Pan-Seared Ribeye Steak
Ribeye is the most forgiving steak for a home kitchen: all that marbling keeps it juicy even if you’re a minute late. You only need three things, a thick cut, a screaming-hot cast-iron pan and a thermometer to take the guesswork out of doneness. At the end we baste it with foaming garlic butter, the one minute that makes switching on the extractor fan worth it.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Rest
- 50 min
- Total
- 1 h 12 min
- Servings
- 4
- Level
- Medium
- Per serving
- 550 kcal
Ingredients
Makes: 2 steaks, 4 servings
Shopping list
The ingredients for the servings you chose — copy them or send them to a messenger. Tick what you already have at home: only the rest goes on the list.
Method
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Step 1: Salt ahead of time
45 minutes before cooking, pat the steaks dry and salt them evenly all over. Leave them on a rack at room temperature: the salt first draws out moisture, then it gets reabsorbed, leaving a dry surface that browns beautifully.
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Step 2: Heat the pan
Heat a cast-iron pan over high heat for 4–5 minutes, until a drop of water vanishes instantly. Pat the steaks dry again and add the oil; it should just start to smoke.
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Step 3: Sear both sides
Lay the steaks in the pan, away from you, and leave them alone for 2 minutes. Flip, cook another 2 minutes, then keep flipping every minute. Hold the fatty edge against the pan with tongs for a minute to render and crisp it.
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Step 4: Baste with butter
Lower the heat to medium and add the butter, garlic and thyme. Tilt the pan and spoon the foaming butter over the steaks for 1–2 minutes.
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Step 5: Check doneness
Insert a thermometer through the side into the centre. Pull the steaks 2–3 °C short of your target: 50 °C (122 °F) for rare, 54–55 °C (130 °F) for medium-rare, 58–60 °C (138 °F) for medium. A 3 cm steak takes 8–10 minutes in total.
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Step 6: Rest and slice
Move the steaks to a board, season with pepper and spoon over the pan butter. After 5 minutes, slice across the grain into 1 cm strips and serve with the garlic and thyme.
Tips & variations
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Tip
If you have time, salt the steaks the day before and leave them uncovered on a rack in the fridge overnight; the drier surface gives an even better crust.
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Tip
Searing in cast iron makes a lot of smoke, so turn the extractor fan to full and open a window before you start.
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Variation
On a grill over hot coals, cook for 3–4 minutes per side, melt the garlic butter separately and spoon it over the sliced steak.
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Storage
Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days. Don’t reheat; slice thinly while cold and add to a salad or sandwich.
Nutrition
| 1 serving | Whole dish 4 servings | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 550 kcal | 2,200 kcal |
| Protein | 33 g | 132 g |
| Fat | 45 g | 180 g |
| Carbohydrates | 1 g | 4 g |
Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.
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