Perfect Ribeye Steak

For perfect ribeye steak, sear it in a super-hot cast-iron skillet on each side, then finish it in a hot oven.

This method will nicely brown the fat and create a good crust on the exterior while keeping the inside of the steak tender and juicy.

Ribeye is my favorite steak, with New York strip and picanha steak coming in at a close second. Ribeyes are marvelous - tender, flavorful, and well-marbled. They have lovely fatty edges that are like candy to me, as long as they're well-browned.

Ingredients

You'll only need four ingredients to cook these steaks. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:

Ribeye steaks: As mentioned above, I like to buy big, 1-pound, 1.5-inch thick steaks. Whenever possible, I go for USDA prime grade. USDA Choice is acceptable but inferior to Prime.

I also recommend trying to find steaks that are not overly trimmed. See the photo below? These USDA prime steaks were excellent but over-trimmed, especially the one on the bottom. The butcher left very little fat on the edge.

Kosher salt and black pepper: I highly recommend using kosher salt when cooking steaks. It's tasty, and its coarse grind helps create that nice crust we all look for in a steak. I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and I use quite a bit of it since it has half the sodium of table salt or sea salt.

Butter: For topping the cooked steaks. This isn't optional. It dramatically enhances the steaks' flavor and is one of the reasons why steakhouse steaks are so good. They're finished with butter!

USDA Prime vs. Choice

The USDA grades beef for tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. Prime beef is highest-quality and well-marbled. Choice beef is also high-quality but has less marbling than Prime.

Marbling refers to the visible intramuscular fat that appears as thin, white streaks running through the muscle fibers. This fat contributes to the steak's flavor, juiciness, and tenderness.

Look at the photo below. You can easily tell the difference - the Prime steak has beautiful marbling throughout, while the Choice steak appears much leaner:

I made both simultaneously, and my family and I performed a taste test. Both steaks were excellent, but the Prime steak was more tender, juicier, and more flavorful. It was the clear winner.

In the past, Prime steaks were only available at restaurants. But now you can get them at your local supermarket. I bought both of these steaks - the Prime and the Choice - at my local Kroger:

Variations

Ribeye Steak Instructions

The detailed instructions for making this recipe are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of the steps:

• You start by preheating your oven to 500°F.
• Next, blot the steaks dry with paper towels. Keeping their surface dry will help create a good crust on them.
• Season the steaks liberally on both sides with kosher salt and black pepper. I also like to season the fatty edges. (Photo 1).
• Heat a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over high heat until it's smoking. If the skillet is well-seasoned, there's no need to add any oil.
• Add the steaks. Cook them for 2 minutes per side plus 30 seconds on the edges. If the skillet gets overheated, you can lower the heat to medium-high, but you generally want it super-hot. (Photos 2,3).
• Using oven mitts, carefully transfer the hot skillet to the preheated oven. Leave it there for about 3 minutes for medium-rare steaks and about 5 minutes for medium-done steaks (which is the level of doneness recommended by the USDA). (Photos 4,5).
• Transfer the steaks to a warm plate and loosely cover them with foil to keep them warm. Let them rest for 5 minutes, then top them with butter and serve. (Photo 6).

Expert Tips

• You could remove the steaks from the fridge an hour before cooking them to bring them to room temperature. But since I like my steaks medium-rare, I prefer them refrigerator-cold. This enables me to give them a good sear while keeping their inside red and warm. There's less of a risk of overcooking them this way.
• If you like your steaks rare or if they are thinner - around 1 inch thick - you can skip the oven and simply pan-fry them for 3 minutes per side plus 30-60 seconds on the edges. Then check to see if they are done to your liking.

Recipe FAQs

Serving Suggestions

Storing Leftovers

More Steak Recipes

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Recipe Card

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Perfect Ribeye Steak

For perfect ribeye steak, sear it in a super-hot cast-iron skillet on each side, then finish it in a hot oven.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Rest time5 minutes mins

Total Time20 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: 2 servings

Calories: 988kcal

Author: Vered DeLeeuw

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 ribeye steaks 1 pound each, 1.5-inch thick, USDA Prime
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1 teaspoon of any other salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
• ▢ 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 500°F. Blot the steaks dry with paper towels. Keeping their surface dry will help create a good crust on them.
  
• Season the steaks on both sides and the fatty edge with kosher salt and black pepper.
  
• Heat a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over high heat until it's smoking. If the skillet is well-seasoned, there's no need to add any oil.
  
• Add the steaks to the skillet. Cook them for 2 minutes per side plus 30 seconds on the edges. You can lower the heat to medium-high if the skillet gets overheated, but generally speaking, you want it super-hot.
  
• Very carefully, using oven mitts, transfer the hot skillet to the preheated oven. Leave it there for about 3 minutes for medium-rare steaks or 5 minutes for medium-done steaks.
  
• Transfer the steaks to a warm plate and loosely cover them with foil to keep them warm. Let them rest for 5 minutes, then top them with butter and serve.
  

Video

Notes

• You could remove the steaks from the fridge an hour before cooking them to bring them to room temperature. But since I like my steaks medium-rare, I prefer them to be refrigerator-cold. This enables me to give them a good sear while keeping their inside red and warm. There's less of a risk of overcooking them this way.
• If you like your steaks rare or if they are thinner - around 1 inch thick - you can skip the oven and simply pan-fry them for 3 minutes per side plus 30-60 seconds on the edges.
• The USDA recommends cooking steaks to medium.
• The nutrition information is approximate and was taken from the USDA database. To lower the sodium content to around 740 milligrams per serving, use just one teaspoon of Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt or ½ teaspoon of any other salt. 
• Leftovers: Reheated steak isn't very good. So while the leftovers can be kept in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 4 days, it's best to only cook as much as you can finish immediately. If you end up with leftovers, try them cold - they're surprisingly good (like thick, fatty slices of cold roast beef). If you must reheat them, do so gently in the microwave, covered, at 50% power.

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Nutrition per Serving

Serving: 1steak | Calories: 988kcal | Protein: 80g | Fat: 74g | Saturated Fat: 32g | Sodium: 1304mg

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