Ribeye Steaks with Thyme-Garlic Butter
on Oct 07, 2018, Updated Oct 18, 2024
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Perfectly cooked ribeyes, seared on the stove, finished in the oven, and brushed with savory herb butter.
A perfectly cooked steak is what many people — with good reason — think of as a perfect meal. This is an easy seared ribeye recipe that’s started on the stovetop and then finished in the oven before it’s drizzled in a savory thyme-garlic butter. The butter is easy to make and a great way to finish off a grilled ribeye, too.
Either way, it’s an extremely classy take on a restaurant-quality steak dinner. But, other than remembering to salt the steak ahead of time (which is not a deal breaker, just recommended), it takes 30 minutes from start to finish.
Roast some potatoes once the oven is preheated, add a little sautéed spinach (cooked up while the steak is in the oven) or a green salad, and you have that perfect steak dinner in your own home.
Table of Contents
Ribeye Steak with Thyme-Garlic Butter is an extremely classy take on a restaurant-quality steak dinner.
Ingredients
- Ribeye steaks – Look for steaks that are about 1 1/2 inches thick. See the full ribeye cooking chart for the ideal internal temperature for steaks cooked to your preference of rare, medium-rare, or medium.
- Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper – Every steak should have these basic seasonings to bring out the beef’s flavor.
- Canola or vegetable oil – When pan-searing steak, use an oil that can withstand high temperatures to prevent a burnt taste.
- Unsalted butter – The base for the simple pan sauce.
- Garlic – Adds a nice flavor to the melted butter.
- Thyme – The fresh herb infuses the butter.
How to Make Ribeyes with Thyme-Garlic Butter
- Season the ribeyes: The night before cooking the steaks, salt and pepper them liberally, and put them on a plate (if you have a wire rack, place them on the rack over a plate). Refrigerate uncovered overnight.
Kitchen Smarts
Salting the ribeye a day before cooking draws out excess liquid from the steak (concentrating and developing the flavor) and gives the meat more ability to form a nice caramelized exterior. You can salt it an hour ahead, but the longer time allows the seasoning to get past the surface into the middle of the meat.
- Prepare the steaks: An hour before cooking the steaks, take them out of the fridge and allow them to come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat the oil in a large skillet (big enough to hold both steaks) over high heat. Pat the meat dry (important for searing and browning!).
- Pan-sear the ribeyes: Add the steaks to the pan. Sear for 4 to 5 minutes, until the bottom is nicely browned, then flip the steaks and brown for another 3 minutes. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for another 5 to 10 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 120 degrees F to 125 degrees F for rare and 125 degrees F to 130 degrees F for medium-rare. Remove the steak from the pan to a cutting board.
- Make the butter: Pour off any fat that accumulated in the pan, and place over medium-low heat. Add the butter, garlic, and thyme and stir just until the butter has melted and you can smell the garlic. Brush half of the seasoned butter over the resting steak and let sit for 10 minutes. Pour the rest of the butter into a small bowl.
- Serve: Slice the steak with a large, sharp knife and fan out the slices on a serving platter. Brush the slices of meat with the remaining melted butter.
What to Serve With Ribeyes in Thyme-Garlic Butter
More Steak Recipes
- Filet Mignon with Creamy Parmesan Mustard Sauce
- Marinated and Grilled London Broil
- Greek Salad with Flank Steak
- Balsamic-Marinated Skirt Steak
- New York Strip Steak with Jalapeño Butter
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Ribeye Steaks with Thyme-Garlic Butter
Ingredients
- 2 ribeye steaks (about 1 1/2 inches thick, and 1 to 1 1/4 pounds each)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon very finely minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- The night before cooking the steaks, salt and pepper them liberally, and put them on a plate (if you have a wire rack, place them on the rack over a plate). Refrigerate uncovered overnight.
- One hour before cooking the steaks, take them out of the fridge and allow them to come to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Heat the oil in a large skillet (big enough to hold both steaks) over high heat. Pat the meat dry and add the steaks to the pan. Sear for 4 to 5 minutes, until the bottom is nicely browned, then flip the steaks and brown for another 2 minutes. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for another 5 to 10 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 120 F to 125 F for rare, and 125 F to 130 F for medium-rare.
- Remove the steak from the pan to a cutting board, pour off any fat that has accumulated in the pan, and place over medium-low heat. Add the butter, garlic, and thyme and stir just until the butter has melted and you can smell the garlic (this will be quick as the pan will be quite hot). Brush half of the seasoned butter over the resting steak and let sit for 10 minutes. Pour the rest of the butter into a small bowl.
- Slice the steak with a large, sharp knife, and fan out the slices on a serving platter. Brush the slices of meat with the remaining melted butter.
Notes
- Salt the Meat
- Pat the Meat Dry
- Use an Oil with a High Smoking Point
- Turn on the Exhaust Fan!
