big rump steak
Rump is made up of a few muscles with seams between them, and the grain runs in slightly different directions. For the most tender slices, cut the steak along the seams into two or three pieces, then slice each one across its grain. Carve it thick for one, or into 1cm slices to share between two with sides. Serve it with chips, a watercress salad and pub-style peppercorn sauce, or try rump steak with garlic butter. Salt, heat and a proper rest do more for a good rump than any marinade. Leftovers are excellent cold in a sandwich, or flashed in a hot pan for 20 seconds a side.
Bigger or smaller than 16oz?
THE BEAST 42oz Rump Steak is the party steak: a huge rump to sear, roast like a small joint and carve at the table. Reverse sear it, using the probe temperatures above. For two thick rumps in one pack, see Big Daddy Rump Steaks (Butcher Approved). For a normal pair of steaks for a weeknight, pick from our rump steaks or sirloin steaks. Not sure which cut to choose? Read rump, sirloin or ribeye and our ultimate guide to cooking steak.
16oz rump steak FAQs
How long do you cook a 16oz rump steak for?
In a hot pan, a thick 16oz rump takes roughly 9–12 minutes in total for medium-rare, turning every minute, then a 10-minute rest. Seared for 2 minutes a side and finished in a 180°C oven, it needs about 6–8 minutes in the oven for medium-rare. A probe is the only way to be sure, because thickness and starting temperature change the time.
What temperature should a 16oz steak be cooked to?
Take it off the heat at 48–50°C for rare, 52–54°C for medium-rare, 57–60°C for medium and 63–65°C for medium-well. A thick steak climbs a few degrees while it rests, so take it off just before your target.
How many people does a 16oz steak feed?
16oz is 454g, a full pound of steak. That is one big appetite, or two people sharing with chips and sides. For a crowd, THE BEAST 42oz rump is carved at the table like a joint.
Should you reverse sear a 16oz rump steak?
Reverse searing suits a steak this thick. Cook it gently in a 120–130°C oven until the centre is about 10°C below your target, rest it briefly, then sear it hard for 60–90 seconds a side. You get even pink from edge to edge and a good crust.
Why is my rump steak tough?
Rump is a working muscle with more bite than sirloin or fillet. It gets tough when it is overcooked, cut with the grain, or not rested. Cook it no further than medium, rest it for 8–10 minutes, and slice it thinly across the grain.
