How to Make a Tender Ribeye Steak

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Tender Ribeye Steak w/ corn and potatoes
photo by craigulator licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Ribeye is a favorite cut of beef because it is loaded with fat marbling that gives it a good flavor and a wonderful mouth feel. Coming from the rib area of the beef steer, the muscle tissues are fairly tender already, making it a great choice for quick cooking methods like grilling or frying. 


Ribeye is better when it is cooked to medium rare, with just a bit of pink in the middle. To achieve this level of cooking perfection, aim for 130 degrees Fahrenheit on your meat thermometer. Do invest in a meat thermometer to keep from over or undercooking this cut of meat. 

How to Tenderize Ribeye Steak 

Because a ribeye is generally a fairly tender cut of meat, you don’t have to dramatically tenderize it. But, it can benefit from certain tenderizing methods. To tenderize a ribeye, you have several options. Marinades that contain ingredients like lemon juice or apple cider vinegar help break down connective tissues. Other ingredients like pineapple juice contain enzymes that tenderize meat. You can add  ingredients to a marinade to increase the flavor in the meat, such as Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and herbs and spices. Soak the steak in the marinade for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Another way to tenderize the steak is to pound it with a meat mallet. Use the spiky side of a meat mallet to pound it lightly in a circular pattern. Then, flip the steak and pound the other side. Because ribeye is already fairly tender, you should only pound it a bit to keep from changing the texture of the meat. You can also use a needle meat tenderizer to puncture the steak all over. 

You can cook ribeye low and slow to tenderize it, but for such an expensive cut of meat, you probably want to grill it or fry it. Low and slow is more appropriate for tougher cuts of steak, like a chuck steak.

What Is Tenderizing?

Tenderizing breaks down the connective tissue in the muscle. When you tenderize a steak, you make it easier to cut and chew. Because tenderizing often involves seasoning and marinades, it can add extra flavor to the steak. 

Before You Tenderize

Before you can tenderize a ribeye steak, there are a few things you need to do with the meat for optimal results. First,  thaw the meat if it is frozen by putting it in the refrigerator the night before you want to eat it. Next, pat the meat dry with a paper towel on all sides. Finally, trim any excess fat from the edges. Not all of the edge fat needs to be removed, but larger, thicker layers should be trimmed back to 1/4 inch thickness. Next, slash the fat up to but not into the muscle tissue every inch or so. This will keep the steak from curling up as you cook it. 

Tips for Perfection

To have the perfect steak, the marinade and seasonings are just a part of the cooking process. These tips can give you the best steak!

  • Always fully thaw your steaks before you begin. 
  • Remove your steaks from the fridge and let them sit out at room temperature for about half an hour before you cook. You want the steaks to be room temperature before they go on the grill.
  • Drizzle some olive oil or butter on the steaks before you cook them. Doing this will help the seasonings stick to the steak.
  • Always preheat the grill, broiler, or skillet before you add the meat.

Prep

To prepare to cook the steak, preheat the grill, oven, or pan so it is very hot. Have your seasonings nearby, as well as your meat thermometer. Cooking a ribeye doesn’t take long, so you don’t want to be searching for your tools. 

Cooking

The biggest thing to remember when cooking ribeye is to not overcook it. If your ribeye has a lot of fat on it, be sure to watch for flare ups on your grill, or better yet, trim off some of the fat along the outer rim of the meat. Otherwise, you risk burning the outside of the meat. Ribeye is best cooked with a bit of pink in the middle, so rare, medium, or medium rare are best choices for having the most tender ribeye steak. 

When you cook the steak, you want to sear the outside over very well first thing to seal the juices inside the meat.

Seasoning and Marinating Ribeye Steak

Ribeye accepts most marinades very well. Marinades for ribeye could include a combination of lemon juice, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, or basil, along with many others.

Seasonings to make a tasty ribeye might include rosemary, paprika, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper or red pepper. 

Juicy and Tender Ribeye Steak

 Ingredients

Marinade Ingredients

  • 2 to 4 ribeye steaks one inch thick, trimmed
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic, or 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Seasoning Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon flaked sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
  • Olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

  • Add all of the marinade ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
  • Put the marinade in a gallon-sized ziptop bag and add the steaks.
  • Seal the bag and put it in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight.
  • Remove the steaks from the fridge about a half hour before cooking. 
  • Stir the seasoning ingredients, except for the butter and olive oil, together in a small bowl. Set this near where you will be cooking the steaks.

To cook on the grill:

  • Preheat the grill to high heat.
  • Remove the steaks from the marinade, brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with seasoning.
  • Place the steaks on the grill and cook them for 4 to 6 minutes per side.
  • Check the steaks with your meat thermometer and remove them when they are 130 to 135 degrees.
  • Dot the tops with butter and tent aluminum foil over them.
  • Let the steaks rest for about 5 to 8 minutes before serving. 

To cook in a pan:

  • Preheat a heavy cast iron or ovenproof pan over medium heat.
  • Turn your oven on to 400 degrees.
  • Take the steak from the marinade and lightly pat it dry.
  • Sprinkle with the seasonings and place in the pan. Sear the meat well for 2 minutes per side to brown it.
  • Place the pan into the oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven, place the steaks on a plate to rest.
  • Dot them with butter and cover with aluminum foil, letting them rest for about 10 minutes. 
  • Serve.

Notes

  • As you’re cooking, do not press the steak.
  • It’s best to remove the steak when it is a few degrees cooler than you want it to be, since it will continue to cook after you remove it from the grill.
  • Let the steak rest for about 5 minutes before serving it to allow the juices to reabsorb into the muscle tissue.

Conclusion

Ribeye is an amazing cut of beef, and when you learn to tenderize it properly, you can take a good steak and turn it into a great steak!

tender marinated ribeye steak

Juicy and Tender Ribeye Steak

Course Main Course

Ingredients
  

Marinade Ingredients

  • 2-4 1 inch thick, trimmed ribeye steaks
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic, or 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Seasoning Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp flaked sea salt
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp dried parsley flakes
  • olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter

Instructions
 

  • Add all of the marinade ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine
  • Put the marinade in a gallon-sized ziptop bag and add the steaks
  • Seal the bag and put it in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight
  • Remove the steaks from the fridge about a half hour before cooking
  • Stir the seasoning ingredients, except for the butter and olive oil, together in a small bowl. Set this near where you will be cooking the steaks

To Cook on the Grill:

  • Preheat the grill to high heat
  • Remove the steaks from the marinade, brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with seasoning
  • Place the steaks on the grill and cook them for 4 to 6 minutes per side
  • Check the steaks with your meat thermometer and remove them when they are 130 to 135 degrees
  • Dot the tops with butter and tent aluminum foil over them
  • Let the steaks rest for about 5 to 8 minutes before serving

To Cook in a Pan:

  • Preheat a heavy cast iron or ovenproof pan over medium heat
  • Turn your oven on to 400 degrees
  • Take the steak from the marinade and lightly pat it dry
  • Sprinkle with the seasonings and place in the pan. Sear the meat well for 2 minutes per side to brown it
  • Place the pan into the oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes
  • Remove from the oven, place the steaks on a plate to rest
  • Dot them with butter and cover with aluminum foil, letting them rest for about 10 minutes
  • Serve

Notes

  • As you’re cooking, do not press the steak.
  • It’s best to remove the steak when it is a few degrees cooler than you want it to be, since it will continue to cook after you remove it from the grill.
  • Let the steak rest for about 5 minutes before serving it to allow the juices to reabsorb into the muscle tissue.
*photo by craigulator licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Cooking Tender Steak FAQs