How to Cook Thick Ribeye Steak

A thick ribeye steak pairs nicely with red wine such as cabernet.

The ribeye steak is a great steak for cooking in a cast iron skillet in order to create a nice seared edge and juicy interior. It is a well-marbled piece of meat, which means it has fat running through it that provides the finished product with tenderness. Ribeye steaks are tasty eaten on their own but can also be sliced and placed over salads and pasta dishes as a finishing touch. Perfecting the art of cooking a thick ribeye steak takes time, practice and knowledge of your grill or stovetop.

Things You'll Need

• Cast iron skillet
• Tongs or spatula for turning steaks
• 1 1/2 to 2 inch ribeye steaks
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• Fresh cracked pepper
• Clarified butter (optional)
• Steak seasoning or marinade (optional)

Instructions

1. Remove your steaks from the refrigerator 30 minutes before you are ready to cook them. This will raise their temperature to room temperature and prevent the steaks from becoming tough as they contract on a hot stove.

2. Add seasoning to your steaks. Ribeye steaks are good with simple seasonings such as sea salt and cracked black pepper, but you can also use steak seasonings or a marinade if desired.

3. Heat the cast iron skillet in your oven to a temperature of 550 degrees Fahrenheit before placing the skillet on your stove burner or grill. If cooking indoors, make sure that the kitchen has adequate ventilation as the room will likely become smoky. Heat your grill to a temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

4. Move the cast iron skillet to the stove burner or grill and place over an area with direct heat. Sear the steaks on the hot cast iron skillet. If the skillet is hot enough, the steaks should sear quickly enough that they will not stick to the pan. If you are worried about this, however, coat the steaks with a layer of clarified butter before searing. Clarified butter has a higher smoke point than vegetable-based fats.

5. Sear each side of the steak until it turns brown and has a caramelized appearance. This will depend on the cooking temperatures of your oven and grill, but will usually take between 30 seconds and one minute on each side. Do not allow the steaks to burn while searing.

6. Place the ribeyes on the area of the grill with indirect heat and close the top. Allow to cook for five minutes on each side for a rare steak, six to seven minutes for medium rare, eight to nine for medium, ten to eleven for medium well and twelve to thirteen for well done. If cooking on a stovetop, use a lid to finish cooking the ribeyes.

7. Remove the steaks from the grill and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before plating and slicing.

Tips & Warnings

• When turning a steak, only use tongs or a spatula. Poking a steak with a fork will cause the juices to run out, creating a dry steak.

References

• The Hillside Wrangler: Cowboy Cooking: How to Sear a Ribeye Steak
• Chef John Folse and Company: The Perfect Grilled Steak