A rib eye steak is a thing of beauty. Here’s how to make one of the most simple and superlative and, yes, romantic suppers known to humankind.
To paraphrase author and editor Adam Rapoport, a well-marbled rib eye is so damn rich and flavorful on its own, it needs nothing more than salt, pepper, and fire. Truth. That’s all it takes to create one of the most superlative suppers known to humankind. Originally published July 25, 2013.–Renee Schettler Rossi
Rib Eye Steak Recipe
Ingredients
- One 2-pound (1 kg) bone-in rib eye steak (1 1/2 to 2 inches thick)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon coarsely cracked black peppercorns
- Vegetable oil, for brushing
- Coarse sea salt
Directions
- 1. Pat the steak dry with paper towels and place it on a wire rack situated on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt per side. Let stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour. Pat it dry with paper towels again and reseason it with 1/2 teaspoon salt per side and 1/2 teaspoon cracked peppercorns per side, pressing so the seasoning adheres.
- 2. If making the rib eye on the stovetop, see the variation below. If making the rib eye on the grill, build a two-zone (medium-hot and medium-low) fire in a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill to high just before cooking, leaving one burner on low. Brush the grill grate with oil. Sear the steak over the higher heat, flipping it just once, until nicely charred, 3 to 4 minutes per side. (If a flare-up occurs, use tongs to gently slide the steak to a cooler part of the grill until the flames subside.) Move the steak to lower heat and cook, flipping once, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Using tongs, lift the steak and sear both edges (the bone side and the fatcap side) for 1 to 2 minutes per side to render some of the fat. Measure the temperature of the steak to ascertain when it has reached the desired temperature. For rare steak, it will take 14 to 18 minutes total grilling time to reach 120°F (49°C) although it will carry over to 125°F (51°C), or medium-rare, as it rests.
- 3. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for at least 10 minutes. Slice it against the grain and season it with coarse sea salt. You know what to do from here.
Stovetop Rib Eye Variation
- Got 6 inches of snow blanketing your grill? Then forget about the grill and instead slap this magnificent cut of steak in a large cast iron skillet that you’ve been heating and heating and heating over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Cook the steak, turning once, until nicely seared on each side. Transfer the steak and skillet to a preheated 350°F (180°C) oven until cooked to the desired degree of doneness. Let it rest for at least 10 minutes and season with salt.
- Boneless Rib Eye Variation
- If you can only get your hands on a boneless rib eye rather than a bone-in rib eye, no worries. Whether you’re cooking it on the grill or the stovetop, simply keep a watchful eye on your steak as it will probably need to cook for a touch less time than indicated in the recipe.
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Hello,
We have been cooking steak this way for several years and we prefer a 1 to 11/4 inch striploin that is well marbled. Along with cracked pepper and sea salt we also add powdered garlic. After cooking it, we let it rest, slice it against the grain, and now the secret ingredient: BUTTER! Yes, put butter on the steak and serve. Apparently this is what high-end steakhouses do. Regardless, it tastes great.
Regards,
Lloyd
We’re not going to stand between a man and the steak that he loves, Lloyd. And actually, I grew up in the midwest, where even though we had that spectacular Iowa beef, we still put a pat of butter on top of the steak and let it melt prior to tucking into it. Thanks for the memory.
I bought a grill with a separate infrared searing section just for a steak like this. While I love flank steak and all of the seasonings that play well with it, every now and then I just want a big, juicy ribeye. I’m with Lloyd…a pat of butter just adds a bit more decadence, and I say, “Why not!”
Why not, indeed!
I’ve discovered sous vide. Using an immersion cooker along with my grill is Nirvana.
Wonderful, bkhuna. What are you making in it?
Meat first and foremost. A 2 inch thick rib steak or rib eye cooked to precisely 128 F has is transplendent when done sous vide. Mojo marinated center cut loin chops, cooked for 45 minutes at 138 F will change the mind of anyone who normally avoids that inherently bland cut.
Of course, finishing up the meat on a hot grill (for color) for a minute a side is required.
I’m going to do J. Kenji-Alt’s sous vide eggs next.
Of course, bkhuna. Kindly let me know how the sous vide eggs turn out. The more of J. Kenji-Alt I read and try, the more an acolyte I become.
I don’t often wax poetic about steak. In fact, even though I am a writer, I don’t often wax poetic about the majority of recipes I try, even when they are good…so this one is indeed special. If you know me, you also know that steak is not high on my food priorities list. However, this steak was literally what changed those priorities for me, as we are having this for a second time in the same week! We threw this on the grill for our Fourth of July dinner, and we followed it to the letter. If it needs any changes at all, I would cut back just a little on the salt next time; that said, I’m rather salt-sensitive, so it is probably a “me” thing. Anyway, this ribeye was tender, flavorful, and needed no sauce to adorn it; in fact, sauce of any kind would have detracted from the sublime experience that is this steak. Sauce on a steak of this caliber is blasphemy. And it was as tender as butter. It was perfect for the Fourth of July, and I think it would also make a great meal for any other excuse to fire up the grill: Father’s Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day… or, heck, just to cover all the bases, showcase this steak at every outdoor grilling event of the season. (Yes. I liked it that much. lol)
Niiiiice, Cat. Thank you!
This has become my “go to” recipe for steak. Simple. Perfect. And the leftovers, should there be any, are pretty amazing.
That’s great to hear, Hilltopgal!
Has anyone tried it in a cast iron pan on the stovetop? I’m thinking it would be the same 3 to 4 minutes per side for the initial sear, but then how long in the oven? (I have just a regular thermometer, not the kind with a cable so you can check the temp of the meat without opening the oven door.) Maybe 10 minutes?
Karen, if you take a look at the Stovetop Variation beneath the recipe, you’ll find everything you need. How long it stays in the oven depends upon 1.) how you like your steak, 2.) what cut you use, and 3.) how thick the meat is. What I would do is sear it, as you said, slide it in the oven, and quickly pull it out after 5 or 6 minutes and put it on the stovetop. Use either an instant-read thermometer or cut into the steak to see if it’s done to your liking. If not, slide it on for another 5 minutes. You’ll only have to do this once; after that, you’ll know the timing for your preference.