Please log in with your username or email to continue. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. How is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Our trained team steak sell by date editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
How’s Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 440,357 times. Properly pan-frying a ribeye is easy if you follow a few simple steps. If you’d like that delicious char and caramelization to form, and some great juices to flow, pan frying it produces great results. On top of that, the wonderful sizzling sound is very satisfying. It’s all about selecting the right pan, getting the meat ready, and frying it correctly.
Some pans work better than others. Ideally, you’d like to use a heavy pan like a cast-iron pan. These pans can reach really high temperatures that help sear the edge of the meat and keep in the flavors. They also help to produce that slightly crusted char that provides a sweet flavor.
Many prefer a cast-iron pan because it can be used to sear the meat before transferring it into the oven. A griddle pan could work as a substitute for a flat pan. Select a smaller pan if possible. If you choose a larger pan you may be tempted to cook more than one steak at a time, and potentially miss the mark on the doneness.
The reason you preheat is that the steak tastes better when the edges get seared quicker. A preheated pan allows the ribeye to brown evenly, eliminating the water and creating a sweet caramelization. Aside from that, a hot pan eliminates the need to flip the meat multiple times during cooking. If you have to flip the ribeye multiple times, don’t worry too much. Some tests have shown the meat to be cooked more evenly and quickly when flipped multiple times. Choose something neutral like groundnut oil, which has a mild flavor and doesn’t burn at high temperatures.