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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INCREDIBLE! OMG, I have never had meat this good! I followed the recipe exactly, and it turned out perfect. I served the steaks with twice-baked potatoes, which were good too, but everyone ate every single bite of their steaks. I can’t wait for our grocery store to have ribeyes on sale again. WHAT A TREAT!!!
It came out tender and juicy . Perfect for Valentine’s Day !! I love it
It’s a great recipe, but the cooking times are too long. My steak was overcooked before any butter spooning even occurred
This was very flavorful but by following this recipe exactly my steak was BEYOND well done. I think about half the cooking time would’ve been more than sufficient for a medium steak..
I have prepared this recipe twice now, both times accompanied by mashed potatoes and once each with Broccoli and mixed veg. The prep and cooking time of the mashed potatoes is longer than that of the Rib-Eye so if y choose this route, I strongly recommend that you fix the mashed potatoes well before starting on the meat.
My partner, Hannah, as hypercritical of any cook other than herself but both times she has commented on how good the meal was. I definitely recommend it. I should mention that we have a couple of cast iron pots and eat thermometers so I was able to adhere to the directions. I certainly would not try this in any other pot as I think it is key to the success.
Ok guys nd gals… I’m goin in lol very 1st time cookin a steak of any kind( normally my ex-husband or son) grills our steaks… but it’s just me all by my lonesome, and dammit I want a steak!!! I don’t have a cast iron skillet, but imma try to make due with what I have… I will let y’all know how this special endeavor goes… e wish me luck
I usually do steaks on the grill, but when there is too much fat on the steak it always causes flareups and chars the outside too much. A friend gave me a HUGE bone-in ribeye steak and I found this recipe. It came out fabulous and amazingly tender! I did adjust the time just a bit – about 2 minutes per side and I flipped it twice – a total of 8 minutes – because the steak was only about an inch thick. It was a perfect medium rare. Loved the herb garlic butter! I saved it and put some on my baked potato and roasted veggies. I will have meals for 3 days!
Tried it! Loved it! My husband taught me how to broil my steak in the oven! I cooked it in the skillet for our New Years dinner mmmmm! Delicious!
I’m about to try it for my husband. Will let u know how it when
As a hard core grilling enthusiast I was very skeptical about trying this on a beautiful ribeye we bought to enjoy for a Christmas Eve Dinner. Our 1 1/4” inch ribeye was slightly over a pound so I was encouraged to cook only one and thought I would try your stove top recipe in a cast iron pan.
Since I didn’t have fresh rosemary or fresh thyme I used dry herb version and ground them up. I followed your recipe except I cut the time almost in half since our ribeye was only 1 1/2” vs the 2” you had in your recipe. The end result was fabulous! My wife says she never wants to have a steak any other way. She had made some French bread earlier in the morning and we Cut up a couple pieces to soak up the juices. It was absolutely delicious and definitely plan on making again!
A ribeye does not need any additional fat or oil. Mine was a perfect medium at 5 mins on a side. Cast iron skillet is the way to cook a ribeye, otherwise the fat will melt and start a fire in your grill. My steak was prime and I thought the butter made it too rich.
The steak that stays in my memory was a NY strip cooked in a skillet on the range. I was a college student living off-campus. It so far exceeded any steak I had had up to that point that it has become a legend. Now, as a (much) older adult, I like grilling steaks on the back patio with my husband, having a beer, eating boiled peanuts, and talking, while we wait for the charcoal fire to come up. In other words, the steak is great; but I like the ritual, too.
Absolutely delicious! We had this for our Thanksgiving dinner tonight and loved it! Thank you for this recipe ❤
Tastes delicious and so simple!! But be careful of cooking time (if your steaks are any thinner they’ll be overcooked).
I tried this recipe but it was a failure. I used a meat thermometer but steaks cooked quicker (8 min) than time below, so Ribeye came out med-well done. Looking back, my ribeye was 1 1/2 vs 2 and may have cooked on higher setting, since knobs on stove don’t state med high. Problem I have is I love my ribeye medium rare and my wife likes hers medium and does not like to see real red meat.
Best steak I’ve ever made. Thank you! The cast iron skillet makes all the difference. I added potatoes to the pan with the garlic and butter and there were perfect.
OMG…OMG. I never leave reviews, but this steak was amazing! Tried posting a pic bit couldn’t figure out how. This is now my go-to steak recipe
This was a delicious steak. Very tender and moist. The flavor was great. I accidentally used salted butter instead of unsalted, but won’t make that mistake next time. It was still great anyway! Thanks so much!
I made this steak and I over-cooked it, BUT the flavor was amazing! I will definitely make this again. I probably had the heat to high and I cooked for 14 minutes. Everyone loved it, the kids too.
Excellent flavor other than I oversalted them. I should have cut that in half since I cooked two separately. Hopefully my fiance’s blood pressure is okay after that. I will know next time. Hopefully next time will be perfect I love the flavor other than my screw up.
I honestly didn’t believe this would turn out as good as it did! It was so simple but so good!
I have never left a review for a recipe before. My first attempt at cooking ribeye steak This recipe and instructions made for an absolutely delicious steak! Thank you!