There’s nothing quite like the magical experience of going to a really good steakhouse and enjoying a high-quality cut of meat, cooked to perfection. What makes up a perfect ribeye steak? For us, it’s all about that crispy, beautifully seared, correctly seasoned exterior and a buttery, flavorful interior cooked to a nice medium rare. Talk about the ultimate indulgence.

Good news: you can make a fantastic restaurant-quality ribeye steak at home, and it’s not as difficult as you think. There are a few key tips and tricks found in our ribeye steak recipe that will provide you with the how-to for making an amazing steak at home. Follow along and you’ll be surprised at just how easy and straightforward it is to make something so delicious in 30 minutes.

How to Choose a Great Ribeye Steak

One of the most important things you can do to make an incredible steak at home (ribeye or not), is to buy a high-quality cut of meat. Go to the best local butcher you have access to and get a steak with great marbling. You’re looking for lots of white streaks of fat throughout the entire steak. As your steak cooks, those streaks of fat will melt, which translates to more delicious flavor and juiciness throughout your steak. Prime cuts of meat tend to have the most marbling and will be most comparable to what you’ve enjoyed at a fancy schmancy restaurant. If a prime cut isn’t in the budget, a choice cut can also be a great option if it has some good marbling.

Prepping Your Steak

While there is an abundance of steak rubs/ seasonings out there, our ribeye steak recipe uses only classic kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to let the flavor of that beautiful cut of meat really shine. 30 minutes before you’re ready to cook your steaks (or even more if your steak is on the thicker side), get your steaks out of the refrigerator, place them on a plate, and season both sides generously with kosher salt. Ideally, your steak would be almost at room temperature before you start cooking. This helps prevents the outside of your steak from overcooking before the inside reaches the right temperature. How much salt should you use? More than you probably think. By seasoning the outside, you’re actually seasoning the entire steak as the salt will permeate the steak as it comes to room temperature. You’re not going for a thick coating but be fairly liberal.

How to Cook a Ribeye Steak in a Cast Iron Skillet

When you’re ready to cook your steak, pre-heat your cast iron skillet over high heat for 10 minutes so it’s evenly hot. Don’t skimp this step – cast iron takes a long time to heat up. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. In the meantime, get all your other ingredients ready – cut the butter into a few pieces, peel your garlic cloves, and get your herbs ready. When you’re ready, add the steaks to the pan. Don’t touch them, don’t flip them for at least 3 minutes, then flip once they’ve got a nice golden-brown sear. Next, add the garlic, herbs, and butter. Once the butter is melted, gently tip the pan to one side to allow the butter to pool, then spoon the butter repeatedly over the steaks. Congratulations – you’re basting like a pro. After 3 minutes, check the steaks for doneness: 125 F for rare, 135 F for medium rare (our recommended cooking temperature), 145 for medium, and 150 for medium well. Let the steaks rest a few minutes before serving/ cutting to keep them as juicy as possible.

What else is for dinner?

Now that you’ve followed our ribeye steak recipe to a T and have cooked a gorgeous steak, what should you serve with it? We love to keep things simple and balanced and saute a quick-cooking veg while our cast iron skillet is heating up (think green beans, broccoli, or asparagus) for a true 30-minute meal. Or take things in the exact opposite direction with these brussels sprouts and scalloped potatoes if you’re really wanting to lean into that steakhouse vibe.

More Recipes To Try

Ribeye Steak

Brooke Eliason
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Servings: 2 servings
Total Time: 25 minutes
Difficulty: Intermediate
With a few key tips and tricks, you can make a fantastic restaurant-quality ribeye steak at home, and it’s not as difficult as you think.

Ingredients 

  • 2 12-16 oz. boneless ribeye steaks*
  • kosher salt & fresh cracked pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons canola oil
  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 rosemary sprigs
  • 2 thyme sprigs

Instructions

  • 30 minutes prior to cooking, remove your steaks from the refrigerator and place on a plate or cutting board. Generously top both sides of the steaks with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper.
  • After 30 minutes, bring a large cast iron skillet to high heat. Heat the canola oil in skillet until shimmering, and add steaks. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then turn the steaks onto the other side and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.* Add butter, garlic, rosemary, and thyme to the skillet, and baste the tops of the steaks with the melted butter. Using an instant read thermometer, measure the internal temperature of the steaks. 125 F for rare, 135 F for medium rare (our recommended cooking temperature), 145 for medium, and 150 for medium well.
  • Once desired temperature has been reached, immediately remove steaks from skillet and place on a cutting board. Allow the steak to rest for 10 minutes. You may garnish each steak with additional butter or rosemary/thyme if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

*For a boneless ribeye, about 3 minutes per side yields the perfect medium-rare steak, and about 4 minutes per side yields an excellent medium steak, but you’ll need to check the temperature with a thermometer to ensure it’s cooked just the way you want it. Bone-in ribeye steaks will require a minute or two longer per side. Thickness of meat will vary so it’s important to always cook for less time, check the temperature of the steak, and cook for longer if necessary.

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