This is how you cook a ribeye steak in the oven. Get ready for a steak dinner tonight. It doesn’t take very much time and the results are amazing.
A quick sear in a cast-iron skillet gives a rich crust on this super flavorful steak. The steak is cooked in a hot oven in as little as 5 minutes then finished on the stovetop with a drizzle of buttery pan juices.
Cooked just right!
I love the tantalizing aroma of a thick steak sizzling over hot coals on an outdoor grill but in the dead of winter, it is going to be a cast-iron skillet and the oven!
Ribeye steaks
What beef lover doesn’t appreciate a perfectly cooked, juicy ribeye steak? And who doesn’t just love a fast and easy steak dinner with minimal cleanup? This oven-cooked ribeye steak is one of the best tasting, easiest, and fastest dinner options ever!
Helpful Tools
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- Cast iron skillet: A large 10-inch cast-iron skillet is heavy, it heats quickly, distributes an even heat. It is a budget-friendly, a great investment and lasts forever!
- Long-handled tongs or a pig-tail flipper: This is for flipping that sizzling steak. I actually like the pig-tail flipper better than the tongs.
- Oven-proof gloves: Remember, that handle on the skillet is also cast iron and you will want a reliable heatproof glove to grasp it with. We want the steak to be cooked, not your hand!
- Instant-read meat thermometer: ThermoWorks makes the best meat thermometers and this one registers the temperature in 1 second so you don’t have to hold your oven door open for long. You can also get a leave in thermometer.
How to Cook Ribeye Steak in the Oven
This is an overview of the process, be sure to scroll on down to the recipe card and the notes for full instructions.
- First, preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet until it is smoking hot. I like my round cast iron griddle for this method as it doesn’t have sides which makes it easy to flip the steak.
- To get a really good sear and a nice crust on the steak, pat both sides with a paper towel to remove the moisture. Then brush each side of the steak with oil, and season with salt and pepper.
- Lay that steak on the skillet and do not move it for 30 seconds, then flip it over and immediately transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Set the timer and cook for 5 minutes. There is no need to flip the steak again.
- Using heavy oven-gloves to protect you from the hot skillet handle, remove the skillet from the oven. Place it back on the stovetop on low heat. Turn the steaks and top each one with a thyme sprig and a tablespoon of butter. Tilt the skillet and spoon melted butter over the steaks.
Check for doneness with an instant-read thermometer and remove from the skillet when they are cooked to your desired doneness.
The steaks should rest for 5 minutes before serving. This will allow their juices to re-absorb and settle.
Tips for the best oven-cooked ribeye steak
To get the best results, we have a few tips to help you cook ribeye steak in the oven and get perfect results every time.
- Turn on your stove vent because this process is going to generate some smoke!
- Get the oven and your skillet super hot. The high temperature will cook the steak very quickly and create a delicious brown crust.
- Dry the moisture off the steaks. If the steaks are wet they will produce steam and you won’t get a good sear.
- Use a high smoke point oil such as avocado oil or canola oil.
- Use a thermometer to get the best results and cook the ribeye steaks to your preference. See the chart for doneness levels.
- Let the steaks rest. When they finish cooking, tent them with foil and let them sit for 5 minutes. That will re-distribute the juices.
Doneness Temperature for Your Ribeye Steak
| Doneness level | Pull Temp | Temperature |
|---|---|---|
| Rare | 115-125°F | 120-130°F |
| Medium rare | 125-130°F | 130-135°F |
| Medium | 130-140°F | 135-145°F |
| Medium-well | 140-150°F | 145-155°F |
| Well-done | 155°F + | 155-160°F |
How long do you cook a ribeye steak in the oven? That depends on how thick your steak is and how well you want it cooked.
When you use this chart and an instant-read thermometer, it doesn’t matter how thick your ribeye steak is. If you have a 3-inch thick ribeye, a 2-inch thick ribeye or you are not sure how thick it is, just cook it until the thermometer measures the desired doneness.
