Pan-Fried Ribeye Steak

The cast of characters: lemon & pepper seasoning, Lawry’s seasoned salt, freshly ground black pepper, and kosher (or regular) salt.

Oh. And this.

Now, I’m just going to throw this question into the ether of the atmosphere of the universe: what is it about prepared seasonings such as lemon & pepper and Lawry’s seasoned salt that causes otherwise kind and understanding people to be filled with such ire? If it enhances the flavor of the food on which you’re sprinkling it, is that so wrong?

Because, umm…the lemon & pepper and the Lawry’s?

They’re starting to take it personally.

See? It’s tough being a prepared seasoning from the spice aisle. The food snobs can really make life unbearable for them.

But as always, they will support each other and carry on. And they’ll make the world of food a better place because of it.

I love it when seasonings talk to each other.

So basically, we’re going to make a rub. I usually do one tablespoon of Lawry’s…

To three tablespoons of lemon & pepper.

Then I add about 1 teaspoon of kosher salt (or 1/2 teaspoon table salt)…

And lots and lots of freshly ground black pepper.

Then I mix it together and observe a moment of silence for the food snobs of the world. I used to be one myself, you know.

Then I observe a moment of silence for this beautiful piece of meat on the plate in front of me. Boy, is that a beautiful ribeye.

See the little striations of fat (called “marbling”) throughout the meat? It provides unbeatable flavor and, I believe, more tenderness. There is some debate among the beef elites as to the validity of the marbling-tenderness connection, but I’m really in the "believer" camp. To me, marbling equals tenderness.

But I used to be a vegetarian, so don’t listen to me.

Now, sprinkle some of the rub on one side of the steak…

And rub it all over the surface.

Don’t be shy…really rub it in. This steak has been through a lot and deserves a nice massage before…well, you know.

Mmmm…this is not only making me hungry, it’s making me want a massage.

Now flip it over and rub the seasoning on the other side.

Grab a skillet and begin heating it over medium heat.

When it’s hot, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil…

And 1 tablespoon of butter. Using both olive oil and butter together slightly decreases the smoke factor and provides a nice sizzle for the fat on the outside of the steak. It’ll crisp it up a little.

And life isn’t worth living without a little crispy steak fat every once in a while.

Get it nice and hot; the butter needs to be brown.

With tongs, set the steak right onto the sizzling butter/oil mixture.

This is a pretty darn thick steak, so I’ll let it cook on the first side for about 2 minutes. The heat is still on medium at this point.

After I flip it over, I decrease the heat to medium-low to finish off the cooking. I wanted it higher at first to get a nice crispy sear on the outside, but now it needs to calm down and cook for a while. I cooked it about 2 1/2 more minutes after flipping it. Marlboro Man and I are both medium-rare folks.

Remember: you can’t go backward if you overcook the steak, so it’s better to err on the side of slightly undercooking it. You can always throw it back in the pan for another minute or two.

Oh, baby. Oh, baby…oh, mama…oh, Lord. You just really can’t ever know the wonder of this beauty until you prepare it in your own kitchen. I can’t wait for you do just that!

Now, of course, you can just serve the steak whole, right next to the roasted garlic mashed potatoes you just made.

But for Valentine’s Day, I want a more special presentation. So I slice the meat…

And just lay it over the mashed potatoes. Then I throw a pretty salad on the plate.

Now, at a later date I’ll be showing you how to make delicious pan sauces after frying steaks. But for now, there’s absolutely nothing inherently wrong with spooning just a tiny bit of the oil/butter/seasoning stuff from the bottom of your skillet. Because you can, that’s why.

Be sure to garnish the mashed potatoes with a couple of roasted garlic cloves.

Mmmmm. Do you realize how much your sweetie (or friend) is going to LOVE you after you place this deliciousness in front of them?

Don’t worry…you’ll find out soon enough.


Next Up! The most delectable chocolate pie I’ve ever eaten. Or made. Or imagined. Or heard about. Or read about. Or dreamed about. Amen.