nicholai vogel
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Cast-iron-Ribeye

4 min read

“The best fucking steak you can make in a cast iron skillet”

Ingredients:

  • Ribeye Steak
    • For non-grassfed beef (e.g., from Walmart), look for a cut with good fat marbling. Corn-fed cattle produce fat with higher sugar content, giving it a richer flavor.
    • For grassfed beef, opt for a leaner cut with less marbling. The fat in grassfed beef can be more inconsistent in taste.
  • Butter: 8 tablespoons
  • Soy Sauce or Teriyaki Sauce:
    • Use Kikkoman soy sauce or your preferred teriyaki sauce.
  • Olive Oil
  • Seasonings:
    • Bolner’s Fiesta Brand Texas Style Steak Seasoning
    • Kinder’s Buttery Steakhouse Seasoning

Equipment Checklist:

  • Cast Iron Skillet
  • Tongs
  • Fork (for tenderizing)
  • Spoon (for basting)
  • Cutting board
  • Oven mitt (for safety)

PHASE I: PREP & MARINADE:

  • Tenderize the Steak - Place your thawed ribeye on a cutting board. Using a fork, repeatedly pierce the surface of the meat, covering as much of the surface area as possible. Avoid stabbing the large sections of fat, as they will break apart. Flip the steak and repeat on the other side. Continue until the surface area has visibly increased-roughly 1.5 times its original size.
  • Olive Oil Massage - Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of olive oil over one side of the steak. Using your fingers, firmly massage the oil into the meat, working it into the “pores” from the tenderizing process. It should feel like giving the steak a deep-tissue massage-expect this to get messy. Repeat on the other side.
  • Soy Sauce Infusion - Repeat the massage process using soy sauce. You can be generous here; the goal is to coat the meat thoroughly and let it absorb the sauce. The steak should appear slightly darker when fully covered.
  • Marinate - Place the steak in an airtight container (such as a Tupperware) and refrigerate. Do not freeze at this stage.
  • Let It Rest - Allow the steak to marinate for at least 30 minutes. For best results, let it sit for about 2 hours. Avoid marinating for more than 6 hours to avoid the steak having too much of a soy sauce taste.
    Optional Tactical Note: For long-term deployment, seal in freezer-safe zip bag. Keep as “emergency steak” stockpile.

PHASE II: COOKING:

  • Preheat your cast iron skillet over medium-low heat (about 35% power) for 10 minutes. This ensures even heating throughout the pan.
  • Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the warmed skillet. The butter should melt smoothly and begin to lightly bubble.
    • If the butter browns in under 30 seconds or begins to pop aggressively, reduce the heat slightly-your pan is too hot.
  • Once you’ve found a stable temperature, add an additional 3-4 tablespoons of butter. Let it melt completely and evenly coat the pan.
  • Take your prepped steak out of the refrigerator. Generously season one side with a mixture of 75% Fiesta Brand seasoning and 25% Kinder’s seasoning.
  • Ensure the butter is evenly distributed, then place the steak seasoned-side down into the skillet. You should hear a distinct and satisfying sizzle.
  • With the unseasoned side now facing up, season it generously with the same seasoning blend (75% Fiesta, 25% Kinder’s).
  • As the steak cooks, keep the following in mind to ensure the best results:
    • Let the first side cook for 6-8 minutes.
    • While it cooks, begin basting: scoop the hot butter from the pan and gently pour it over the top of the steak using a spoon. Use the back of the spoon to press/spread the butter into the surface.
    • Tilt the skillet slightly so the butter pools in one area for easier scooping.
      • I like to rotate the steak around so the fatty sides can sit in this pool of hot butter.
    • It’s absolutely okay to add more butter as needed. The reason for reserving the additional 3-4 tablespoons earlier is so you can maintain enough melted butter in the pan for continuous basting. There should always be a small pool of butter to work with.
    • Basting is the most important part of this process. It builds rich flavor and helps develop a beautiful crust. Too little butter will leave the steak dry and bland. When in doubt, err on the side of more butter.
  • After 6-8 minutes of cooking on the first side, flip the steak and repeat the basting process on the second side.
  • Cook the second side for about 6 minutes, continuing to baste generously.

PHASE III: MISSION COMPLETE

Extract steak. Let rest several minutes. Serve.

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