Rib Eye Steak

Seasoned with a spice mix of ground peanuts, cayenne, and ginger, these skewers are most often served with shaved onions and sliced tomato, here a tomato-cream dipping sauce quells the fiery heat.

If you’ve ever struggled to cook a thick-cut steak to an even medium-rare temperature, try starting it from frozen.

I was determined to recreate gourmet-quality steak at home. After researching and testing multiple methods, I finally found one that gives the seared-to-perfection surface and medium-rare pink center.

Looking for a special dinner for two? First, pan-sear one big steak to share. Then, while the steak rests, use the fat rendered behind in the skillet to sear smashed paprika-spiced potatoes to crispy, golden perfection.

Palizzi Social Club in Philadelphia gets very thin-cut rib eyes on the bone. But for us mere mortals, a boneless rib eye is your best bet, plus it’s easier to serve family-style.

A marinade made with Chinese mustard and fish sauce gives this punchy, summery steak salad exceptional flavor.

Let it rain with the kosher salt—for the best flavor, you want to season these simple steaks really well before they get grilled.

Burying ribeye steaks in blue cheese overnight mimics the flavorful effects of dry aging with a lot less time and effort than goes into the real thing.

Bright, piquant green peppercorns and a flambéed splash of Cognac make this classic French sauce a fun and festive way to celebrate New Year’s Eve.

These bibimbap-inspired grain bowls are brimming with bright vegetables and spicy marinated steak.

Now you can make one of Hillstone’s most popular dishes at home, a decision you will never regret.

Chefs everywhere know it: Fire is where the magic happens.

Buy thinly sliced beef at Korean markets, or ask your butcher to cut it for you.

These open-faced steak sandwiches are equal parts hearty and elegant. Onions cooked in beer (ales are best) partner well with meaty rib eye, and thick toasted slices of sourdough soak up the yummy juices of both. We love this speedy skillet supper with a cup of tomato soup and a light green salad served alongside. And don’t be afraid to add a sprinkle of freshly grated aged Parmesan; a hit of salty cheese will only improve what’s already a knockout dish.

Master the art and science of meat preparation with this simple recipe from Aidells Sausage founder Bruce Aidells. He starts with grass-fed boneless rib eye and a simple soy-sauce marinade. But the secret to this meat’s success is the porcini-focused spice rub. Dress it up with Wild Mushroom–Potato Gratin (page 272) or down with fries and beer on a Friday night in.

The trick to perfect steak on the grill is simple: Make sure the grill is very hot, clean, and well oiled. In addition to the recipe for porterhouse below, you can successfully grill any of the cuts on the chart (see below), including New York strip steak (pictured), using this method. Thicker cuts—1 to 2 inches—are typically best for grilling, as they will have a chance to absorb the flavor from the grill before being cooked through; too thick, however, and they will burn before reaching the proper internal temperature. Grilled vegetables, such as onion and tomato slices, make delicious accompaniments—and are practical, too, since the grill is already heated. The only embellishment you might need is a pat of flavorful compound butter. (For more on compound butters, see page 166.) If you want to serve your grilled items with perfect crosshatch marks, place the most presentable side of the meat down first and let it cook long enough for the distinctive lines to burn into the food (usually 2 to 3 minutes, depending on the heat of the fire or coals). Turn the food 90 degrees for the crosshatch marks. For pristine grill marks, flip the meat just once. Thinner cuts shouldn’t require much time to cook after you flip them to their opposite side. Never press down on burgers or steaks with a spatula—this will compress the meat and you’ll lose some of the juices that make these meats succulent.

We are not a steakhouse, so I’m always pleasantly surprised when our customers tell us that our rib-eye is their favorite steak in Los Angeles. We start with quality, conventionally raised meat, just like what you will be able to get at a good butcher. The reason our steak is so good is the rub we coat the meat with before grilling it. The rub contains dried porcini, which have a delicious, earthy flavor, and a tiny bit of sugar, which caramelizes on the grill and gives the steak a beautiful crust. More often than not our customers share it among two or three people along with two or three contorni, such as Smashed Potatoes with Rosemary (page 255), Cipolline with Thyme and Sherry Vinegar (page 254), and Sautéed Broccolini with Chiles and Vinegar (page 262) to eat along with it. We order our rib-eyes “frenched,” which means that the meat is cut off the bone so the bone looks almost like a handle, which makes for a more unusual, elegant presentation. If you have a butcher who will do that for you, great. If not, it won’t make a bit of difference in the flavor. Unlike a French preparation, served with a heavy Béarnaise sauce, ours is served with Italy’s two best condiments: quality extra-virgin olive oil and aged balsamico condimento.