Cast Iron Ribeye done right

It’s Red Meat night tonight at the Storybook House in Colonial Beach. I generally allow myself one steak a month, and I only eat half of it (for dinner).

Steak is easy, right? Trust me, having spent 60 years on this planet and haven endured SO many poorly cooked steaks (and hamburgers) at backyard barbeques…I can attest to the fact that to prepare a TRULY good steak does take a bit of effort. And amazingly enough, the best I’ve cooked has not been on a grill, but a cast iron skillet. On a skillet you can control all the variables.

First, of course, is a quality steak. I bought a great angus steak at Wegmans. A day before cooking it, I put it on some paper towel on a plate and put a light coating of salt on (I have a secret at the end, so don’t use too much salt), covered it with paper towel and put it in the fridge. As I younger man, I used to do this for as long as 21 days. But one night is good too. This draws the moisture out for a crisp crust, and heightens the flavor.

Heat up your cast iron skillet while you do your prep work, you want an evenly hot (medium to medium-high) skillet. Set out 2-3 tablespoons of butter (Kerrygold!) a handful of garlic cloves and some fresh thyme.

Season the steak with fresh ground course black pepper. Use a healthy amount.

Put some olive oil (2 tablespoons?) into the skillet, wait a few seconds and put in the steak. Cook till the bottom has a nice dark beautiful crust, about 4-5 minutes depending on the thickness of the steak.

Here’s where the magic happens. Flip the steak, toss a couple/few tablespoons of butter, toss in the garlic cloves into the pan (not on the steak) and do the same with the thyme. Cook for a couple minutes and mix the butter with the garlic and thyme. Rotate the garlic, you want some brown roasted parts.

Push down the handle of the skillet so all the butter and beautiful garlic and thyme come to the edge of the pan. Spoon this onto the steak. Keep doing this for a minute.

Check the temperature, when you hit 125° on the thickest part of the steak, turn off the heat and put it aside to rest for 5 minutes. You really want a pink center.

This is a good time to cook your side, I had steamed broccoli. But I love this with a simple salad too. Top with the roasted garlic and thyme sprigs.

I cut my steak in half to plate and then put on my secret weapon. While in Sante Fe New Mexico last month with my darling Carolyn Flynn, I picked up some Mediterranean Flake Salt (not often found in the Colonial Beach Food Lion) and put a couple pinches on top. What a pop of flavor!