Recipe Background
This cowboy steak, cooked in a cast-iron skillet, offers rich, buttery flavor with perfectly seared edges and aromatic rosemary.
This Cast-Iron Cowboy Steak whispers tales of campfires and open skies. Its sizzling start in a heavy skillet creates a browned crust that seals in juiciness. As it hits, the aroma of rosemary swirls up, mingling with the warmth of garlic. It's earthy and uncomplicated, comfort wrapped in richness. The scent alone lifts the spirit, a promise of what's to come—nothing short of delicious authenticity.
A good steak demands a careful balance of heat and time. Holding the steak on its fatty edge for a couple of minutes allows the fat to render beautifully. This little trick ensures each slice is luscious, without being greasy. Once rested, the steak reveals tender, rosy slices that nearly melt with each bite. It's the kind of meal that satisfies deeply and lingeringly.
Gathering around this dish, the experience becomes truly shared. Herb-infused butter spooned generously over the meat adds a luxurious finish. It's more than a meal; it's an occasion. Conversation flows easily as everyone leans in, eager to taste the perfectly seared edges and rich, buttery bites. Here, simplicity meets mastery, making every mouthful an absolute pleasure.
Ingredients
- 1 (2-pound) rib-eye or porterhouse steak
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 8 sprigs rosemary
- 3 cloves garlic smashed
Directions
- Preheat the grill to high heat (about 400-450 degrees F).
- Place a 12-inch cast-iron skillet on the preheating grill, cover the grill with the lid, and let the pan sit, about 15 minutes.
- Generously and evenly sprinkle both sides of the steak with the salt and the pepper.
- Add the oil to the hot skillet. Note: When the skillet begins to smoke once the oil is added, that means it is hot enough.
- Use tongs to carefully place the seasoned steak in the oil and cook until it is brown and crusty on the bottom, about 10 minutes.
- Use the tongs to carefully flip the steak onto the fatty edge and cook, while holding the steak upright with the tongs, about 2 minutes.
- Use the tongs to flip the steak onto the uncooked side. Close the grill's lid and cook until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 130 degrees F for medium-rare doneness, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add the butter, the rosemary sprigs, and the garlic to the skillet and cook, until the butter foams, about 2-3 minutes.
- While wearing an oven mitt, carefully tilt the skillet and spoon the herb butter mixture onto the steak, about 20 times.
- Transfer the steak and the herbs to a cutting board and let them rest until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 135 degrees F for medium-rare doneness, about 5-10 minutes.
- Slice and serve.
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