Chef notes
Everyone has their preferred way of cooking steak. Some always opt for the grill while others rely on a heavy cast iron skillet and the stovetop.
We like this oven-cooked approach. It’s easier to control, which is a win if you’re a beginner cook and not as confident cooking steak, and gives perfectly juicy on the inside, charred on the outside results every time. Cooking the steak on a low temperature to start ensures an even doneness throughout while broiling the steaks under high heat creates a glorious crust on the outside. Master these two elements and you’ll master dinner.
This recipe calls for ribeye steaks, which have beefy flavor and a good amount of fat marbling to contribute richness to every bite. You can buy both bone-in or boneless ribeye steaks but for this recipe, opt for boneless because they cook more evenly and are easier to slice.
If you have the foresight, leave your steaks uncovered in the fridge overnight. This helps dry out the exterior and contribute to even better browning and caramelization. Though if you forget and don’t have the time, don’t sweat it — your steaks will still be great.
And if you don’t have a broiler that gets hot enough to sear a steak, you can sear them on the stovetop. Heat a heavy-bottomed pan, such as a cast iron pan, on high heat with a bit of oil, add the steaks and cook for one to two minutes on both sides until browned.
Get Ingredients: If you don’t have everything you need on hand, you can easily purchase all of the ingredients (just click the orange button below that says ‘Get Ingredients’). You can pick and choose exactly what ingredients you need based on what’s in your pantry and they’ll be on your doorstep before you know it.
Ingredients
- 4 rib-eye steaks
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- canola or vegetable oil
- butter (optional)
Preparation
1.Remove your steaks from the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking so they can come to room temperature (you can leave them uncovered in the fridge overnight if you really want to dry out the exterior, but it isn't necessary). Make sure your oven is set up to have one rack in the middle and one as close to the broiler as possible. Preheat the oven to 250 F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2.When the oven and steaks are ready, blot the steaks to remove any excess moisture and put them on the baking sheet. Give both sides a heavy dash of salt. Put the steaks in the oven on the middle rack for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the steak reads 115 F (for medium rare steak — if you'd like more or less, you can always adjust the temperature accordingly).
3.Remove the steaks from the oven and turn on the broiler. Brush the steaks with a bit of canola or vegetable oil. If your broiler takes a few minutes to come up to temperature, don't worry about keeping the steaks out of the oven and cooling off — it is more important to have the broiler hot and ready to go. Put the steaks back in the oven as close to the broiler as possible. Cook for 1 to 3 minutes on each side (depending on the strength of your broiler). If you didn't wait long to cook them, the internal temperature should read 130 F to 135 F for medium rare.
4.When the steaks are done, you can serve them immediately, since the interior is already cooked and does not need to rest. Add a pat of butter on top to serve.
