There is so much to love about this Asian-inspired cast iron Ribeye Steak, particularly the marinade and the immense flavor it gives the steak!
Marinate a high-quality Ribeye Steak in sesame oil, tamari soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, sriracha, and brown sugar for at least 30 minutes (but longer is better!). When ready, pan sear the steak in a blazing hot cast iron skillet, flipping it every 30 seconds.
The result is a crispy exterior, juicy center, and seriously delicious sesame flavor throughout. Serve with your favorite veggies — we love blistered shishito peppers and miso eggplant — for an elegant steak dinner at home, worthy of any special occasion!
Ingredients For Cast Iron Sesame Ribeye
First, start with a high-quality bone-in Ribeye Steak. Personally, this is my favorite cut of steak — the center of the cut is extremely tender, while the outer cap is impossibly juicy from a layer of fat that literally melts in your mouth. Pure luxury!
For cooking, we recommend a cast iron skillet. These heavy bottom pans will retain heat for a long time and help ensure even cooking. If you love a crispy exterior when you cook steak, a cast iron skillet is essential!
Asian Steak Marinade
We’re combining sesame oil, tamari soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, sriracha, and brown sugar. The combination of these ingredients, especially the sesame oil, is so flavorful. It really is the best Ribeye Steak marinade, which is why we use it often!
Pour this over the Ribeye Steak, then cover and refrigerate. If all you’ve got is 30 minutes, great! If you can let the steak sit longer, even better. Up to 12 hours is fine.
How To Cook A Cast Iron Ribeye
- Bring the steak to room temp. When you’re ready to begin cooking, take the steak out of the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature. We usually let it sit out for 30 minutes – 1 hour.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet. Set a large cast iron skillet over high heat. After about five minutes, add a couple tablespoons of a neutral oil, such as grapeseed, avocado, or canola oil.
- Sear the steak. Carefully lift the Ribeye Steak out of the marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Place gently in the hot skillet. Watch out for any oil that may splatter!
- Flip the steak every 30 seconds. Using tongs, carefully flip the steak over every 30 seconds, until a deep crust forms. Cook until desired doneness is reached (see chart below). We recommend using a meat thermometer to ensure proper doneness. When the steak is about 5-10 degrees below your desired temperature, pour remaining Asian steak marinade into the skillet and bring to a boil. The sauce will bubble and the sugar will start to caramelize.
- Allow steak to rest. Once Ribeye Steak has reached desired temperature, use tongs to transfer steak to a cutting board. Allow meat to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
- Slice and serve. Use a sharp knife to slice the Ribeye Steak into pieces about ¼-½” thick. Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions, then serve immediately.
We recommend removing steak from the cast iron skillet with it is 5 degrees below desired temperature, as the steak will continue to cook as it rests.
We recommend using the Thermapen MK4 to check for internal temperature of steak:
- For rare: 120-130 F (49-55 C)
- For medium-rare: 130-135 F (55-57 C)
- For medium: 135-145 F (57-63 C)
- For medium-well: 145-155 F (63-69 C)
- For well done: 155-165 F (69-73 C)
Ribeye vs. Sirloin vs. NY Strip
Ribeye Steak: Also referred to as a Delmonico steak, the Ribeye Steak is cut from the front end of the longissimus dorsi muscle. It’s highly marbled and coated in a thick cap layer that is full of flavor. This helps give Ribeye the notorious reputation for being luxurious and melt in your mouth tender!
Sirloin Steak: A Sirloin Steak, by comparison, is much leaner. They are generally high protein and low in fat content. Sirloin cuts are less beefy in flavor compared to a Ribeye, likely due to less marbling, but are still considered a tender cut of beef.
New York Strip Steak: Sometimes referred to as NY Strip, Strip, or Kansas City Strip, this cut of beef is also from the longissimus dorsi muscle but further back than the Ribeye. Even though it is from the same muscle as the Ribeye, it has less marbling, leaving it with a tender texture, but chewier in general.
