The ribeye steak is one of the most famous steaks all over the world. It comes from the part of a cow called the longissimus dorsi. This area can be found along with the spine and doesn’t often work unlike other cuts, resulting in perfectly tender meat.
The ribeye is found on the ninth to eleventh part of the rib, and if you’re looking for the most tender piece, go for the middle section. The center cut is the most common part of ribeye sold in most local groceries.
In addition, if you’re buying a ribeye, you’d need to make sure it has excellent streaks of fat for maximum flavor. Also, if you want to go all-out on your steak dinner, you may want to try dry-aged ribeye, which is known not only for being expensive but also for its texture and flavor. For dry-aged steaks, you may visit mychicagosteak.com and other specialty butcher shops.
But remember, even if you purchase the most expensive cut of meat, it’ll be useless if you don’t know how to cook it. So, here are the ways to cook your ribeye like a five-star restaurant chef:
Grilling
Grilling is the most common and the best method of cooking ribeye. But before grilling, you want to make sure that your meat is relaxed at room temperature for at least 30 minutes after removing it from the fridge.
There are two ways you can grill a steak—indirect and direct heat grilling. Among these two, the most common and probably the best way to grill the ribeye is by applying direct heat. This means grilling the steak over the flame.
When grilling under direct heat, make sure that one area is hotter than the other. You may do this by placing more of your coals on one side of the grill. If you’re using a gas grill, keep one burner on high flame and the other on low. After prepping up your grill, moisten the grate with vegetable oil to keep the meat from sticking and sear the meat on high flame for three to four minutes per side.
On the other hand, indirect grilling is cooking the steak on a cooler portion of the grill, but still enough to cook the meat perfectly. However, it’ll take more time to cook the steak thoroughly.
Broiling
If grilling isn’t your thing because of the things you need to prep and clean after, you may try broiling. The method uses the broiler option of your oven, and it uses the similar principle of direct heat grilling, which is the application of high heat to cook the meat thoroughly on both sides.
Before you start, make sure to preheat your broiler to ensure even heat circulation. Then, choose the type of pan that’s perfect for broiling steaks and can handle high heat. In this case, the best option would be a perfectly seasoned cast iron pan. Also, you may use an instant-read oven thermometer to make sure your oven is at the right temperature.
After all the preparation, broil the meat for five minutes on each side. When the ribeye is perfectly brown, remove them in the oven. You don’t want to cook it for more than ten minutes to prevent burning the steak or causing a fire.
Also, avoid putting too many marinades, especially oil-based, to prevent fire. Instead, use herbs and spices such as rosemary, thyme, and salt and pepper to elevate the flavor of your ribeye.
Pan-Searing Steak
Pan-frying is the easiest way to cook your ribeye while retaining some of its essential flavor components. When pan-frying a steak, you need to use a thick cut of ribeye around one to one and a half-inch thick.
Also, similar to grilling, you’d need to take it out in the fridge and let it rest for about 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature. Then, pat it dry with paper towels to ensure it’ll create a perfect crust during searing. Another tip that’ll help you dry the meat is seasoning it generously with salt overnight, which can also add great flavors.
Finally, you may now sear the ribeye for four to five minutes on both sides. However, make sure your pan is smoking hot to prevent tough and overcooked steak. If you’re using a thinner cut, sear the steak for only two to three minutes on each side to prevent overcooking and burning. Then, let it rest for an additional 10 to 15 minutes to set all of its juices before slicing it.
Skillet-To-Oven Cooking
The process begins by doing the same preparation as pan-searing. However, unlike pan-searing, this process doesn’t require a smoking hot pan to sear the meat as it’ll be cooked thoroughly in the oven. A hot pan is enough to sear the outsides of your meat perfectly.
Like steak broiling, you need to preheat your oven until it reaches the temperature you’re looking for before using it. This will ensure proper and even cooking of the steak.
As the name suggests, the first thing you need to do is sear the steak in a cast-iron skillet for two to three minutes. However, make sure that you season the steak generously with salt and pepper before searing.
After searing, transfer the steak with the pan in a 350 to 450°F preheated oven to finish cooking for five to twelve minutes, depending on the thickness of the steak. The thicker the steak, the longer it’ll need to cook completely.
Reverse-Searing
The method may sound fancy, but it’s plain and simple. Reverse-searing is the opposite of skillet-to-oven cooking. Instead of searing the steak as the initial cooking process, the meat will be baked first in a moderately preheated oven around 275°F for about 15 minutes until almost done (medium-rare).
After roasting the steak, sear the meat in butter until perfectly brown and crusty. The process works well with a cast iron pan, so you’d want to heat the pan before placing the steak, baking it in the oven, and resting it afterward.
Final Words
Ribeye is one of the most delicious steaks to cook. Even professional chefs love the tenderness and complexity of the flavor profile of this cut. Speaking of tenderness, if you want a more tender steak, make sure to choose the middle section of the rib.
Also, when choosing a steak, you want it to have an excellent fat marbling because a streak of fat greatly contributes to the flavor of the steak. In addition, if you want to be more adventurous, dry-aged steak would be an excellent option. Moreover, a steak will only taste good if you know how to cook it properly.
Fortunately, there are five best ways to cook your steak like a pro. These are grilling, broiling, pan-searing, skillet-to-oven, and reverse-searing. But don’t forget to maximize these techniques by seasoning your steak perfectly, using a bunch of spices and herbs, and most importantly, resting the steak before eating it.