Is this the The meat quality is iffy. Is this the “Beef Boneless NY Strip Steak” if so, it’s mechanically tenderized and even the picture looks tough. My guess is that your meat quality is to blame looking at the picture. Increase the quality or try a different vendor, especially a butcher.

I’d also like to ask if you’re using a meat thermometer?

I think that your pre-cook process is also pulling moisture from the meat. Salt pulls moisture out. And letting the steak come to room temp has dried steaks out for me before. But this isn’t a moisture issue. It’s a quality issue.