Grilled Rib-Eye Steaks with Chipotle Butter

Celebrate Dad by grilling him a decadent rib-eye steak, considered by many the tastiest of all since it has more marbling than New York strip, T-bone, and even porterhouse steaks. Many chefs—even committed enthusiasts of rare steak—believe that rib-eye steaks are more delicious when cooked to medium-rare rather than very rare or rare.

 

Grilled Rib-Eye Steaks with Chipotle-Lime Butter

 

For the Chipotle-Lime Butter:

1 cup (8 oz./250 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into chunks

1 canned chipotle chile in adobo, plus 1 tsp. adobo sauce

Zest of 1 lime, removed in strips with a vegetable peeler

2 tsp. fresh lime juice

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro

 

4 well-marbled bone-in rib-eye steaks, each about 1 lb. (500 g) and 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) thick

Olive oil for brushing

Lime wedges for serving

 

To make the chipotle-lime butter, place the butter, chile and sauce, and lime zest and juice in a food processor. Add 1/4 tsp. salt and a grinding or two of pepper. Process, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until blended thoroughly. Add the cilantro and pulse to blend.

 

Place a 30-inch (76-cm) piece of plastic wrap on a work surface. Place large dollops of the butter down the center, spacing them close together. Bring up a long side of the plastic wrap and use it to gently mold and smooth the butter into a cylinder about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter. Wrap securely in the plastic and freeze for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 month. If the butter has been frozen for longer than 1 hour, remove it from the freezer 30 minutes before serving.

 

Remove the steaks from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

 

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for direct-heat grilling over high heat, or preheat a cast-iron stove-top grill pan over high heat. Brush both sides of each steak sparingly with oil. Season one side generously with salt. Place the steaks, salted side down, on the grill rack over the hottest part of the fire, or in the grill pan, and cook without moving them for 2 1/2 minutes. Move the steaks after 1 minute if the fire flares up. Season the tops of the steaks with salt, turn, and cook for 2 1/2 minutes more.

 

Move the steaks to a cooler part of the grill or reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into a steak away from the bone registers 130°–135°F (54°–57°C) for medium-rare, about 9 minutes, or to your desired doneness. Turn the steaks several times to brown the crust on both sides. Transfer the steaks to a platter and season both sides generously with pepper. Tent loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 3–4 minutes.

 

Arrange the steaks on plates, top each steak with a slice of the chipotle butter, and garnish with a lime wedge. Serve at once. Serves 4.

 

Recipe from The Cook & the Butcher, by Brigit Binns.