How to Cook a Ribeye Steak
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Skip the expensive steakhouse! Make restaurant-quality ribeye steak at home with a gorgeous crust and the dreamiest garlic herb butter!
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Why you’ll love this ribeye steak
- Restaurant-quality steak. Skip the expensive steakhouse! Date night and family dinners just got so easy and cheaper here. With a few simple tips and tricks (like frequent turning of the steak to get that gorgeous steak crust without overcooking the steak), you’ll have absolutely no problem topping that steakhouse down the street.
- No fuss, no frills. All you need is a few ingredients, a good quality ribeye steak, and a cast iron skillet. No fancy equipment needed here.
- The herb-infused butter is everything. We’re talking foaming warm butter infused with smashed garlic cloves and fresh thyme + rosemary sprigs, the perfect companion for your steak.
How to choose a good-quality ribeye steak
Marbling is key.
Prioritize high marbling when choosing a steak, looking for white streaks of fat throughout. The fat will melt when cooked, yielding maximum flavor and juiciness.
Look for bright red meat.
The steak should be firm (not overly moist) and should be bright cherry-red in color. Avoid steaks that are brown or yellow.
Bone-in has more flavor.
Bone-in or boneless can be used, but bone-in steak will yield more tender, juicy meat.
Quality matters.
USDA prime is the best grade of beef for steak, with USDA choice as the next best alternative.
How do I get a good crust on the steak?
- Pat the steak thoroughly dry with paper towels
- Use an oil with a high smoke point (ex. canola oil or avocado oil)
- Let the steak sear undisturbed for 2-3 minutes until a dark crust is formed
- Flip frequently for a more even crust without burning
- Finish with a butter baste
How to cook a ribeye steak
- Prep the steak. Take the steak out of the fridge 20-30 minutes before cooking, then pat the meat completely dry with paper towels. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
- Prep the cast iron skillet. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat until it is very hot. Add a small splash of oil with a high smoke point such as canola or avocado oil.
- Cook the steak. Add the steak to the hot skillet and let it cook until a deep, dark, caramelized crust has been formed, flipping every 2-3 minutes.
- Lower the heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and push the steak to one side of the skillet.
- Make the butter sauce. Add the butter, garlic, thyme, and rosemary to the other side of the skillet, cooking until the butter is melted and foaming.
- Baste the steak. Continuously spoon the melted garlic-herb-infused butter over the top of the steak.
- Check the temperature. Insert a digital thermometer into the thickest part of the steak, pulling the meat from the heat 5°F below its targeted temperature. Pro tip: if the steak is over 1.5 inches thick, finish cooking the steak in a preheated oven at 400°F.
- Let it rest. Let the steak rest for at least 15 minutes, allowing the juices to redistribute.
- Serve. Spoon any leftover pan juices over the top of the steak and serve with classic steakhouse sides such as mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables.
Pro tip
Remove the steak from the heat about 5°F before it reaches the target temperature as the steak will continue to cook as it rests.
- Rare: 120-125°F
- Medium-rare: 130-135°F
- Medium: 140-145°F
- Medium-well: 150-155°F
- Well-done: 160°F+
Tools For This Recipe
How to Cook a Ribeye Steak: Frequently Asked Questions
Remove the steak from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes or so. This will take the chill off and allow the steak to cook evenly with a more flavorful crust.
Yes! Flipping the steak every 2-3 minutes will help build an even crust and juicy center.
For thick cut steaks (1.5 inches or more), transfer the steak in the cast iron skillet to a preheated oven at 400°F until it reaches the desired internal temperature.
Use an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the steak, removing the steak from the heat about 5°F below the desired temperature as it will continue to cook while it rests.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Leftover steak can be repurposed for steak fried rice, steak sandwiches, steak quesadillas, and creamy beef stroganoff.
How to Cook a Ribeye Steak
Video
Ingredients
- 1 (24-ounce) bone-in ribeye steak, about 2-inches thick, at room temperature
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon canola oil or avocado oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Using paper towels, pat both sides of the steak dry; season generously with 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat until very hot, about 1-2 minutes; add canola oil or avocado oil.
- Place the steak in the middle of the skillet and cook, turning every 2-3 minutes, until a dark crust has formed on both sides, about 12-14 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium low. Push steak to one side of the skillet; add butter, garlic, thyme and rosemary to the opposite side of the skillet, tilting the skillet towards the butter and cooking until the butter is foaming, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Working carefully, spoon the butter over the steak for 1-2 minutes, turning over once, until it reaches an internal temperature of 120 degrees F for medium rare, or until desired doneness. Let rest 15 minutes before slicing.
- Serve immediately.
Equipment
Notes
- Prep the steak. Let your steak sit out at room temperature for about 20 minutes prior to cooking. This will yield a better crust and an even cook from edge to center. Then pat the steak completely dry with paper towels to remove any surface moisture (moisture equals steam).
- Fresh herbs are best. Although you can certainly substitute dried herbs, fresh herbs are key here for the infused butter, delivering the best kind of flavor for your steak.
- Use an instant-read thermometer for the most accurate results. The internal temperature of the steak should reach 130-135°F for medium rare, pulling the steak off the heat 5°F below your desired doneness (about 120-125°F for medium rare) as the meat will continue to cook as it rests.
- Let your meat rest. Let the steak rest for at least 15 minutes prior to serving, allowing the juices to redistribute – this will allow for maximum flavor and juiciness.
