Blowout Rib-Eye

By Mark Bittman

Blowout Rib-Eye
Grant Cornett for The New York Times. Food stylist: Michelle Gatton. Prop stylist: Theo Vamvounakis.
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
4(379)
Comments
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A huge rib-eye, cooked slowly then quickly – whether on a grill or in the oven – will yield perfectly cooked meat. The cost of the cut may seem like a lot to pay for a piece of meat, but if it’s local and well raised, with better flavor, texture and karma than cheaper commodity beef, it’s worth it for a table of four. You might think sauce is overkill with a rib-eye like this, but playing steakhouse chef means dreaming up the accompanying sauces that you would most like to see on the table. My favorite is what I call ‘‘blue butter,’’ a blend of blue cheese and butter.

If blue cheese isn't your thing, try creamed spinach sauce, chile chimichurri, tomato nam prik or bourbon balsamic syrup.

Featured in: The Pleasure of a Steak at Home

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1bone-in rib-eye, 2 to 3 inches thick (about 2½ pounds)
  • Salt and black pepper
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

636 calories; 51 grams fat; 23 grams saturated fat; 3 grams trans fat; 24 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 44 grams protein; 661 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for indirect cooking so that one section of the grate is quite hot and there is no heat under the other part. (Or put a dry cast-iron skillet in the oven and turn the heat to 325.) If the steak is floppy (and the butcher hasn’t done it already), tie a string horizontally around it to help it cook evenly. Rub the meat and bone on all sides with salt and pepper, and let it come to room temperature.

  2. Step 2

    Put the steak on the cool side of the grill (or in the hot pan) so that the bone is toward the hot side. Cover, and cook until it releases evenly from the grates or pan and has an internal temperature of about 100 degrees, 5 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the cut and the heat of the grill.

  3. Step 3

    Move the steak to the hot part of the grill, and cook, undisturbed, until it sears and releases easily, 2 to 5 minutes. (If indoors, transfer the skillet to the stove over medium-high heat.) Repeat with the other side, cooking it to one stage before your desired doneness. If you want truly rare, remove the steak when its interior measures 125 degrees, or even a little bit less; for medium-rare, 135 degrees is about right. Let the rib-eye rest on a surface that will capture any juices for at least 5 and up to 15 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Remove the string if you used one, and cut away the bone. Slice as thickly or thinly as you like, and serve with the meat juices and any of the sauces.

Ratings

4 out of 5
379 user ratings
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Comments

Uday Reddy

You will need to tent foil over the steak so that the heat is reflected back at the meat. I also like to rest the steak on a rack over a platter. This way, not only do the juices gather in the platter below (to be used for a pan sauce or to spoon over the sliced steak), but also the crust on the bottom side of the meat doesn't become soggy from resting in the juices.

Joewww

Not clear with Step 2... Is that 5-15 minutes per side or roasted without turning the rib eye?

judy

Bone-in meat has more flavor.

DRK

I understand the idea if redistributing juices, but I agree with MKS that if the steak is left to rest, it gets cold, or at best lukewarm. If tented, the steak gets steamed. Has anyone solved this problemof how to seeve a properly very warm steak? Would it work to cook it to about 90 degrees, rest it, so thst it gets up to about 100 in resudual heat, then quickly sear it at high temp to get the crust and serve immediately?

Adam P

Consider cooking in oven to a higher internal temp and shortening sear on each side. I ended up cooking through a bit too much on each side to get internal temp to 130 after taking out of oven at 100. Pretty great though, especially with the creamed spinach sauce.

Joy Gimbel

Where’s the how to on blue cheese butter? Yum

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