How to cook ribeye steak

Struggling with flare-ups, dry steak or guessing doneness? Don’t ruin your ribeye! Learn how to cook ribeye steak perfectly every time.

How to pick out great ribeye steaks

Not all ribeye steaks are created equally, which is why sometimes you may have an perfect ribeye steak and other times, it may be less exciting.

Consider the Grade

When choosing a steak, first consider the USDA grade and/or breed of the beef. Cows actually get their USDA grading based on the marbling in the ribeye cut.

USDA Select Beef has very little marbling, which means it will have less flavor. Choice Beef will have some specks of white marbling, which makes it tastier. Prime Beef has an abundance of marbling, making it the best, but more expensive option.

Certain breeds like Snake River Farms wagyu or Certified Angus Beef brand beef also have great marbling.

PRO TIP: If you want to try Snake River Farms ribeye steaks, use code GIRLSCANGRILL to save 10%.

Look for Spinalis

The ribeye steak is cut from the ribeye primal, which is basically the meat around the rib bones of the cow. It runs from behind the shoulder (the chuck) toward the tail (the loin).

The full ribeye is cut into steaks. The steaks closer to the chuck will have a ribeye cap, also called a spinalis. Its size tapers off as it nears the loin.

To me, spinalis is one of the most flavorful parts of the cow, so I always look for steaks that have a large ribeye cap.

Ribeye Thickness

A lot of people ask me how long it takes to grill a ribeye. Honestly, it depends on the thickness of the steak. I like cooking one-inch ribeyes.

If you go with thinner steaks, they cook up too fast and can dry out. If you cook thicker steaks, it’s better to do the reverse sear method, so you get even cooking throughout.

With a one-inch steak, you can cook it on the grill over direct heat in 10-15 minutes, depending on your preferred doneness.

Get Recipe Ingredients

Heat Grill: Heat your grill to high heat (500F degrees) with a direct heat zone. If you’re using the Ninja FlexFlame, turn the dial to the Grill/Pizza setting. Set the temperature to 500F degrees. Preheat for 10 minutes.
Season: Place the steaks on a pan. In a small bowl, combine the avocado oil, brisket rub and soy sauce. Apply the mixture onto both sides of the ribeye steaks.
Grill: Place the seasoned steaks on the grill. Cook for 5 minutes. Keep the lid closed to reduce flareups. Flip. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, depending on your preferred doneness.
Rest: Remove from the grill and let rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.

When grilling steaks, I use the Thermoworks RFX wireless meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature. Remove the meat from the grill about 5 degrees before it reaches your desired doneness. The temperature will continue to rise another 5 degrees or so as it rests.

Steak Doneness

Rare: 120-125F
Medium-Rare: 130-135F
Medium: 135-145F
Medium-Well: 145-155F
Well Done: 155F+

Calories: 602kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 46gFat: 46gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 25gCholesterol: 138mgSodium: 286mgPotassium: 626mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 0.1gVitamin A: 87IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 36mgIron: 5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Be sure to rate it, leave a comment and save it so you can make it again. Show off your awesome results on social by tagging @girlscangrill

What you’ll need

Boneless Ribeye Steaks: I look for steaks that are about one-inch thick with a large spinalis.
Oil: I usually use avocado oil, olive oil or canola oil.
Girls Can Grill Brisket Rub: This is a blend of salt, pepper and garlic with other seasonings. It was formulated to enhance the flavor of beef.
Soy Sauce: This will really punch up the umami flavor.

Substitutions: Instead of Brisket Rub, you can use a blend of kosher salt, coarse ground black pepper and granulated garlic.

See the full recipe card above for servings and a full list of ingredients.

How to grill ribeye steak

When grilling ribeye steaks, you’ll cook them over direct heat. Set your grill to a temperature of around 500F degrees.

If you’re cooking with charcoal, place your hand about five inches above the grill grate. You’ll know it’s the right temp when you need to pull your hand away after 2-4 seconds.

If you’re cooking with a pellet grill, just set it to 500F. For a gas grill, adjust the burners to medium high heat.

When cooking ribeye steaks on the Ninja FlexFlame Grill, set the function to Grill/Pizza and the temp to 500F.

Step 1: Season the ribeyes

Start by mixing the oil, Brisket Rub and soy sauce in a small bowl. This recipe is for two steaks, if you’re cooking more, double or triple the marinade.

Place the steaks on a sheet pan or baking sheet. Brush the marinade on both sides of the steaks and let them rest at room temperature while the grill preheats.

Step 2: Grill the steaks

Once the grill is preheated, place the steaks on the grill. Cook for five minutes with the lid closed to avoid flareups.

Step 3: Pull the steaks off before they’re done

Flip the steaks and continue cooking until they are five degrees shy of your preferred doneness temperature.

PRO TIP: I use a Thermoworks RFX wireless thermometer to monitor the internal temperature of the steak.

Step 4: Rest for maximum juiciness

Remove the steaks from the grill. To enhance moisture, let them rest for 10-15 minutes. This helps lock in the juices. To keep them warm, tent them loosely with aluminum foil. During the rest, the steaks will increase in temperature by about five degrees.

How to serve ribeye steaks

Once the steaks have rested, you can serve them whole, or slice them into pieces and divide them amongst the dinner plates.

Personally, I like to slice them and sprinkle them with a bit of sea salt. Adding compound butter on top is also delicious.

Serve with grilled steakhouse baked potatoes and a nice side salad.

Storage

Save ribeye leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. You can also freeze cooked steak for up to six months. It’s great cold on salad and in wraps or reheated for a future meal.

GCG Pro Pitmaster Tips

Use a wet seasoning to marinate your steak
Let your steak rest while you preheat your grill
Grill over high direct heat for a great sear
Remove your steak five degrees shy of your preferred doneness

Medium-rare slices of steak in cast iron skillet with herb butter.

Perfectly Seared Cast Iron Steak

If you love steak with a perfect sear and rich herb butter sauce like you find in restaurants, you’ve got to try this cast iron steak recipe.

View Recipe

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should you cook ribeye on the grill?

It depends on how cold your steak is to start, how thick your steak is, how hot your grill is and your preferred doneness level.

A one-inch thick boneless ribeye cooked on a 500F-degree grill can take 5-10 minutes.

Where is ribeye steak cut from?

Ribeye steaks are cut from the ribeye primal, which is located along the rib bones on the back side of a cow.

who has ribeye steaks on sale this week?

I’ve found the easiest way to find sales is to go to Instacart and type in ribeye. The results will show you the price of ribeye at all of the stores near you.

Is ribeye steak the same as prime rib?

Yes. The ribeye steak and prime rib are both cut from the ribeye primal on the cow. A prime rib is usually several inches thick; whereas a ribeye is usually an inch or so thick.

Is ribeye better than filet mignon?

Both ribeyes and filet mignons are excellent choices. The ribeye is tender because it is more marbled, which gives it great flavor.

Filet mignon is cut from the tenderloin, which is a muscle that doesn’t get used very often, so it’s naturally tender. And it’s more lean.

How do you cook a ribeye with the bone?

When cooking a bone-in ribeye, follow this same recipe, but plan to add a bit more cook time. If the steak is 1 1/2 inches or thicker, use the reverse sear method.

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