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This simple ribeye recipe features pan-searing in a cast iron skillet, developing a perfectly seared exterior and tender interior. The blue cheese compound butter offers a savory and garlicky topping with a delicious blue cheese flavor that compliments every bite. A surprisingly delicious combination with an easy-to-follow cooking formula!
The ribeye, also known as the Delmonico steak or cowboy steak, tends to be a fattier cut with marbling throughout. The fat contributes to the flavor and juiciness, making it the most flavorful cut of beef I’ve prepared so far. Always buy bone-in or partial bone-in ribeye—the bone adds flavor and contains the juices when cooking.
You can’t go wrong serving steak with potatoes, so decide if you’d like some crispy roasted red potatoes or softer mashed potatoes. To get some green on your plate, I’d go with roasted brussels and bacon.
Table of Contents
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Ribeye steak: sometimes labeled Delmonico steak. I prefer bone-in ribeye but you can also use boneless ribeye. Look for a cut that is roughly 1 inch thick. You can also use NY strip for this recipe.
- Oil for searing: opt for a little bit of vegetable/canola/or high-smoke-point oil such as algae cooking oil.
- Rosemary/thyme: always use fresh herbs. Dry spices are not a substitute for this recipe. tarragon is another nice option.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities below.
Step by Step Instructions
Temperature For Steak
Note, the following chart features estimated cook times based on pan-searing a 1-inch thick ribeye in a preheated and hot cast iron skillet. Always check with a digital thermometer as the steak cooks and remove steaks from heat 5 degrees below the final desired serving temperature.
| Doneness | Temperature Range | Cook Time (per side) |
|---|---|---|
| Rare | 120°F to 125°F | 2 minutes |
| Medium rare | 125°F to 130°F | 3 minutes |
| Medium | 135°F to 140°F | 4 minutes |
| Medium well | 145°F to 150°F | 5 minutes |
Note: Cooking steaks at high temps in a skillet tends to get smokey. Open a kitchen window and turn on your kitchen’s overhead vent fan before you start to help with ventilation.
Let Steaks Rest
The legend, Anthony Bourdain once said, the most important aspect of cooking any steak is the rest period after you take it off the heat. Letting a steak rest for 5-7 minutes before cutting is critical for two reasons.
Juice redistribution: during cooking, the heat causes the muscle fibers in the steak to contract, pushing the juices toward the center of the meat. If you cut into the steak immediately after cooking, these juices will spill out, leaving the steak drier. Resting allows the juices to redistribute evenly throughout the meat.
Temperature equalization: resting allows the temperature inside the steak to even out. The outer layers cool slightly while the heat continues to transfer inward, resulting in a more consistent doneness throughout the steak. It’s important to always undershoot your final serving temperature when preparing steak, as the internal temperature will continue to rise as it rests.
More Steak You’ll Love
Enjoy this recipe? If you made this recipe, please leave a ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ star rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments!
Pan-Seared Ribeye with Blue Cheese Butter
Ingredients
- 16-20 ounce bone-in ribeye steak, about 1 inch thick
- 1 tablespoon algae, vegetable, or canola oil
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 sprig thyme
- 2 whole garlic cloves, optional
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
Blue Cheese Butter
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
- 1 sprig fresh minced rosemary, removed from stem
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme, removed from stem
- 1 small clove garlic, minced (optional)
- salt, to taste
Instructions
For the blue cheese butter
- Combine butter, blue cheese, rosemary, thyme, salt, and garlic in a small bowl. Mix until fully incorporated. Roll in plastic wrap into a cylinder. Place in the refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes and remove 5 minutes before serving.
For the ribeye
- Remove steak from the fridge 30-60 minutes before cooking. This is to bring the steak to room temperature and ensure your cooking times are more accurate. Season both sides liberally with kosher salt and pepper.
- Add oil to a cast iron skillet and turn up high, allowing the skillet to become hot first. Place the ribeye face down and sear undisturbed for 3 minutes. Flip the ribeye and sear for an additional 3 minutes for medium rare.
- Turn off the heat (remove pan from heat) and add plain butter, rosemary, thyme, and optional garlic cloves to the skillet. Once the butter foams, use a spoon to spoon the melted butter drippings over the steak.
- Place steak on a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Top with a slice of blue cheese butter. Can also do this as steak rests.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
OMG, you are amazing. I made this last night with two steaks for myself and my husband. He said it was the best steak he has ever tasted. I made it exactly to the recipe. I’m sure he’ll want it again tonight. Thank you for sharing this amazingly yummy recipe. It made me look like a professional chef lol.
Thank you Pamela – so glad this worked out. Sounds like YOU are the amazing one.
Thanks for this tip — I’ve used this recipe and your filet mignon and I now use it for pretty much all steak cuts and lamb chops also. People LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I don’t red meat (ha!) but your method has the rest of the crew raving. Thanks for making me look good!
No. Thank YOU Amy. Sounds like you got some real swagger.
Great recipe nice work keep it up
How do you prepare 4 steaks so they all finish at the same time with only one pan?
The timing is PERFECT with this recipe! I’d never heard of Blue Cheese Butter but I tried it anyway and my family loved it!!! This is a new favorite here. Thanks 🙂
Jenn
Oops! Meant to give recipe 5 stars…
Perfect – the first time I had it was at a steakhouse, so I had to figure out a good recipe for it!
Can I cook two steaks in the pan or should o do it one at a time?
If you can fit two go for it! Just note it could take more time if totally filling the cooking surface. It sure how big your ribeyes are.
This is a beautful photo! I love this recipe. I love a good steak!
Thanks Nicole – it is pretty good if I do say so myself 😉
Hey Shawn-
Been doing something like this for a while now, but I do the whole thing out on my gas grill… When it’s too hot here in San Diego (like now) I fire up the grill, and leave my cast iron skillet on it until its screaming hot, then flip the butter into it, give a a couple seconds to flare up, and toss in the steak. A couple minutes on each side, then add the rosemary, just turn the grill off, and put the cover down, and leave it for about 5 minutes more. Found it works best with a 1 1/2 – 2″ thick ribeye, or a single rib Prime rib. Awsome. Thanks!
My GOD! I want to lick the screen!
I would like to hear your opinion about cooking an steak in a stainless steel pan? Just curiosity.
PD: Your photos are on point (aesthetically pleasant and they let me hungry)
OMG made this tonight and my husband said I hit it out of the park. Steaks are usually his department but trusted me tonight! Thank you for the share, will definitely be in our rotation!
AWESOME! Glad this worked out for you, Patsy.