For the best results, use an instant-read meat thermometer and check the meat intermittently or use a leave-in meat thermometer so you don’t have to open the oven frequently. The above links are affiliate links from ThermoWorks . They make the best thermometers we have ever used and we highly recommend them.
What goes with an oven cooked ribeye steak?
A rich, juicy steak is always appreciated whether it is on a busy weeknight or the main event for a fancy dinner. A nice thick ribeye steak is one of our favorite cuts of beef and adapts well to any or all of the following suggestions:
- How about a Hasselback potatoes basted with garlic butter with crisp edges on each slice. Or some easy multi-colored sheet pan roasted potatoes flavored with rosemary and garlic.
- You absolutely need a crisp salad and our tossed green salad with gorgonzola and cranberries is delightful. The champagne vinaigrette dressing is easy to prepare, just add the ingredients to a jar, shake and pour.
- Adding a crunchy loaf of sourdough garlic bread and your favorite red wine would be a fine finish for this oven cooked ribeye steak.
How about Dessert?
This easy, one-bowl, mix-and-bake, chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting will be a big hit for dessert! You can choose to bake it for a round or square layer cake, a 9×13 cake or cupcakes.
That’s it folks, a fine restaurant-style, home-cooked dinner! Enjoy! ❤️
Some More Recipes You Will Love:
Steak and Lobster: Thick, tender Eye of the Ribeye Steak and sweet succulent baby lobster tails. Serve with garlic butter sauce, fresh horseradish aioli, lemon wedges, and sides of choice.
How to Cook a Tri-Tip Roast in the Oven: This budget-friendly cut of beef has very little fat. A two or three-hour marinade increases the flavor and tenderness of this flavorful cut of beef. Oven-roasted at a high temperature gives this tri-tip beef a rich crust and a moist and juicy center.
Beef Tenderloin Steaks with Garlic-Herb Compound Butter: Juicy beef tenderloin steaks cooked to a medium-rare and served with garlic-herb compound butter. The compound butter enhances the flavors of this tender cut of beef.
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Ribeye Steak in the Oven
Ingredients
- 2 ribeye steaks 16-oz. each and 1-1/2-inches thick
- 1 tablespoon oil see note
- Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3-4 thyme sprigs
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F Turn on your stove fan/vent
- Set a 10-inch cast iron skillet on the stovetop over high and heat for 5 minutes.
- Pat both sides of the steaks with paper towels to remove moisture.
- Brush the steaks lightly with oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Place steaks in skillet and sear for 30 seconds, using tongs, turn the steaks over and add the thyme sprigs. Do not sear after flipping but immediately transfer the skillet to the oven for 5 to 6 minutes.
- Return the skillet to the stovetop set over low heat. Turn steaks and top each with a tablespoon of butter. Tilt the skillet while spooning melted butter over the steaks for 2-3 minutes. Check for doneness with an instant read thermometer and remove from the skillet when they reach your desired doneness.
- Allow the steaks to rest for 5 minutes
- To serve, drizzle the steaks with the brown butter remaining in the skillet.
Notes
- Removing the steak from the fridge for 30 minutes will not bring it to room temp. Actually, a 30 minute rest will only raise the internal temp by a couple degrees. It is OK to pull it from the fridge and cook it immediately.
- Removing moisture with paper towels before seasoning/searing the steak is the best way to achieve a rich brown crust.
- The cast iron skillet is the best tool for this method as it delivers an even sear to the steaks.
- To prevent excess spattering and smoking do not add butter or oil directly into the hot skillet before adding the steaks.
- Brush the steaks lightly with a high-smoke oil such as sunflower, grapeseed, avocado or peanut.
- Sear only one side of the steaks for 30 seconds, the second side will sear from the pan heat and give a rich crust in the oven.
- Turn on your oven and stove vents and open the doors as the heat and smoke will set off the smoke alarms.
- Kosher salt is a great choice here.
- Use caution when transferring the hot skillet to/from the oven.
angiesrecipes
Wednesday 25th of March 2020
That looks PERFECT! Ribeye is my favourite :-)
Pat Nyswonger
Wednesday 25th of March 2020
Thank you, Angie!