Pan-Seared Butter Basted Ribeye Steak Recipe

This pan-seared, butter basted ribeye steak is packed with so much flavour. I have used ribeye on the bone, which is my favourite steak cut. The delicious umami-laden café de Paris-style butter poured over the cooked steak takes it to another level. Served with my oven-roasted smashed potatoes with brown butter and crispy sage, this is a show-stopper dinner.

You can use bone-in or boneless ribeye steak for this recipe. Adjust the cooking time based on how thick the meat is and whether it has a bone in it or not. The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the meat, so there is no exact time.

I developed this recipe using Kerrygold’s pure Irish butter, which I adore. It contains only three ingredients and is made from the milk of cows that graze on lush, green grass.

How to know when your pan-seared butter basted steak is cooked

A guide to tell when your meat is done, and when the internal temperature of the meat reaches the following temperatures. Use a meat thermometer to gauge accurately:

I used a seriously thick bone-in-aged ribeye steak from Ryan Boon. The quality of the meat you choose will have an impact on the success and flavour of this dish. Make sure you use the best you can.

It is essential to ensure the steak is almost done to the degree you like it before starting the butter-basting stage. I like to cook it in olive oil initially to give the meat a lovely crust. Make sure you cook the steak on the fat side too to render it off a bit. Baste and flip the steak throughout the cooking and the basting stage.

The herb and garlic-infused butter coats the steak adding delicious flavour and finishing off the cooking. Allow time for your steak to rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

The Herby café de Paris-style butter is a mix of the flavours I love, but you can make it any way you like. I didn’t want to add the curry, which is a traditional ingredient in café de Paris butter, and used garlic powder instead of raw garlic, which is too aggressive for me.

Pan-Seared Steak FAQs

How long do you cook a ribeye steak?

There is no single answer, which is why a thermometer beats a timer. A 3 cm thick steak takes roughly 3 to 4 minutes a side in a properly hot pan, then another 2 to 3 minutes of butter basting. A bone-in steak takes longer than boneless because the bone slows the heat getting to the middle. Go by temperature, not by the clock.

What pan should I use for pan-searing steak?

A heavy cast iron or thick-based stainless pan. You need something that holds its heat when the cold steak hits it, otherwise the pan drops in temperature and the steak stews rather than sears. Skip non-stick. It will not take the heat you need for a proper crust and the coating suffers.

Why baste steak in butter?

Basting does two things. The hot butter cooks the top of the steak at the same time as the pan cooks the bottom, so you get an even result without overcooking the outside. It also carries the garlic and herb flavour straight into the meat, which you cannot get by adding them at the end.

Should I use bone-in or boneless ribeye?

Both work in this recipe. Bone-in has more flavour and stays juicier, but it cooks more slowly and unevenly near the bone. Boneless is easier to judge and quicker to cook. I prefer bone-in when I have the time to pay attention to it.

Why do you add the butter at the end rather than the start?

Butter burns at searing heat. Sear in oil first to get the crust, wipe the pan out, then drop the heat and add butter for the basting. If you put butter in a smoking hot pan at the beginning, the milk solids burn and everything tastes bitter.

How long should steak rest?

At least 10 minutes. The juices redistribute and the temperature evens out, so you get a steak that is pink all the way through rather than grey at the edges. Rest it somewhere warm and do not cover it tightly, or the crust goes soft.

What is café de Paris butter?

A compound butter from Geneva, traditionally served over steak. It is butter mashed with herbs, anchovies, capers, mustard and a few other savoury things, which gives you a huge amount of flavour for very little effort. Mine is loosely based on it rather than the exact original.

Pan-Seared Butter Basted Ribeye Steak Recipe

How to make pan-seared butter basted ribeye steak with a herby café de Paris style butter sauce.

Print Recipe

Prep Time:10 minutes mins

Cook Time:10 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 2 500 to 600 grams ribeye steaks (about 1 to 1¼ lb) each
• Estimate 250 grams per person of actual steak
• Salt & Pepper
• Olive oil for frying
• 50 grams Kerrygold salted butter
• 1 – 2 garlic cloves peeled and bruised (but whole)
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme

Herby butter (sort of café de Paris)

• 80 grams Kerrygold salted butter
• 1 ½ tsp finely chopped parsley
• ½ tsp chopped fresh thyme
• 2 tsp capers chopped
• 2 anchovies
• ¼ tsp Dijon mustard
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• A few drops of Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions

• Make the café de Paris butter before you could the steak or while its resting. Add all the ingredients to a small bowl and mash them together until the anchovies have broken up and are well combined.
• Season the steak well on both sides with salt and pepper and allow to rest at room temperature for an hour or two before cooking (depending how hot the temp is).
• Add olive oil to a heavy skillet such as cast iron and heat. When its hot, sear the steak on all sides including the fat side. You can start with searing the fatty side of the steak to render this off. Flip the steak over a few times. This ensures the steak is more evenly cooked. When it is nearly done take it off the heat.
• Wipe down the pan to remove any oil or blackened bits.
• Put the pan back on a medium heat and add the butter to the pan along with the garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Allow the butter to bubble.
• Put the steak back into the pan and tilting it forward, baste it with the pan butter a few times on both sides until it has finished cooking. Keep flipping and basting. The infused butter flavours the meat so deliciously. Remove from the pan and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes.
• Slice the steak and put it on a platter. Add the café de Paris butter, and if necessary, heat with a blow torch or heat in the microwave until melted. Drizzle this over the meat.

Notes

Take the steak out the fridge an hour or two before cooking and season it generously on both sides. A cold steak cooks unevenly.

Gently melt the herby butter before pouring it over, or serve it in a bowl alongside.

Store leftover steak in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Slice it only when you are ready to eat, since whole pieces stay juicier.

To reheat without overcooking, let the steak come to room temperature first, then warm it in a dry pan over medium heat for about a minute a side, or in a 120°C / 250°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Leftover steak is also very good cold in a sandwich or sliced over a salad.

The herby butter keeps in the fridge for 2 weeks or freezes for 3 months. Roll it in baking paper into a log and slice off discs as you need them.

Gently melt the cafe de Paris butter before to drizzle over the meat or serve it on the side with the steak.

Servings: 4

*This post is proudly sponsored by Kerrygold.

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