The Perfect Bone In Ribeye Steak | How To Grill Rib Eye

Meat and fire...this is how it all began. We roamed the earth in search of food, then we discovered fire, and put the two together. The result? A bountiful sense of flavor and texture. Through my years of professional cooking I have had the opportunity to experiment with all kinds of cuts of beef, veal, lamb, pork, and even some exotic varieties of meats, IE, ostrich, alligator, even wild boar. The perfect steak for me is the bone in rib eye, this has the perfect balance of marbling and meaty flavorful flesh. Another term for rib eye bone in is the cowboy steak, which usually has an extra long frenched rib bone. It is not necessary to french the bone, this type of presentation is usually found at your upscale restaurant for a dramatic plate presentation.

Rib Eye Bone In

When it comes to cooking the perfect steak I recommend grilling rib eye bone in. This provides extra moisture and enhanced flavor and cooking the meat medium rare to medium over dry heat will slowly melt the fat and add another level of intensity of flavor. If you have a butcher in your neighborhood, ask if the beef has been dry or wet aged. You will want dry aged versus wet. The difference is substantial, dry aged beef at the minimum sits at least 28 days . This may sound scary but is perfectly safe.

What this does is break down the enzymes producing a tender cut. Wet age is basically cut and stored at refrigeration temperature thus stopping any breakdown of flesh, making the meat a little tougher and less flavorful. When selecting your rib eye bone in steak make sure they are vibrant red with marbling throughout the steak. I like to make sure the weight is between 10oz to 14oz, when you add in account the weight of the bone and shrinkage your actual weight will be between 8oz to 9oz. Though you can find cuts ranging from 12oz to 24oz. for the true carnivores.

To achieve a moist, intensely flavored rib eye bone in cut, I begin the day before. Now this is a simple method that provides all the elements of the perfect steak, tenderness, flavor, and the the delicate balance of seasoning that will not over power the meat, keep the steak recipe simple, so the flavor of the meat melts in your mouth.

Kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, unsalted butter, is all I put on my rib eye steak. To prep the steaks, generously salt and pepper both sides of the rib eye steak and place on a non alumunim platter, cover with plastic wrap and let sit in referigerator for 24 hours. This allows the salt and pepper time to penetrate and flavor the meat all through the flesh. Prior to heating up the grill, remove steaks from refer, and let sit at room temp uncovered for one to two hours, depending on thickness, A good test to know they are ready is to lightly press the flesh, it should carry the same consistency as room temp buttter, this indicates the fat in the steak has reached the desired grilling stage.

Perfect Grilled Steak

To achieve a perfect grilled steak it is important to start with a clean grill and thoroughly understand how to cook large cuts of steak like the rib eye bone in. If not done properly you will end up with a dry, chewy texture and a burnt flavor. So let's look at how to set up your grill for the perfect grilled steak. I am a charcoal girl all the way, it provides a smokey depth of flavor while getting in touch with my caveman roots. Gas or charcoal, I use the indirect cooking method, especially with large cuts of meat. This simply means you will have two heat zones on your grill, the 123 hot side, meaning you can only hold your hand for a maxiumum of 3 seconds, and the indirect side. On the gas grill this side is on very low heat about 300 degress. When using charcoal, after achieving your ambers, rake them to one side of the grill.

Next place the bone in rib eyes over the 123 side and sear both sides locking in flavor and moisture, then move over to the indirect side and cook to medium rare or medium occasionally turning for even cooking. When you have reached desired doneness place a 2 tablespoon pat of unsalted butter on the meat and remove from heat. Let the meat rest about 10 minutes. This allows the juices to reconstitute with in the fat and meat maintaining flavor and moisture, and allows the butter to slowly baste the steaks.

A full bodied cab compliments the perfect bone in ribeye steak, you could even use a cab-merlot blend. I always refer to my local farmers market to see what is in season as far as sides go, grilled asparagus is always a perfect match, served along side with an arugula salad. The peppery green will marry well with the hearty steak, the sweetness of asparagus, and is a great palate cleanser for your full bodied wine. If you are not a wine drinker, choose a dark or blonde wheat ale, which is a great thirst quencher on those hot summer nights.

Happy Grilling!