Pan-Seared Ribeye Steak with Blue Cheese Butter Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to sear steaks in butter or oil? ›

Go for oil, it has a higher smoke point. You need a hot skillet to properly sear a steak, hot enough that a pat of butter will begin to burn before it melts completely. You don't want to sear your steak in burnt butter. So reach for some oil when searing steaks.

Fresh garlic, good olive oil, unsalted butter and maybe a fresh herb or two is all you need. If you have a cast iron or heavy skillet, that will be preferable to a non-stick pan. The cast iron will give your steak a perfect sear—and that equals flavor.

Add 2 tbsp unsalted butter to the top of each steak during the last few minutes of cooking, spooning butter over steak as it melts. Remove the steaks from the skillet and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes.

Hill, whose blog is aimed at helping families and homecooks master the art of grilling, told Tasting Table it's because "blue cheese is like the cool, edgy friend that always hangs out with the popular kid (aka steak)." He further explains, "The pungent flavor of blue cheese balances out the rich, beefy flavor of steak ...

The oil has a higher smoke point which means it won't burn when you crank the heat up high. The butter, however, gives it great flavor. Using both slightly decreases the smoke factor while providing a nice sizzle for the fat on the outside of the steak to crisp up.

Second, by the time your steak is ready the butter will have moved past browned and onto burnt, creating undesirable bitter flavors. Instead, start cooking your steak in the bare pan until it's about 20-30 degrees from your desired doneness, THEN add the butter.

Because of this, if you heat up a pan hot enough to sear your steak, putting a dollop of butter in first means it is likely to burn up. However, that doesn't mean you can't still get the delicious flavors of butter with your steak. Rather than using it as your cooking oil, considering using it as a finishing oil.

Sear first in oil and then add butter.

Starting the steak in a few tablespoons of vegetable oil gives it a nice initial crust. Waiting to add the butter until the steak has been seared for about 4 minutes helps prevent it from burning.

Use a spoon to pick up butter and pour it over steak, aiming at light spots. Continue flipping and basting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of tenderloin side registers 120 to 125°F (49 to 52°C) for medium-rare or 130°F (54°C) for medium, 8 to 10 minutes total.

What meat goes best with blue cheese? ›

FOR CREAMY BLUES: BEEF

Blue cheese has a natural meatiness that makes sweet love with some actual red meat. Use a creamy blue for easy melting and pop it on a burger or a roast beef sandwich. If you're feeling extra naughty, finish it off with a little bacon-onion jam. Try it with Cambozola, Chiriboga, or Cashel Blue.

What gives blue cheese its flavor? Blue cheese's distinct and often earthy flavor comes from the intentionally introduced fungi, Penicillium roqueforti.

Since it has such a soft texture, blue cheese melts quickly and completely, especially when served over hot pasta. With this dish, you don't want it to completely melt since it will top the steak, but you want to cook it until it's thick and creamy and still has some structure.

What all this means is that the best cooking medium for a steak is actually plain old oil. And make sure to use plenty of it so that your steak cooks nice and evenly. I like to use at least a quarter cup in a 12-inch skillet. Adding butter to the pan a few minutes before it's done cooking is a fine idea.

The secret: Placing the steaks in a cold nonstick skillet with no oil. This counterintuitive technique was developed by former Cook's Illustrated staffer Andrew Janjigian, who discovered a well-marbled cut doesn't need extra oil; enough fat comes out during cooking to help brown the beef.

Now, before you accuse restaurants of butter sabotage, let's talk about the "tenderizer" effect. The fat in the butter can help soften the meats' protein fibers, resulting in a more tender steak.