Get a cast iron pan and you won't have to worry about oil at all. Cast iron makes cooking steak indoors the easiest. Sear on both sides, finish in the oven and learn how to check doneness with a fork. If it's super squishy, it is rare. If it is firm, it is well done. If it's somewhere in between, it is medium.

I can't eat steak unless I cook it in a cast iron pan or on the grill. It's the only way to go. The only thing you have to learn is how to clean the cast iron pan properly because you don't wash with soap, but it is super easy and worth it.

Thyme is good, but it can overpower food pretty easily, so you just have to learn how much to use depending on how much food you're cooking. If you do add too much, you can also add a little more butter and it will tone it down too.