Recipe Background
A cowboy-inspired steak, with herbal buttery richness, marks a new start.
The memory of this steak dates back to when I accepted a significant promotion that required relocating to the heart of Texas. It was a move that signified not just career advancement but adapting to a completely new way of life. On my first weekend there, my neighbor, proudly Texan and overflowing with hospitality, invited me over for a backyard barbecue. It was there that I tasted what he called 'the real cowboy steak,' cooked to perfection in a cast-iron skillet over the open grill. The smoky aroma mingled with fresh herb-infused butter, and I knew I had to make this my own.
Determined to recreate that unforgettable first meal in my new Texan home, I sought out the perfect bone-in rib-eye from the local butcher, learning the secret was in the simplicity of kosher salt and fresh black pepper before hitting the hot skillet. My neighbor's tip of generously basting with butter and herbs utterly transformed the flavor, while using tongs to ensure the fatty edge browned evenly added a professional touch. As I now gather friends around my own grill, sharing laughter and stories over sizzling steaks, I smile knowing that simple, well-seasoned methods can turn even the most daunting transitions into joyful beginnings.
Ingredients
- 1 (1 1/2-2-pound 2-inch-thick) rib-eye or porterhouse steak, bone-in
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 8 fresh mixed herb sprigs such as thyme, oregano, and rosemary
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
Directions
- Preheat the grill to high heat, about 400-450 degrees F.
- Place a 12-inch cast-iron skillet on the hot grill and allow it to preheat, covered with the grill lid, for 15 minutes.
- Season the steak generously on both sides with the salt and the black pepper.
- Remove the grill lid and carefully add the oil to the hot skillet on the grill and allow the oil to heat until it is smoking
- Using tongs, carefully add the steak to the hot oil and cook, uncovered, until the bottom is dark brown and crusty, about 10 minutes.
- Using tongs, carefully turn the steak onto the fatty edge in the skillet, holding it upright, and cook until the fatty edge is browned, about 2 minutes.
- Flip the steak so the uncooked side is down and close the grill lid.
- Cook the steak until it reaches an internal temperature of 125 degrees F, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add the butter, the mixed herb sprigs, and the garlic cloves to one side of the hot skillet and cook until the butter foams, about 2-3 minutes.
- Tilt the skillet slightly and using a spoon, carefully spoon the butter-herb mixture over the top of the steak about 20 times.
- Transfer the steak, the garlic cloves, and the mixed herb sprigs to a platter.
- Allow the steak to rest until it reaches an internal temperature of 135 degrees F for medium-rare doneness, about 5-10 minutes.
- Slice the steak against the grain and serve.
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