Beef

Pan-Seared Ribeye Steak with Garlic Butter

★★★★½ (4.8)

A thick, well-marbled ribeye seared in a hot skillet and basted with garlic butter gives you a steakhouse-quality crust and a juicy pink center without ever turning on the grill. This is the recipe to learn if you have never cooked a steak in your life.

10 min Prep

12 min Cook

32 min Total

2 Servings

Restaurant-quality crust using only a skillet and a stovetop
Garlic-herb butter basting adds deep flavor in minutes
Ready in about 30 minutes with almost no cleanup

2 (10 to 12 oz, 1.25 inch thick) ribeye steaks
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp neutral oil (canola or avocado)
3 tbsp unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, smashed but left whole
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Remove the steaks from the fridge 30 to 40 minutes before cooking so they come closer to room temperature; this helps them cook evenly.
Pat both steaks completely dry with paper towels, then season all sides generously with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
Set a 10 to 12 inch heavy skillet (cast iron works best) over high heat for a full 3 minutes until it is very hot and just starts to smoke lightly.
Add 2 tbsp neutral oil and swirl to coat; the oil should shimmer and move like water, not smoke heavily.
Lay the steaks in the pan away from you to avoid splatter, and do not move them for 3 to 4 minutes until a deep brown crust forms on the bottom.
Flip the steaks once with tongs and sear the second side for another 3 to 4 minutes until similarly browned.
Reduce the heat to medium, then add 3 tbsp butter, 4 smashed garlic cloves, thyme, and rosemary to the pan.
Tilt the pan slightly and use a spoon to continuously baste the steaks with the melted herb butter for 1 to 2 minutes.
Check doneness with an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part: pull the steaks at 130F for medium-rare (they will rise to about 135-140F while resting).
For medium, cook to 140F before resting; never eat ground beef this way, but whole steaks are safe at these temperatures.
Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and let them rest, loosely tented with foil, for 5 to 7 minutes before slicing; skipping this step will cause the juices to run out onto the board.
Slice against the grain into thick strips, spoon any remaining garlic butter over the top, and serve immediately.