Pan-Seared Rib Eye
These splurge-worthy rib eyes are perfect for a celebratory meal during the winter holidays. Here, we use ghee, a type of clarified butter. Not only does it provide a rich nutty flavor, but it also has a high smoking point and won’t burn as quickly as regular butter, making it ideal for searing meat.
Ingredients
- 2 bone-in rib eye steaks (each 3/4 to 1 lb./340 to 450 g), preferably grass-fed
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3 Tbs. ghee
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- Flaky sea salt
- Pink peppercorns for garnish (optional)
- Herbed compound butter, store-bought or homemade for serving
Directions
Pat the steaks dry, place on a wire rack set inside a baking sheet and bring to room temperature.
Season the steaks on both sides with kosher salt and pepper. In a large fry pan over medium-high heat, warm 2 Tbs. of ghee until smoking. Add the steaks and cook, without moving them, until a deep brown crust forms, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining 1 Tbs. of the ghee to the pan, then turn the steaks and cook until a brown crust forms on the other side, about 2 minutes.
Using tongs to hold the steaks upright, sear the sides, including the fat cap, until nicely browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of each steak, away from the bone, registers about 118°F (47°C), about 2 minutes. Lay the steaks down in the pan and add the thyme sprigs.
While tilting the pan, use a large, shallow spoon to baste the steaks with the ghee and thyme, cooking each steak until the internal temperature registers about 125°F (52°C) for rare, about 1 minute. If the thyme begins to burn, place the sprigs on top of the steaks.
Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes (as they sit, they will continue cooking to medium-rare, 129°F/54°C), then cut into slices and transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and garnish with pink peppercorns. Serve the steaks with a few grindings of pepper and a pat of compound butter. Serves 4.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen