Ribeyes on the grill

First let me state I am a very serious cook and especially long process smoked barbeque is my forte'   I will probably be managing a resturante within the next 2 years either in Pittsburgh or Cleveland that is true southern smokehouse.  I have taken the last 3 years to get my menue together with the correct recipies that have a good southern charm to them, but can be served in the dead of winter.  Well this is my ribeye recipie that is done in the oven/stove. 

Cast Iron Skillet

Ribeyes (how ever many I used 4 last night and the liquid left for reduction was perfect)

Kosher salt

Cracked Black Peppercorn

Butter

Olive Oil

Basil (fresh if you have it makes it 100 times better)

6 whole potatoes ( I used red potatoes because they are lower starch wise and cook better)

Cover your steaks in the kosher salt.  Don't worry we will be removing all this salt before we cook.  When I say cover I seriously mean cover them.  Let them sit at room tempurture for 1hr.  What you will see is the amazing ability of salt to pull all the water molecules from inside the meat.  This leaves the protein blocks with no water which causes them to melt.  90% of the time when you do a steak on the stove it will be dry or tough, the reason is the water that was left in the meat.  It rises during cooking causing you to blanch and cook with osmosis techniques, not good for steak. 

After one hour you should see all your steaks have water on top of them, and on the cookie sheet.  Wipe all of this stuff off.  Wash all the steaks and get as much salt off them as you can (the more the better).  Set to the side

In a pyrex glass dish melt 2 sticks of real unsalted butter, with oil (3:1 butter to oil).  I use light olive oil for taste and low flash point.  Once melted take it out and place the fresh cut basil into the dish let it sit.

Cut your potatoes into 1/4' slices (steak fry's mmm mmm good).  Place them on a cookie sheet.  Light drizzile of olive oil on top (for browning) and add salt as needed.  I actually used no salt and found that salt was necessity to really suck the moisture out of the taters.

Preheat the oven to 450.  Immediately place your cast iron skillet in the oven and let it heat until the oven is heated.  You have to use cast iron as its the only pan I found that can hold the correct heat for the time it takes to cook

Season your steaks with the black peppercorn ensuring to rub it deep into the meat.  Try not to be rough on the fat strands because unlike grilling a raw piece of beef, these are now weak and will break due to the salt lick that was on earlier.  

Heat your butter and herbs in the microwave for 45 seconds to infuse the butter.  Drizzle a little bit, maybe a tablespoon worth on top of each steak.  Using your hands rub the butter into the meat.  This is important as you want the butter to penetrate the meat not just sit on top.  Do this for both sides.

Now your oven should be preheated.  Remove the cast iron skillet (careful it is hot as hell) and place on a burner on the stove top that is set to high.  Place 2 steaks in the dead center of the pan and DO NOT MOVE.  This is the simulated searing method from the grill.  Do this for 30 seconds then flip the steaks.  After 3 seconds flip the steaks once more and move them back to the oven (450 degrees still).  Let them cook for 2 minutes, remove from the oven flip and place back on the burner for 2 minutes.  Once more back to the oven.  These sat in my oven for 2 minutes and were removed making them rare/medium rare.  Add one minute for each level of doneness.  

I had a friend who liked his meat well done (bleh).  After 3 minutes in the last stove rotation I pulled his and set it on the burner again for 2 more minutes flipping every 30 seconds.  This came out well done.

Remove your steaks and let them sit for 2 minutes covered.

Set your stove to broil and place your potatoes in the oven 4" from the broiler for 10 minutes.  If you made them thicker then 1/4" you will have to add time under the broiler.

The left over juices in the pan:  Add 1/2 cup of beef broth, 2 tablespoons of your butter mixture, garlic to taste and black peppercorns.  Heat to a boil and add cornstarch to thicken.  This is your au jois sauce (or however its spelled).  Lower to low-medium heat and stir

Remove potatoes from the oven and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and lightly dash with basalmic vinegar 

Serve everything at once with the sauce being retained in a separate dish for dipping.

I hope you guys like this and let me know any changes you made so I can try them myself :)    Next recipie will be in the spring