Butter Basted Ribeyes
It’s been a while since I posted. Life has been busy, in part because my boyfriend, Patrick, and I recently bought a house together! Since moving in we’ve been occupied with getting organized and hadn’t had a chance to actually sit down and have an actual meal. Patrick is a huge meat lover and so am I, so when we went to the store, we decided on a couple of good-looking ribeyes. The ribeyes were thick-cut with the most perfect marbling throughout. I was super excited to cook this meal for us and it turned out great, so I had to share it. I know cooking beef can be a little intimidating, but I’ve got a few cooking tips that are sure to help make it an easy and enjoyable experience. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
What You Will Need
1 1/2–2 inch cut Ribeye(s)
2 Cloves Garlic (thinly sliced)
Rosemary and Thyme Sprigs (Yes, both!)
2–3 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
Olive Oil
Salt (Kosher/Sea salt aka the thick stuff)
Pepper
Meat Thermometer
Heavy Pan
Preparation
First and foremost, you want to start out by allowing the beef to come to room temperature. Why do we do this? A room-temperature cut of beef helps achieve even cooking throughout the meat. If you pull your steak, or any other protein for that matter, from the fridge and directly start cooking, the center tends to stay ice cold while the outside immediately starts adapting to the higher temperature. Because of this, it won’t allow for even heating, so always bring your meat to room temperature first!
After your steaks reach room temperature, pat them down with a paper towel to remove any extra moisture. Drizzle the beef with olive oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides. USE. THE. SALT. I can’t express this enough! If you add the salt and think you’ve added a good amount, add some more. You know when you go to those fancy steakhouses and they have that delicious crust on the outside of the steak? That is the goal for this recipe! It’s proper salting and an awesome sear that will get you there. Use your salt and don’t be scared you’re going to overdo it, because trust me, you won’t!
Next heat up your pan. You want a thick pan like cast iron or a stove top pan with a heavy bottom. When searing, there should be even heating throughout the pan and thick pans allow for that. Don’t use a non- stick pan here! Add about a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan on medium-high heat. When you start to see the oil moving freely around the pan, you’ll know it’s at the proper searing temperature.
If you want to be sure, add a drop of water to the pan—if it really sizzles, your pan is hot enough. Place your steaks in the pan away from you, so you don’t get splattered with hot oil. Once your steaks are down, do not move them! I know it’s tempting, but this is crucial for a good crust. Allow the steaks to cook 5–6 minutes. The steaks will have pulled away from the pan a bit, so if you lift up one end and see that the outside of the steak is dark and crisp, you’ll know that they’re ready to flip. Allow the other side to cook for 5–6 mins as well. If you prefer your steaks a little more well-done, you can always leave them in the pan for a bit longer.
After both sides have been seared, turn off your heat and remove the steaks from the pan then place them on a plate. This allows the steak to rest a bit before the next step. If you are worried about overcooking, now is a good time to use your meat thermometer. Insert the thermometer into the side of the steak horizontally. It should read 120–125 degrees. Take paper towels and wipe out the excess oil from the pan. You want to start with a fairly clean pan, but don’t stress out if there are a few burnt pieces on the bottom. The goal is just to remove that extra oil.
Place your pan back on the stove over medium heat. Add the butter, rosemary, thyme, and garlic. Allow the butter to melt and the garlic to cook a little. Once all the butter has melted, move the herbs and garlic to one side of the pan. Add your steaks back into the pan with hot butter. Let the steaks hang out in the butter for a minute or two then gently tilt your pan up to spoon your butter over the ribeyes. If garlic and herbs come with it, that’s fine too! Continue to do this for 5 to 6 minutes to make sure the steaks have been covered with butter. Turn the heat off and insert your meat thermometer again. You should be about 140-145 degrees. If that is the case, you’re done!
I served my steaks with mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach since I already had those ingredients. This recipe is super versatile! Feel free to serve it with your favorite sides. Roasted potatoes and asparagus would be an excellent option as well!
I want to do a little recap on tips for a good steak:
Room temperature & dry meat
Use your salt!
Hot, heavy pan
The meat thermometer is our friend!
Don’t be afraid of butter.
Enjoy!
xoxo
Samantha
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