Cooking Ribeye Steak Right From The Fridge Is A Recipe For Failure

When it comes to indulging in a juicy ribeye for dinner, odds are you'll want to dig into your steak as soon as possible. It's worth noting, however, that making a scrumptious steak does require a certain amount of time and patience. In fact, one of the most crucial mistakes to avoid when cooking ribeye steak is taking it straight out of the fridge and tossing it in a pan. Just as important as it is to rest a steak once you've finished cooking it, you must start by allowing it to reach room temperature. 

This can be achieved by removing your steak from the fridge and letting it rest for at least half an hour prior to cooking. Given the texture, thickness, and marbling of a ribeye, this process is essential to ensure even cooking for your steak. Additionally, the time spent tempering your ribeye before cooking it can also be used to apply a marinade or dry rub and let the flavors have more time to permeate the meat. 

Knowing why you shouldn't cook a steak straight from the fridge is just one part of the equation to creating a perfect ribeye meal. Before resting the raw meat, dab any residual juices with a dry paper towel. It's also a good idea to place the steaks on a plate or tray and set a timer for 30 minutes while you do any other prep work.

Take the example of a bone-in ribeye with rosemary, garlic, and thyme recipe. This requires between four hours to an entire overnight stay in the refrigerator for the steaks to marinate. With that said, it is still necessary to let the meat rest on the counter until it reaches room temperature before searing the steaks in a cast-iron skillet. This will allow the steaks to achieve optimal taste and texture as well as your preferred level of doneness.

Given the time and effort spent to perfect your ribeye steaks, you'll want to consider a few other tips for a truly satisfying meal. Resting is a requisite both before and after cooking your steaks for an enjoyable dish, even if it means waiting a little bit longer in lieu of tucking into your food right away. Letting your steaks rest for between 10 to 15 minutes allows the residual heat and juices to redistribute before you cut into your delicious ribeye.

Having patience to rest your steaks also gives you time to make other preparations as far as side dishes and plating. Saute mushrooms and make a peppercorn sauce to serve on top of or alongside your steaks, let a couple pats of compound butter begin to soften, or toss a spring mix salad in a bold and bright vinaigrette. Anyway you want to have your next ribeye meal, your patience will surely pay off.