Ingredients

The following ingredients have 2 Servings
  • 1 pound ribeye steak (well marbled)
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1-2 teaspoons vegetable or canola oil
  • 3-4 tablespoons salted butter (melted)
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary (or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary)
  • 2 cloves garlic (smashed and sliced into strips)
  • 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • additional salt (as needed)

Instruction

  • Choose your ribeye steak: You can buy either bone-in or boneless steak for this recipe. The most important thing is to buy a high quality steak (read: expensive. Mine was $15/pound.) The grade of the meat should be labeled USDA Prime, or Choice if you are desperate. Don't buy Select, it is not appropriate for this cooking method. The steak should be well marbled, which means that you can see lots of swirly white veins of fat all over the meat. Fat=flavor. Bring it on.
  • Prepare your ribeye steak: At least 4 hours or up to 48 hours before you want to eat, prepare your steak by rubbing it with a ton of kosher salt. For 1 pound of steak, I used 2 teaspoons kosher salt (one teaspoon per side, and make sure to get the edges too). This sounds like a lot! But something magical happens while it sits for so long: the salt first draws out the moisture, but then absorbs it back into the meat and tenderizes and flavors the entire steak, not just the outside. Place the salted steak on a plate and put it in your fridge uncovered. Yes, uncovered. This allows the steak to dry out and give you an incredible sear when you cook it. (NOTE: If you are using table salt (regular salt that you find on the table in any restaurant) then use a total of 1 and 1/2 teaspoons).
  • 30 minutes before cooking: Get your salted steak out of the fridge and set it on the counter for at least 30 minutes. Don't cook a cold steak, it will be overdone on the edges and undone in the middle. Just before cooking, drizzle the steak with 1-2 teaspoons canola or vegetable (or any high heat) oil, and rub it all over the steak. Don't be shy.
  • Make the garlic butter sauce: In a small bowl, add 3-4 tablespoons butter and melt it in the microwave. (The more butter you use the more drizzling sauce you will end up with.) Add 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon thyme leaves, and 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary. (Use 1/2 teaspoon each dried thyme and rosemary if you don't have fresh). Use the side of a chef's knife to smash two cloves of garlic. Peel them and slice the garlic into strips. Add the garlic to the butter. Stir it together and set aside. If you have fresh thyme and rosemary, prep the sprigs you are using and set them nearby.