- Repurpose leftovers. Transform leftover ribeye into sandwiches, tacos, and stir-fries, gently reheating the meat to prevent it from drying out.
Did you make this recipe?
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Best Ribeye ever..I will never cook this steak any other way. So much flavour, melt in your mouth.
Thank you so much!
I grew up in a german farm family and we always butchered our own cows and pigs, and I continue to support a local farmer by buying meat from him 1/2 animal at a time. I used a beautiful 2″ bone-in ribeye and my inherited 10″ cast-iron pan (3 generation passed down)…I followed the recipe pretty much exactly and I must say this was the best dam ribeye I have ever had!!! I can’t wait until the snow melts and I can grill one on my smoker grill. Thanks so much!
Very easy to follow. Had to reduce times a bit because I had a little baby 10 oz ribeye. But very good seasoning suggestions and all.
Couldn’t find 2 inch bone in rib eye I got the 2 inch boneless. Is this ok
Good recipe as a guide. My (bigger) steak was delicious! Thank you!
I had a craving for a good steak and considered going out to dinner but before making reservations I found this recipe, decided to cook in and so glad I did! I used a well marbled 19 oz Angus ribeye slightly under 2 inches, followed the recipe exactly, and the steak was outstanding! My steak cooked a little quicker than I expected based on the recipe timing but I was monitoring the internal temp with a thermopen and it turned out perfectly and very delicious! My wife and I shared the steak and she loved it! Will definitely make again! Thanks!
My cast iron wasn’t big enough, so I used circulon non stick with ovensafe handle. Preheated oven to 400 deg F.
Heated naked (no oil) pan on stove burner to medium. Threw in steaks. Turned after @3 min. Did not get the dark “char” that cast iron gives, but upon turning they were def cooked. After another 3min on side two, transferred whole skillet to oven. Set timer on 6min. (We like medium steaks.)
While in oven, placed small saucepan with 2 pats real butter and a half teaspoon of minced garlic (jarred) onto now turned off and cooling stove burner to melt using residual heat.
At 6 min, removed steaks from oven, flipped and doused in melted garlic butter. Set skillet aside to rest 7min. At 7min end of rear timer, flipped steaks in (still!) hot skillet, and spooned butter over.
Serve on plates heated 2 minutes in (now) cooling but still hot oven.
I hate myself for rewriting this excellent recipe, because with the right time (room temp steaks) and equipment (big cast iron) it IS a restaurant -quality, but Simply Delicious recipe!
Best dang ribeyes done inside house stove top in heavy skillet. My son walked in from work and first bite” he said make sure u don’t forget how to do this again” made sure in pinned it and saved. Next time I hope I have my 2 iron skillets ready to cook on
This is the best skillet steak EVER. My advice would be to make it! And according to how you like your steak it doesn’t take that long. 10-13 minutes is a good medium I’d like mine a little more medium rare so I’ll cut the time the next time.
Does a caste iron skillet make or break the results? Is it the difference between excellent and not so excellent?
Ken, a cast iron skillet will make all the difference in the world. It takes awhile to heat but holds the heat better than any other vessel. Also, a nonstick skillet just doesn’t give the same crusty finish that you are looking for. You can still use a nonstick skillet in a pinch and it will taste just fine but you will be missing that wonderful fond on the outside.
PHENOMENAL!!!!!!!! The BEST steak and I’m a damn good chef myself lol but this takes my usual approach up a notch. WOW. Just WOW.
Excellent taste! If you want MED RARE cut the cook time in half. I questioned the whole 12-14 minutes based on grilling times but followed the recipe instructions. Result was great taste but MED WELL to WELL for a great cut of ribeye. Adjust the times and this is a winner.
I’m prone to messing up steaks but this recipe worked perfectly.
I will try this it looks delish
I swear I have never made anything on this site that wasn’t damned delicious! We usually grill our steaks, but I wanted to do something special for Valentine’s Day. I had a large boneless ribeye and I actually cooked this the way Lance recommended below. Seared a few minutes on each side and then finished in the oven for about 10-15 minutes (thanks Lance). I think this makes the steak more tender. The butter sauce was amazing – the steak was very flavorful, juicy and tender. Fantastic!
We didn’t use a bone in and it was still super flavorful and had a nice crust on it. Makes a mess on the stovetop but this is our new go to for steaks – the grill outside is going to be lonely!
Very good! Be sure to monitor the temperature with a thermapen or other meat thermometer if you have one. I made the mistake of not checking the temps and relying on the timeline of the recipe and it over cooked it a bit. My oven tuns a bit hot and I probably could’ve seared the stakes for 6 or 7 min instead of 12-14 min. Still very tasty and will do this again. I typically reverse sear my steaks in the smoker, but will use this cast iron method more frequently.
Love cooking steak any way to reduce the smoke
This is our all-time favorite steak recipe.
Fantastic recipe! I modified it, by using a ribbed cast iron pan. After seasoning, I seared the steak in the pan to give it those lovely cross-hatches across the steak. Then, placed the whole thing in a 400 degree oven to an internal temperature of 125 degrees (medium rare). Finally, I removed the steak from the oven, spooned over the butter/garlic and placed it back in the oven for 3-4 minutes. When removed from the oven. respoon the butter/garlic over the steak and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serviing. Absolutely delicious!