Without a doubt, the Ribeye is our go-to steak!
What To Serve With Cast Iron Ribeye
There are so many wonderful side dishes to serve alongside a cast iron Ribeye Steak! When we use our Asian steak marinade, we keep the sides dishes Asian-inspired as well! Here, we’re serving up miso glazed eggplant and our highly addictive blistered shishito peppers!
The following would also make fantastic sides for Ribeye Steak:
- Perfect baked potatoes, roasted potatoes, duck fat potatoes, or steak fries
- Vegetables such as: oven roasted broccoli, broccolini, crispy brussel sprouts, edamame, roasted asparagus, or sautéed bok choy. An Asian veggie stir fry would be amazing too!
- Fluffy white or brown rice
- Quick pickled cucumbers
Flavorful, juicy, and completely restaurant-worthy! This cast iron sesame Ribeye Steak is on another level, and sure to impress even the toughest critics! If you’re looking to impress someone with a Valentine’s Day dinner at home, this is sure to do the trick!
If you make this Cast Iron Sesame Ribeye Steak, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
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For more recipes from our Date Night In Series, check out the following:
- Pan seared scallops
- Skillet chicken with white beans and kale
- Shredded brussel sprout Caesar salad
- Salmon piccata
- Weeknight chicken milanese with fennel salad
Cast Iron Sesame Ribeye Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ – 2 lb bone-in Ribeye Steak
- ½ cup sesame oil
- ½ cup tamari soy sauce
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp sriracha
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp grapeseed oil or other neutral, high smoke point oil
- Sesame seeds for serving
- Scallions thinly sliced, for serving
Instructions
- Make the marinade. Combine ½ cup sesame oil, ½ cup tamari soy sauce, ¼ cup balsamic vinegar, 2 Tbsp sriracha, and 2 Tbsp brown sugar in a bowl, then whisk to combine. Place ribeye in a large glass container, then pour marinade on top. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 12 hours.
- Bring the steak to room temp. When you're ready to begin cooking, take the steak out of the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature. We usually let it sit out for 30 minutes – 1 hour.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet. Set a large cast iron skillet over high heat. After about 5 minutes, add a couple tablespoons of a neutral oil, such as grapeseed, avocado, or canola oil.
- Sear the steak. Carefully lift the ribeye steak out of the marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Place gently in the hot skillet. Watch out for any oil that may splatter!
- Flip the steak every 30 seconds. Using tongs, carefully flip the steak over every 30 seconds, until a deep crust forms. Cook until desired doneness is reached (see chart below). We recommend using a meat thermometer to ensure proper doneness. When the steak is about 5-10 degrees below your desired temperature, pour remaining Asian steak marinade into the skillet. The sauce will bubble and the sugar will start to caramelize.
- Allow steak to rest. Once ribeye has reached desired temperature, use tongs to transfer steak to a cutting board. Allow meat to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
- Slice and serve. Use a sharp knife to slice the ribeye into pieces about ¼-½" thick. Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions, then serve immediately.
Notes
- For rare: 120-130 F (49-55 C)
- For medium-rare: 130-135 F (55-57 C)
- For medium: 135-145 F (57-63 C)
- For medium-well: 145-155 F (63-69 C)
- For well done: 155-165 F (69-73 C)
- We recommend removing steak from the cast iron skillet with it is 5 degrees below desired temperature, as the steak will continue to cook as it rests.
Can I get the recipe for the miso glazed eggplant
Hi! I am still testing the miso eggplant, it’s not quite ready to share yet! xo, Ari
Hi! Looking at this recipe—can I make this with a bone-less bison ribeye? Would I need to change anything about the recipe/cooking?
Hi Gina! I have not tried the recipe with a boneless bison ribeye, so I would perhaps either look for a recipe specific to that OR determine the temperature you’d like the bison cooked to, then have a meat thermometer on hand to make sure it’s cooked to that doneness. The sauce will 100% work fine, it’s just the cook time you’ll want to be look out for! xo, Ari