When I lived alone in my college apartment, I often bought a pack of two tiny steaks from HEB for $5 so I could have a “fancy” dinner on a budget (or I used Hello Fresh!). Each steak was smaller than my hand, but they allowed me to test my cooking skills while receiving tips from my dad over the phone. Now that I’m an adult with a real job, I can afford Costco steak packs (just kidding, I split the bill with my partner!) and attempt cooking methods I’ve never tried before! A couple of weeks ago we wanted to cook the steaks we had sitting in our freezer (I know they weren’t super fresh, but we are conserving and saving money), so I made a first ever attempt at cooking them in a cast iron skillet. My dad always cooks his steaks on a cast iron (I shared his process in this post back in 2014!), but the thought of cleaning, seasoning, and heating a pan just to do that process all over again was daunting to me. However, I was looking forward to the crust I could achieve only through the skillet method, so I went all in without fear of the potential results! I started by thawing the ribeyes and waiting for them to reach approximately room temperature before heating the skillet. Once each ribeye was warm enough to the touch, I heavily seasoned them with pink Himalayan salt and freshly cracked black pepper, making sure to press the seasonings in on all sides (do not pat or rub!). My steaks were especially large, so I seasoned them even more than I normally would have. When the skillet was nice and hot, I lopped on a large pad of butter and placed the meat down away from my face to ensure no splatter. Depending on the size of each cut, I let them sear without touching them for anywhere from 3-5 minutes, repeating that process on all sides. When the steaks reached an internal temperature of around 120 degrees Fahrenheit, I removed them from the skillet and let them rest in a container so the juices could absorb. The steaks continue to cook after they leave the pan, so I didn’t want them to overcook with a higher internal temperature. After approximately 10 minutes of rest, I sliced the steaks and served with salad, corn, and lots of white rice! The steak was extremely juicy, tender, and bursting with salty flavor. Each bite tasted more delicious than the last, and I can’t wait to cook more!
