Perfection: Reverse Sear Ribeye Steak

 

I have never met a steakhouse that I did not love. For I am always astounded that no matter which one I choose, they manage to serve me a ribeye that is cooked to a perfect medium rare. But, they have the odds stacked in their favor.

First, all of their different cuts of steak are uniform in size. You order a ribeye....and every single one in their backroom is a uniform 2 inches thick and weighs in at 16 ounces. Likewise, the cuts for their New York Strip are identical to each other. Ditto for Filet Mignon. 

Most use a specialized oven called a Salamander. These ovens are ripping hot.....usually in the neighborhood of 1500º F. The steaks are flash-seared simultaneously on both sides by the Salamander and can cook a ribeye to medium rare in about 4 minutes. They can cook by time because all the cuts are uniform. Our ribeye? It's 3 minutes cook time for rare, 4 minutes for medium rare, 5 minutes for medium, 6 minutes for medium well.....and so on.

Uniform cuts and Salamander ovens are not available to us lowly home cooks. But if you have a meat thermometer, an oven and a stovetop, you, too, can crank out a perfectly cooked, medium rare ribeye. The most accurate way to accomplish this is to heat it ever so gently and slowly in a 200º oven. Once you hit a meat temp of 118º, you tent the steak for a 20-30 minute rest. Then it gets seared on each side for 90 seconds and now you have achieved PERFECTION...a spectacular, medium rare ribeye steak. This recipe serves 4 regular people or 2 football players.

INGREDIENTS

One, 2-inch thick ribeye steak, about 2 pounds

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Take your steak out of the fridge. Place a meat thermometer into the side of the steak in the thickest part.
2. Heat the oven to 200 degrees and set a wire rack in a rimmed sheet pan.
3. Set the steak on the rack, season generously with salt and pepper and roast it until the internal temperature is 118º (depending on the efficiency of your oven, this will take 1 to 2 hours),
4. Then rest the meat for 20 minutes, tented with foil.
5. Meanwhile, crank the oven heat to 500º and put a carbon steel or cast iron pan in the oven. 
6. After the steaks have rested for 20 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and put it over a stove top burner that is turned to high.
7. Sear the meat in the pan, 90-seconds per side. Check the temp when done,,,it should be 128º. Rest again for 5 minutes, then slice and serve.

Wine pairing: Barolo