Knowing how to properly season a steak will help bring out its full flavor.
Salt and pepper are the standard seasonings for ribeye. Paprika, basil, rosemary, cinnamon, and chopped onions are all excellent complements to ribeye steak. Don’t be afraid to try different combinations of seasonings until you find what you like best on your ribeye.
How do you season a ribeye steak?
It’s simple to learn how to season ribeye, but keep in mind that salt is an essential part of any ribeye steak seasoning. The steak should be salted 30–45 minutes before it is placed in the oven to allow the salt to develop a brine. This brine will help the steak keep its moisture and become more crispy during the cooking process. Then, right before putting the ribeye in the oven, sprinkle on some seasonings. Garlic powder, black pepper, thyme, and other seasonings to taste
The key to perfectly seasoned, seared ribeye steak is a single word: liberally. Instead of sparingly seasoning your steak with pepper and salt, you should make it a habit to liberally coat it in seasoning. Steak is a great food to develop this habit with. A decent seasoning brings out the best in steaks and in your taste buds.
Add enough salt to the ribeye so that it is visible on the surface. A thicker steak requires more seasoning since the seasoning is more likely to be on the steak’s exterior than its interior. The additional seasoning on the exterior of the steak will assist to balance the interior of the bite, even if it has not been directly seasoned
Always have your spices handy in a bowl from which you can pinch out a small amount. Then, liberally coat the steak with it on all sides. Don’t forget to complete the outside edges. The meat will better absorb the seasoning if you press it into the surface.
When is the best time to season your steak?
The first is to salt the steak right before cooking it on the grill or in a cast-iron skillet. This will prevent the salt from the seasoning from forming a brine and extracting any of the steak’s natural juices. You can save time without sacrificing any of the delicious salty flavor by using less salt.
In addition, seasoning ribeye steaks 40–45 minutes before searing or grilling is ideal. This is our go-to method for making a ribeye steak that is perfectly soft, juicy, and full of beefy flavor. Since ribeye is a more substantial cut of meat, the brining process, which uses salt to draw out the meat’s natural fluids, requires more time. It’s best to season a ribeye, wait 40 to 45 minutes for the liquids to redistribute themselves throughout the meat, and then begin cooking.
If you do decide to season 40+ minutes before cooking, keep the meat at room temperature tented with foil while it basks in the seasonings
What are some tips for making the perfect steak?
Clean and oil the grill: When it comes to grilling a superb steak (or anything else, for that matter), having a clean grill is the single most important factor. This is true regardless of the amount of time spent cooking the steak or the spice rub used. Steaks that have been cooked on clean grates are easier to flip. To prepare your grill, simply get it hot, scrape it with a grill brush, and then gently oil it. This essentially makes the surface nonstick for cooking.
Cook at a high temperature: Turn up the stove! The ideal grill temperature is 450 degrees Fahrenheit, or the point at which your palm can be held over it for only a fraction of a second. These steaks benefit from being seared at a high temperature for a crisp exterior.
Steaks don’t require a lot of seasoning in order to taste delicious. Just before you put them on the grill, spray them slightly with oil on each side, and then sprinkle them with pepper and salt as needed. Spice up your rub with some garlic powder, paprika, or chili powder if you’re feeling fancy.
Flip the steaks: Because of how quickly they cook, steaks only require one rotation throughout the cooking process. Steaks may not develop a flavorful, well-seared crust if they are flipped too often; however, this is debatable. When they can be removed from the grill without much effort, they are ready to be flipped. This is analogous to the process of searing meat on a stovetop. Instead of prodding the meat with a barbeque fork, which will only make holes in it and make the meat tougher, use a set of pincer tongs to flip it.
Keep Cooking Until Done: The exact amount of time needed to cook a steak is contingent on its thickness and your preferred level of doneness. A meat thermometer comes in handy for this reason. It’s precise and won’t let too much of the meat’s juices escape.
Cook to an internal temperature of 125°F to 130°F for rare. Let it reach a temperature of 130°F to 135°F for a medium-rare finish. Steaks should be cooked to an internal temperature of 140°F to 145°F for medium-rare and 160°F or above for well-done.
Steaks should be removed from the grill about 5 degrees Fahrenheit before they reach the desired internal temperature, according to some experts. Steaks continue to cook slightly throughout the resting process, so removing them from the grill before they are fully cooked is a good way to avoid burning them.
Allow the Steak to Rest Before Slicing It: After the steak has been grilled, allow it to rest for approximately five minutes on the board before slicing it. The meat’s juices can redistribute themselves in this manner. A dry steak is the result of cutting it before it is fully cooked.
What Is a Steak Marinade?
Marinating steak involves letting the meat sit in a liquid for a while. While steaks can benefit from marinating for as little as 30 minutes, the optimum results come from letting the steaks marinate for at least a few hours and up to a day.
The basic functions of steak marinades are seasoning and tenderizing the meat. Some steak cuts don’t naturally have as much of a beefy flavor as others, but marinating them can bring out their full potential. Not all cuts of meat are created equal when it comes to tenderness, but a good marinade can soften even the toughest steaks considerably.
When is Steak Marinade a Good Idea?
Steak marinades are typically used to soften harder cuts of meat. Steak marinades are more useful for less expensive cuts of meat. There are a few different cuts of beef that are excellent candidates for marinating. These include the chuck, hanger, flank, and skirt steaks.
Marinating the steaks allows the marinade’s acids to soften the flesh and dissolve connective tissue. The steaks will be more tender and flavorful if they are marinated for a longer period of time.
Steaks that don’t have as much of a robust beef flavor can benefit from marinades because the added flavor brings out the best in the meat. Once again, these are the less expensive options.
A steak marinade for grilling is another great choice. Some people find the charred flavor of grilled steak unappetizing. A marinade, however, might add flavor that makes the food more appealing to some people.
When Shouldn’t You Use Steak Marinade
Is there ever a time when you shouldn’t use a steak marinade? Absolutely.
Unless you’re buying really cheap pieces of steak, you can probably skip the marinade. Steaks with a higher price tag, such as filet mignon and ribeye, don’t need a marinade to turn out juicy and tender. In addition, many of the expensive steaks are already bursting with flavor and don’t require any further seasoning.
One dish that deviates from the rule of “full of flavor” is filet mignon. Although it lacks the robust flavor of other traditional beef cuts, it is among the most tender. This means that marinating isn’t the best choice. However, for extra taste, an au jus or herb butter can be added on top after cooking.
Steak marinade has another drawback in that it causes the exterior of the steak to become very moist. Even if you rinse your steak thoroughly before cooking it, some of the marinade will still seep out as the steak cooks. Therefore, employing a marinade may leave you unsatisfied if you’re hoping for a beautiful sear on the exterior of your steak.
