Name: Pan Fried Ribeye Cap
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2 lb. Beef Ribeye Cap; 4 Garlic Cloves; 30g / 1 oz. Unsalted Butter; 4 Rosemary Sprigs; 4 Thyme Sprigs; 1 tbsp. Neutral Oil (Canola / Vegetable Oil); Salt

This wonderful cut of Steak has seen a huge surge in popularity in recent years. The Ribeye Cap, otherwise, simply known as the ‘Rib Cap’ is a beautiful cut of Beef attached to the Rib Eye. You will typically see it as part of a Ribeye Steak, the outer layer of the Steak that is the most tender and most flavorful. It’s a prized cut, perhaps the most prized cut of the Beef and it tastes amazing. In this recipe we’ll show you the best way to prepare this cut with a wonderful Pan Fried Ribeye Cap recipe

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Our weapon of choice for this dish is the classic Frying Pan

Nothing fancy is needed for this one pot dinner! Just your favorite frying pan will do the job! We do recommend using a heavy-bottomed frying pan, and preferably one that is oven safe. We’ll explain why a little later in the recipe

Because the Ribeye Cap is essentially cut from the Ribeye, it is best to prepare this cut in the same way that you would a beautiful Ribeye Steak. That is, of course, pan frying it with a load of Butter, Garlic, and Herbs!

There are 3 main components to consider when cooking a Pan Fried Ribeye Cap

This is by no means a difficult dish to make at home. Regardless, whenever you cook a prized cut of Steak such as this, it is always best to nail the technique to get the absolute best result possible. We guarantee if you implement these three simple steps you’ll be enjoying one of the best tasting Steaks you have ever eaten!

Steps to making a great Steak — Follow these three simple steps to guarantee the best cooked Steak you can imagine

Step 1: Ensure the Steak is at room temperature before cooking

This step is surprisingly controversial amongst steak aficionados. Many swear by the mandatory requirement to only cook a steak once it is at room temperature. Others disagree and prefer you cook the Steak cold

My perspective on this whole debate purely comes down to the cut of steak you are cooking with, and the technique you’re using. In this recipe we are pan frying a Steak that is quite thick, which means you should always cook it at room temperature. Cooking a thick cut of Steak cold means that the inside of the Steak will be undercooked (to the point of being raw) by the time the outside is already charred and dark brown

If you keep cooking it so that the internal part gets up to the right temperature, the outside is going to be charcoal. Thick cuts of Steak should always be cooked at room temperature. The same goes for oven roasting, always room temperature!

All you need to do is bring the Steak out of the refrigerator and simply leave it out for about 1.5 hours. You don’t need to do anything else, just let it hang around warming up!

Step 2. Add the Steak into a searing hot pan with some Neutral Oil in there

Add some Neutral Oil (such as Canola Oil or Vegetable Oil) to a large frying pan over the highest heat you can set your stove to. First, we use these types of Oils as it has a higher burn point. This means that it’ll take a higher heat before it burns. Never use Olive Oil for pan frying Steak, as it’ll burn

You want your pan to be hot. I’m talking smoking hot. This is a key step in ensuring you achieve that wonderful dark crust on the outer layer of the Steak. The hotter the initial temperature on the pan is, the better the final crust will be. So really crank that thing

Sea the Steak well on one side, ensuring that as much of that side of the Rib cap touches the hot pan. This will help with a nice, even crust. After about 5 minutes, flip it over and repeat on the other side

This step is going to cook the steak about 60 – 70% of the way through, and ensure you get the most beautiful looking crust in the process

Pan Fried Ribeye Cap with Chimichurri — Enjoy this wonderful Pan Fried Ribeye Cap with some delicious homemade Chimichurri Sauce

Step 3: Butter Basting to maximize flavor in your Pan Fried Ribeye Cap

This method of stovetop cooking is a classic for Steak and is highly considered the optimal method universally by Steak fans all around the world. Famous chefs through to home cooks alike all use this method, and we’ll share with you all how to do it if this is a new technique for you

Once you’ve seared each side of the Steak you want to drop the head down to a medium heat

For this step we want a more gradual heat on the Steak. This is because the Butter, Garlic, and Herbs are going into the pan. A lower heat will allow the Butter to melt and absorb the flavors of these beautiful aromatics without everything just burning

Once the Butter has melted, pool it into one side of the pan. You can tilt the pan a little bit to do this. Pool all the Garlic and Herbs end up in the Butter. This technique is simply infusing those flavors into the Butter

Then, get yourself a large spoon and simply ladle over that beautiful Butter straight onto the Steak. I like to tilt the pan a little bit towards me, as you can get more Butter in the spoon. Do this continuously for a few minutes, then flip the Steak and baste the other side

After a few minutes, check the internal temperature of the Steak. Once it hits a temperature of around 100 – 105F at the thickest part, take it off the heat and allow to rest

Step 4: Rest the Steak for at least 10 minutes before slicing

Ok there’s one more step I didn’t mention earlier. But as I write this recipe I realize just how important this step is as well. Always rest your Steak! This is particularly important for our Pan Fried Ribeye Cap Steak

Resting the Steak is critically important. First, what it allows is for the fibers in the Steak that have tightened up during cooking to relax. The less tight the steak is, you guessed it, the more tender it’ll be! Resting the Steak will also allow the juices in the Steak to settle and redistribute throughout the Steak. Again, resulting in a more tender bite

Finally, the Steak will continue to heat up / cook from the inside as it rests. For a larger cut of Beef such as a Rib Cap, resting for 10 minutes will increase the internal temperature of the Steak by up to 10 – 15F. So, for a perfectly cooked medium-rare we recommend taking the Steak off the heat at around 100 – 105F

Sliced Rib Cap on plate — If you are cooking a thicker, heavier cut of Rib Cap, it is best to finish off the dish in the Oven for an even cook throughout

If you are cooking an exceptionally large cut, it may be best to finish off the Steak in the oven

We know that it’s virtually impossible to get a very specific weighted cut of Beef from the store. The best they can do is get you one that’s ‘around’ the weight you’re after. For this recipe we’re looking at cooking a Rib Cap that comes in around the 2 lb. mark. If you are cooking a larger piece then it may be a good idea to finish off the Steak in the oven

Rib cap is a deceptive cut of Beef. At the store it’s a long, thin(ish) cut of beef that looks quite like a Flank Steak. However, once you hit it with some heat in the frying pan, the fibers in the Steak start to contract and the Steak begins to turn into a much thicker cut. It will begin to resemble more of a Chuck Roast after about 5 – 6 minutes in the pan

A simple, additional step may be required

For a 2 lb. Steak you can simply use the frying pan. However, if you’ve got a bigger cut, it’ll take a lot more cooking for it to be done. For these larger cuts its always best to sear it first in the frying pan, then finish it in the oven. This way you’ll cook it all the way through, and a lot more evenly too

So just use an oven safe pan (or transfer it onto a roasting tray) once you’ve browned the sides and give it about 10 – 15 minutes in the Oven at 375F. Constantly check the internal temperature of the steak for doneness, and then allow it to rest at room temperature as per the original recipe