I would say stainless steel; I can't see any reason to choose cast iron over stainless steel other than cost and unless specifically stated as a requirement price does not factor into a determination of what is 'best'.
Steak is not high in fat so there is no reason to raise it out of the pan with a grill pan, that is better suited to lower quality meat like a burger.
The most important thing when cooking steak in my opinion is to make sure the pan is hot af before you put the meat in.
Best is on a grill, over an open flame. Don't overcook it though. Steak is most tasty when it's cooked medium rare, a bit on the rare side. And don't forget that steak keeps cooking for a few minutes after you take it off the grill, so err on the rare side.
I recently bought a pellet grill. It isn't an open flame and I think it would taste better if it was. But still it is a nice way to barbecue. Yeah medium rare to me is most tasty.
Yes take it off when internal temperature is about 125° to a max of 130° as it will raise another 5° to10° during the most important resting time that allows the meat to redistribute all the juices. That way when you cut into it the juices won't be lost and just spread over your plate soaking your baked potato.
@bigbluey I agree the bbq grill is the best method. They're referring to a cast iron grill pan above which is just like a cast iron frying pan but with a raised grill pattern.
I believe it doesn’t matter want pan you use. I use any pan to seal the steak off and I finish it off in the oven and leave it to rest on a chopping board.
Sealing the steak locks in the moisture and keeps it tender (the resting part too), placing it in the oven just finishes off the cooking process
Definitely cast iron pan, you get a much better crust (from the maillard reaction) and the heat is spread out more evenly than with a stainless steel pan. With a grill pan you'll get the nice grill lines, but it's just a nice look, they don't add more flavor. A grill though it's different, the flavor you get there is very nice.
A cast iron pan will give the steak a nice crust then after you flip it, add butter, garlic and thyme and baste it while the bottom cooks. It's delicious.
@SlightlyEccentric It's also the preferred method if the bbq grill is not an option such as a windy freezing cold night. Using the cast iron pan to butter bast a steak is a great French Cuisine cooking method.
Cast iron heats evenly and with a lid you can turn it into a makeshift smoker by wrapping soaked mesquite in aluminium foil with holes poked in the top.
I'm not a huge fan of sous vide unless you're trying to tenderize a tough piece of meat. I use the reverse sear method on my bbq grill. If using the bbq is not an option the next best method is using the French technique of butter basting a steak in a very hot cast iron frying pan.
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