Sometimes Nothing Will Satisfy. Except a Great Steak.
I think I’ve cooked steaks in every imaginable way (reverse sear, sous vide, etc.) and more often than not I opt to grill them because what could be easier, right? But out of all the ways I’ve cooked them, this is most definitely my favorite and every once in a while I’m willing to put up with the grease mess on my stove because I can’t get these out of my mind. I’ve done this in a skillet on the grill in order to avoid greasing up my kitchen, but the weather wasn’t cooperating and these were cooked on the stove.
I begin by salting and peppering my nice thick rib eyes about 45 minutes before cooking and letting them sit at room temperature. I start cooking them in a hot cast iron skillet with a little oil.
After reading Kenji Lopez’s recommendations years ago, I follow his advice and flip them about every 30 seconds until some crust has built up, at which time I add butter, herbs (rosemary is my favorite), and garlic to the skillet. I continue to flip and baste them with the bubbling butter until they’re done to my liking (medium rare).
Yes, it’s sometimes worth it to put in some extra cleanup time in order to experience the pure joy of eating a good steak prepared in this fashion.
Ribeye Steaks in a Cast Iron Skillet
4
servingsThick juicy ribeye steaks cooked in a cast iron skillet with butter, garlic, and fresh rosemary.
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Ingredients
2 ribeye steaks, at least 1 inch thick
kosher salt
black peppercorns, coarsely ground
1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil
2 - 3 tablespoons salted butter
3 large sprigs fresh rosemary
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
Directions
- Remove steaks from refrigerator 45 minutes before cooking. Generously salt and pepper both sides and let sit at room temperature.
- Heat the oil in a 12 inch cast irons skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. Add both steaks and cook for 30 seconds. Flip the steaks and continue to flip every 30 seconds until they build up a crust and have browned almost to your liking, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent them from burning.
- Add the butter, garlic, and rosemary to the skillet. As the butter melts and bubbles, spoon in over the steaks while continuing to flip them. I like my steak cooked to medium rare and know if it's done by pressing on the steak and recognizing exactly how it should feel. This only comes with practice. Otherwise, I recommend using an instant thermometer in order to achieve the desired doneness. Remember that you want the steak to sit for 10 minutes or so after you remove it from the pan, before cutting into it. The steak will continue to cook due to the residual heat, so I recommend taking it off the heat when it reaches 125 degrees for medium rare. Add or subtract 5 degrees if you like yours done more or less. I find that after removing both steaks from the skillet I like to put them back in the skillet one at a time, holding the steak with tongs and placing it on its side that has exposed fat in order to brown that fat. This only takes about one minute and I like the edge browned. That's all there is to it. Enjoy!