This One Cut Of Steak Can Feed Several People — Here's Exactly What To Buy

Cooking steak for the entire family doesn't have to mean buying a whole stack of beef and painstakingly preparing it to suit individual desires for doneness. If you are clever with your shopping list, a single piece of beef can feed the whole crowd with far less effort. We spoke with Michelle Wallace, chef, pitmaster, and owner and founder of B'tween Sandwich Co., who says that a large bone-in ribeye is all you need to feed the masses.

"A big bone-in ribeye, especially if it's a tomahawk, is made for sharing," she says. "You get beautiful marbling, tons of beefy flavor, and the dramatic presentation when you bring the whole thing to the tableside." Tomahawk steaks are great on the grill, with massive cuts of marbled beef and rib bone extending out like a handle. It is a striking dish as soon as it hits the table, and all tomahawk steaks need is simple seasoning to truly shine. The reason that this cut is ideal for groups, however, extends beyond its size and dramatic effect — it's also down to how it cooks.

Because of the large size, the different muscles in the cut, and the bone itself, these thick ribeyes provide some variation in doneness throughout the steak. "A ribeye is made up of two muscles: the cap and the eye," Wallace explains. The eye is denser, meaning that it cooks slower and will be rarer. The cap is more marbled, making it cook faster — it's a fattier cut that will likely be medium when the eye is rare. The variety of different microclimates within this single cut creates a perfect piece for every member of the group, regardless of differing doneness preferences.

Cooking one steak for a group creates a number of conveniences, but it can also lead to some of its own challenges. For example, while the portioning is relatively straightforward when you buy one steak per person, it can be less intuitive for a single large piece of meat. Fortunately, Wallace has plenty of suggestions for picking and preparing the perfect ribeye for your group.

"First thing I'm looking for is marbling," she says. "Those little ribbons of fat running through the meat are going to give you flavor, moisture, and tenderness. For sharing, I also want a steak with some real thickness, ideally around two inches or more." Tomahawk steaks aren't cheap, but a single thick, well-marbled cut like that gives you more control. The juicy result is perfect for divvying across the whole family's dinner plates. And if there's concern about the portioning, Wallace adds, "Don't be afraid to ask the butcher for help — tell them how many people you are feeding and let them cut something specifically for you."

As for the all-important cook, Wallace suggests using a two-zone fire or reverse-sear technique for such a steak. This method allows you to slowly bring the center of the meat to temperature before giving it a final sear to create that lovely dark crust. To ensure that everything comes out exactly right, she suggests using a meat thermometer and allowing the meat time to rest after it comes off the heat. "You spent good money on that ribeye," she says, "give those juices a minute to settle back into the meat before you cut into it."