Tips For Cooking A Steakhouse Dinner At Home

Simple tips for cooking a steak at home for half the price you would pay for dinner at a steakhouse. The tips will ensure the steak is cooked to perfection with a great char on the outside and juicy and cooked to your liking on the inside.

With the cost of dining out rising even more than grocery prices over the past year, you might be surprised the next time you open the menu at your favorite steakhouse. A ribeye steak at a nice restaurant can cost $35, $50, or more just for the meat alone. Potatoes and vegetables to go along with the steak all cost extra.

Click on any photo to enlarge a see a slide show

Ribeye Steak Cooked To Medium Rare

Ribeye Steak With Caramelized Bourbon Onions

Instead of going to a steakhouse, buy the best ribeye steak you can afford from the meat counter at your local grocery store or meat market and cook it at home. Seared over high heat in an ovenproof skillet on the stovetop to get a good char and then roasted in the oven until a perfect medium rare, you will end up with a juicy and delicious steak. Sliced and served with your favorite sides, you will have a meal for two as good as any steakhouse but costing less than what one steak typically costs.

Tips For Cooking A Ribeye Steak Like It’s From A Steakhouse

• Look for a large USDA prime ribeye that has nice marbling throughout. It should be cut about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches thick and weigh between l – 1 1/2 pounds which is enough for two people. Prime will be the best but a well marbled choice steak will also be good.
• Pat the steak dry with paper towels.
• Place the steak on a rack sitting on a plate and place uncovered in the refrigerator for 1 hour to air dry.
• Salt the steak enough that you can see it on the surface making sure to get around the edges and press into the meat to help it adhere.
• When cooking a thicker steak like a ribeye, it takes about 40 – 45 minutes to come to room temperature and for the salt to create a brine that flavors and tenderizes the steak and helps achieve a good crust.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Season the steak with freshly ground black pepper. As far as other seasoning to use, you can use a steak seasoning or garlic powder and onion powder but that’s up to your personal preference.
• Heat a heavy ovenproof skillet until it’s very hot, but not smoking, then drizzle some high heat oil in and leave for a moment. Sear the steak for 1-2 minutes on one side; flip with tongs and sear for 1-2 minutes on the other side. It’s tempting to keep checking the meat or flipping it but don’t. 
• Remove the steak to a plate, put a small rack over the skillet and then place the steak on the rack. Place in the oven and cook for another 5-8 minutes until a digital meat thermometer reaches the temperature for your desired doneness (125-130 F. for medium rare). A multi sensor thermometer is an invaluable cooking aid, see note below.
• Cooked to medium rare is just enough to allow the marbling or fat to melt into the meat and distribute the flavor and juices.
• It’s essential to take the steak out a few degrees before it reaches the desired internal temperature and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. (the steaks in the 3 photos were pulled at 123 F. and sliced when they reached 130 F. after resting) 
• For additional flavor, herb butter, hollandaise or your favorite steak sauce can be added after cooking. A topping of sautéed onions or mushrooms adds additional flavor, if you wish.

I believe good thermometers are invaluable for precision cooking and have been asked in the past which kind I use. I have several different kinds of thermometers that I use in the kitchen but for meats, it’s a Bluetooth multi sensor thermometer called a Meater 2 Plus*

It is a stainless steel probe with sensors that measure the temperature of the meat and monitors the ambient temperature in the oven. You choose the type of meat, select a target temperature and it alerts you to remove your meat a few degrees under the target temperature. It then continues to monitor the internal temperature while the meat rests, and alerts you when your meat is ready to eat.

*This is NOT a sponsored product and it is not an endorsement, it was bought online personally after seeing it used at a friend’s home.

NOTES FROM THE KITCHEN

****

While a ribeye is an expensive piece of meat to buy, as long as you take a few simple steps, you can end up with a wonderful, tender and delicious steak. Add potatoes and a green vegetable and you have a steakhouse dinner that is worthy of any celebration.