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This pan fried ribeye is the ultimate meat lover’s entree. It is cooked to perfection with a crusty, salty exterior and pan fried in a flavorful compound butter.
Cooking steak properly is the key to the ultimate juicy and tender steak, and it couldn’t be easier!
For this pan fried ribeye, I’ve used hot and sizzling cast iron as my cooking vessel of choice, and only salt and black pepper as seasonings (to let the flavor of the meat shine front and center) and to add a little something special to the pan, I’ve used my garlic herb compound butter right at the end, to make the most savory and scrumptious sauce from the pan drippings.
Whether it’s a romantic dinner for two or a cozy holiday dinner, pan fried ribeye is the perfect choice for a special meal.
Trust me, once you have mastered this simple recipe for this pan fried ribeye, you’ll never have to go out to the steakhouse again!
Ingredients for pan fried ribeye
- 2 (12 ounce) ribeyes – Ribeyes are juicy and tender, which makes them perfect for this pan fried preparation!
- Kosher salt and black pepper – I’ve used only salt and pepper on the pan-fried ribeyes so that the steaks’ flavor doesn’t get muddled in other flavors.
- Compound butter – My garlic herb compound butter uses garlic, rosemary, and thyme to make a savory and herbaceous pan sauce and helps keep the steak moist.
- Avocado oil – This oil has a high smoke point, so our steaks can properly sear.
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How to pan fried ribeye steak
First, you’ll need a cast iron pan, set over medium-high heat with your avocado oil until it starts to smoke.
Be sure to pat your ribeyes dry with paper towels. Season them with salt and pepper, and place them in the cast iron.
Flip steaks every 30 seconds for 5 minutes.
Once you have just a minute left, add the compound butter and use it to baste the steaks.
Let the steaks rest for 10 minutes before cutting into them, and enjoy!
Why use ribeye steaks?
Ribeye steaks are a favorite for a reason!
The steaks come from the cow’s upper rib area and are marbled perfectly to have a good amount of fat.
This marbled fat ensures that the meat of the ribeye is juicy and tender throughout.
If you can’t find ribeyes, feel free to substitute with a NY strip steak. It has similar marbling, but the NY strip steak is a little firmer in texture.
Why use avocado oil?
Using an oil with a high smoke point is important here because we need the cast iron to get super hot (around 450 degrees F); if we were to use an oil that didn’t have a high smoke point (like olive oil), it would burn and smoke and ruin the dish.
Here are other oils with high smoke points that can be used here:
- Grapeseed oil
- Safflower oil
- Sunflower oil
- Canola oil
- Corn oil
- Peanut oil
- Ghee (or clarified butter)
What to serve with ribeye steak
Listen, if given the right scenario, I would be happy to eat a steak with zero sides.
However, we live in a civilized society, so here are a few delicious options:
- Roasted Asparagus
- Air Fryer Roasted Potatoes
- Chopped Kale Caesar Salad
- The Best Baked Sweet Potatoes
- On The Stalk Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Storage and leftovers
Any leftover pan fried ribeye can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
To reheat, you can place the ribeye in the oven at a low temperature(250-300 degrees F) and heat thoroughly.
More meat entree recipes
- Looking for an impressive main course for a holiday dinner? Try my Garlic Rosemary Roast Leg of Lamb
- Enjoy the balance of sweet and savory? Try my Roast Pork Loin with Dried Fruit Compote
- Making good use of your
air fryer ? Try my Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin - Want an easy and delicious roast? Try my Meyer Lemon Mayonnaise Roasted Chicken
Pan Fried Ribeye Steak
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, or other high smoke point oil
- 2 12 ounce ribeye steaks
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup compound butter
Instructions
- Add oil to a 12-inch cast iron skillet and preheat to 450 degrees F. On most stoves, this is medium high heat. The oil should be just barely smoking.
- Pat both sides of the ribeye dry and season with salt and pepper.
- Set a timer for 5 minutes, and move one of the steaks to the pan. Flip repeatedly, every 20-30 seconds, for 5 minutes.
- With one minute left in cooking, add 1 tablespoon of compound or regular butter to the pan and spoon over steak.
- Once the 5 minutes are up, remove from the heat and cover with aluminum foil for 10 minutes to rest before cutting.
- Optional: serve with more compound butter.
Notes
- I’m using my homemade garlic herb compound butter for this recipe, but you can use plain salted butter if you’re not a fan of compound butter.
- A well-seasoned 12-inch cast iron is the best option for this recipe. However, if you do not have a cast iron skillet, you can use any skillet that can handle high heat – 450 degrees F- in its place.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Lemon Herb Butter Pan Fried Ribeye
Ingredients
For lemon herb butter:
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon minced rosemary
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
For steak:
- 2 1-1/2 inch thick ribeye steaks
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh cracked pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
For lemon herb butter:
- Mix all ingredients together, and set aside until ready to use.
For steaks:
- Evenly coat your steaks with kosher salt and black pepper, set aside.
- In a large heavy duty skillet set over medium high heat add butter and vegetable oil. When the butter is melted and the mixture is hot add the 2 steaks to the pan. You should hear a very nice sizzling noise.
- Cook for about 4 minutes, flip and cook for another 4-5 minutes until medium rare. The cook time can depend on how rare or well done you like your meat.
- Let it rest for at least 5 minutes, top with a pat of herb lemon butter and devour.
This was so delicious! I made it for my dad and he loved it. I’m new to cooking meat so I appreciated the clear directions!
The addition of the compound butter made this just really pop. it was perfect for our smaller holiday dinner.