Many people think that ribeye steak is the best kind of steak. This is because it is tender, juicy, and flavorful due to its abundant marbling. Herbs are an optional addition to ribeye’s beefy flavor; however, they can make it better and more enjoyable. Are you wondering what herbs go with ribeye steak? Let’s find out.
If you want to choose herbs for ribeye then select those which have strong flavors as these would be able to compete with the rich taste of the meat. The most suitable ones are those with peppery, woodsy, or citrusy notes. Before we discuss what herb combinations go well with ribeye let us first learn some tips on how to cook it perfectly.
Table of Contents
How Do You Cook Ribeye Steak?
To achieve a good sear on the surface and bring out the beefy taste, cook ribeye over high heat. For desired doneness, grill broil pan fry, or pan roast steaks until done internally: 135F (medium rare). These should rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting through them.
It is vital to adequately season the meat. Hence, both sides should be generously coated using coarse kosher salt plus freshly ground black pepper. Seasoning can be done hours or even days ahead since this allows enough time for it to penetrate deep into the flesh.
Once bastings are complete allow your cooked pieces of steak to dry off by patting them against some paper towels so as not to dilute any sauce such as herb compound butter you may serve alongside with it.
What Are The Best Herbs For Ribeye Steak?
Below are some herbs that go well with juicy and heavily marbled rib-eye steaks:
Rosemary
Traditionally rosemary has been used as one of the main ingredients in preparing beef dishes. This is because of its strong woody aroma and pine-like flavor. It goes hand in glove with the rich flavor found in prime cuts like rib eye steak – either grilled or pan-seared. Whole sprigs may be employed during the cooking process to impart more taste to them.
Alternatively, chop fresh leaves, mix with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper, then quickly drizzle over cooked steak. This particular plant also boasts powerful antioxidants, including rosmarinic acid known for counteracting certain compounds produced when cooking meat at very high temperatures.
Thyme
Another earthy herb that can stand up to rib eye is thyme, it adds a minty freshness. It has similar properties as rosemary since they both contain rosmarinic acid. To infuse its flavor into the meat, use sprigs of fresh thyme during the grilling or pan-searing process.
On the other hand, you could prepare compound butter by blending softened butter with minced garlic cloves, lemon zest and sea salts before slicing rested steaks and topping them off with pats of flavored butter. Mustard goes well with thyme too. Hence, try mixing whole grain mustard, chopped fresh thyme, olive oil, and salt pepper for quick steak sauce.
Oregano
Italian oregano is a savory peppery herb that pairs well with beef, especially ribeye. This is due to its spicy/citrusy notes which help cut through the richness created by fat marbling found in such steaks. Thus, combine it together alongside other herbs like thyme and rosemary. Then, make an herb crust on top of each steak before grilling!
Alternatively, sprinkle dried oregano over these same steaks – just prior to placing them onto hot grill bars. If combined with parsley, garlic, olive, and vinegar, it can serve as excellent chimichurri sauce. When paired together with fresh oreganos anti-inflammatory effects might relieve inflammations caused by high-temperature cooking compounds.
Thyme
Thyme is an aromatic herb from the mint family. It has a fruity yet earthy taste which goes well with the richness of ribeye. The steak’s fattiness is balanced by its citrus, eucalyptus, and pine flavors. Use fresh thyme leaves to create compound butter for topping grilled or pan-seared steaks.
Alternatively, blend chopped fresh thyme with garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese into a quick pesto sauce that can be drizzled over plated rib-eye. Thyme contains rosmarinic acid among other antioxidants which might help prevent cancer-causing agents.
Sweet Marjoram
Marjoram is similar to oregano but less intense. It offers mildness combined with sweetness as well as woodsy undertones together with hints of citrus and flowers. This makes marjoram perfect for complementing rich meats like rib-eye steak. It also acts as a palate cleanser due to its complex nature.
Make use of marjoram in dry rubs or herb-infused butter/sauce for ribeyes. You may also want to try adding whole sprigs of fresh marjoram during pan-roasting steaks. This will help to infuse them with delicate flavorsome properties associated with this particular type of aromatic herbaceous plant material. Marjorams provide such antioxidants as rosmarinic acid plus vitamins C, A & E.
Tarragon
Tarragon possesses an anise-like flavor that pairs surprisingly well together with beef. It imparts lightness alongside sweetness, thereby, balancing out the hearty richness present in rib-eye steak itself. Fresh tarragon can be used in compound butters or pan sauces designed for searing steaks.
Alternatively, one could finely chop some and mix it with Dijon mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, and pepper. This creates tangy tarragon-mustard sauce. Aroma compounds found within Tarragons may prevent the formation of cancer-causing agents when meat is grilled at high temperatures.
Sweet Basil
When matched with rib-eye steak, sweet basil delivers a fresh aromatic note. Its peppermint flavor coupled with slight hints of anise greatly complements the juiciness inherent to beefsteaks, such as those cut from prime ribs. For instance, to add more taste to your meal you can use some fresh leaves of basil in preparing quick chimichurri sauce or pesto that will go well over grilled, broiled or pan-seared steaks.
You could also try mixing minced garlic, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and pepper with chopped basil for an easy preparation of balsamic-basil sauce. Apart from containing rosmarinic acid,basils are rich antioxidants that have been found to have compounds capable of inhibiting the formation of heterocyclic amines during cooking meats at high heat.
Parsley
Fresh parsley adds brightness to heavy rib eye steak through its clean herbaceous flavor profile. Italian flat leafed parsley provides greater levels of taste compared to curly varieties. In order to achieve this, one should combine it other herbs like thyme, rosemary and oregano.
Then, apply mixture onto steaks before grilling or pan searing them, thereby, creating crust on outer surface which will enhance overall taste experience derived from consuming such meals. Alternatively, chop some lemon zest along garlic cloves, followed by mixing all these ingredients together using extra virgin olive oil plus black peppercorns.
The possibilities are endless with ribeye steak and fresh herbs! Try different herb combinations and cooking methods until you find the perfect match.
Conclusion
Ribeye steak is such a bold and flavorful meat that it deserves to be served with equally robust flavors. Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Sage, Marjoram, Tarragon, Basil or Parsley can all work well alongside its richness. You could use these individually or in combination to create an herbal crust for the meat. Make flavored butters or sauces etc.
The complexity of taste which they bring also comes with antioxidants that help prevent cancer-causing agents from forming when cooking at high temperatures. A good choice of herbs will take your ribeye steaks up a notch in terms of culinary delightfulness.