Pan-Seared Ribeye (with Garlic Butter)

A ribeye steak may seem like an obvious choice to cook for a romantic meal, but it’s honestly so easy that you can make it for dinner whenever you’re in the mood for a tasty steak. With the help of a really hot skillet and a kiss of garlic-herb butter at the end, this seared ribeye steak recipe takes only about 10 minutes on the stovetop. If you want to recreate the steakhouse experience at home, serve it up with a baked potato and a side of creamed spinach.

• Choose bone-in or boneless. Some people prefer steaks that still have the bone attached because they feel that they’re more flavorful (and I personally love nibbling on the meat that’s attached to the bone), but boneless steaks are also just as delicious and also easier to slice. The choice is up to you!
• Go for a thicker steak. In order to have a flavorful browned crust, steaks need to be cooked for a certain amount of time over high heat. Thinner steaks cook more quickly, however the outside sometimes doesn’t get as browned, so thicker steaks (around 1 1/4-inch) are better if you want a well-browned exterior and a more rosy interior (if you prefer it rare or medium-rare).
• Look for even marbling. Ribeye steaks with even white streaks of fat (also known as marbling) are better than steaks that have bigger chunks of fat concentrated in a few spots. A more widespread network of fat means the fat will melt more quickly and distribute itself more evenly into the meat.
• Buy the right amount of steak. Thick ribeye steaks usually weigh around one pound each, which feeds two to three people. If your steak has a bone, it will feed two people generously.

For a ribeye steak that’s about 1 1/4 inches thick, it will take eight to 10 minutes cooking time on the stovetop over high heat until it registers 120ºF for medium-rare.

1. Dry and season the steak. Pat the steak dry of excess moisture; dry steaks brown better. Season with salt, but save the pepper for later, as pepper can burn when cooked at such high temperatures.
2. Really heat the pan. Heat a little bit of vegetable oil in a medium frying pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until you see a wisp of smoke. You want the pan hot enough so that it can do a good job of searing, so don’t be afraid of heat (definitely have the windows open or your hood turned on!). If you want to double the recipe and cook two steaks at once, use a 12-inch-wide pan so that the steaks aren’t crowded.
3. Flip often. Contrary to common steak cooking techniques where you only flip the steak once, flip it every minute or so instead. This still yields a nicely browned exterior, but browns both sides evenly.
4. Finish with butter. Butter burns easily but imparts delicious flavor. When the steak is almost ready, add some butter, garlic, and herbs to the pan. Then, baste the steak with that flavorful melted butter as it finishes cooking.
5. Rest the steak. I like to let the steak rest for five minutes for the juices to redistribute themselves throughout the meat before slicing and serving. Top with some freshly ground pepper at this point if you like a peppery kick.