Ribeye
A ribeye is a steak cut from the rib primal of the steer. It is mostly the longissimus muscle (the eye) plus the spinalis (the cap). Heavy marbling makes it rich and forgiving, and it cooks best with fast, dry heat: a pan-sear, the grill, or a reverse sear for thick steaks.
Where does the ribeye come from?
The ribeye is cut from the rib primal, the same section that gives you a standing rib roast. A boneless ribeye is essentially a single slice of that roast. Cut with the rib bone still attached, it is usually sold as a rib steak or, with a long frenched bone, a tomahawk.
What is the ribeye cap?
The cap is the spinalis, the crescent of muscle that wraps around the outside of the eye. It is loosely grained, well marbled, and many cooks consider it the best bite on the steer.
How should you cook a ribeye?
Use high, dry heat to build a crust. For steaks up to about 1½″ thick, a pan-sear or a hot grill works well. For thicker steaks, a reverse sear gives even pink from edge to edge. Try your exact steak in the planner below.
Plan your ribeye
- Pull at
- 120 to 125°F
- Final center
- 130°F
- Rest
- 5 to 10 min
Watch it cook
About 8 to 14 minutes in the pan for a 1½″ steak (America's Test Kitchen, Serious Eats).
The animation is a heat-transfer simulation of the inside of the steak, not a timer. Stoves and grills vary, so cook to temperature: check the center with an instant-read thermometer.