Cooking a juicy, flavorful ribeye steak on the grill can seem daunting but it’s easier than you think. With the right techniques and a few simple tips, you’ll be able to achieve competition-worthy results right in your own backyard. In this complete guide, we’ll walk you through every step of the process from choosing the best cut of meat to expert grilling techniques. Follow along and you’ll be able to impress your family and friends with mouthwatering ribeye steaks off the grill.
Choosing the Right Ribeye
The first step to grilling up an incredible ribeye is selecting the right cut of meat. Here’s what you need to know:
Go for USDA Prime or Choice Grade
Opt for the best quality beef you can find. USDA Prime and Choice grades have the perfect marbling that makes ribeyes so flavorful and tender. Lower quality grades can be overly tough and lean.
Get a Nice Thick Cut
Choose a steak that is at least 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick, preferably bone-in. Thicker steaks hold up better on the grill and have a satisfying meaty bite. Go 2 inches thick for the ultimate steakhouse experience.
Pick Ribeyes with Good Marbling
Look for generous marbling throughout the meat. The fat not only provides rich flavor but keeps the ribeye tender and juicy during cooking. Avoid lean cuts with little marbling.
Check for Proper Aging
Find steaks that have been dry-aged for at least 21 days. Dry-aging tenderizes the meat and concentrates the beefy flavor. Well-aged ribeyes are worth the extra cost.
Know Your Butcher
Buy from a quality full-service butcher you trust for the best selection. They can customize the thickness and source excellent prime beef. Supermarkets often have limited options.
With the right cut of beautifully marbled ribeye in hand, you’re ready to move on to seasoning and preparing the meat.
Seasoning a Ribeye for the Grill
Adding seasoning builds up flavor in the meat so you get a nice crust on the outside and plenty of taste in every bite.
Use Generous Amounts of Salt and Pepper
Don’t be shy with the salt and pepper. Covering the entire surface of the steak evenly with lots of kosher salt and cracked black pepper is a must. Really get those seasonings embedded.
Consider Additional Spice Rubs
For more complexity, make a spice rub with herbs and spices like garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, paprika, oregano, cumin, and coriander. Apply the rub all over the steak before grilling.
Brine for Added Juiciness
Soaking ribeyes in a saltwater brine for 1-2 hours before grilling helps lock in moisture and amplifies seasoning. Dissolve 1/2 cup salt in 4 cups water. Submerge steaks, chill, rinse and pat dry before grilling.
Avoid Marinades
Contrary to popular belief, marinades don’t penetrate deep enough into the meat to make a difference. They only provide surface flavor. Dry seasoning rubs are better for ribeyes.
Bring Steak to Room Temp
After seasoning, let the steak sit out for 30-60 minutes to lose chill. Grilling cold steak from the fridge can lead to uneven cooking. Closer to room temp equals more even heating.
Now that your ribeye is perfectly seasoned, it’s time to focus on the fun part – firing up the grill!
Mastering the Grilling Process
Grilling ribeye over high heat requires skill but we’re here to walk you through it. Follow these tips and techniques for steakhouse quality results:
Give Your Grill a Good Cleaning
Start with a super clean grill free of residue so your steak doesn’t pick up any funky flavors. Scrub the grates with a wire brush and use a grill stone to erase any charred on bits.
Prepare Two Heat Zones
Set up direct and indirect heating areas. Sear the steak over high direct heat first, then move to indirect heat to finish cooking. Arrange coals steeply to one side of a charcoal grill. For gas, turn one burner on high and leave others off or very low.
Get the Grill Sizzling Hot
You want an extremely hot grill for perfect sear marks. Let the grill preheat for 15-20 minutes before putting the steaks on. Scrape the grates well and oil before placing steaks.
Dry the Steak Surfaces
Right before grilling, blot steaks with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Wet meat causes flare ups and steaming instead of searing. Make sure those exterior surfaces are bone dry.
Sear Quickly Over High Heat
Lay the ribeye over direct high heat and sear 2-3 minutes per side. Don’t move the meat until a nice brown crust forms. Use tongs instead of a fork to avoid puncturing the steak and losing juices.
Cook Fat Cap Side Down First
If your ribeye has a large fat cap, sear this side down first so the fat can render and baste the meat while it cooks. The fat will also protect the steak from drying out.
Move to Indirect Heat
After searing both sides, transfer steak to indirect heat to cook through without overcharring. Insert a probe thermometer to monitor doneness. Remove from grill around 5°F before target temp.
Flip Only Once
Let each side sear without disturbance for best results. Flipping too often interrupts crust formation. Resist the urge poke and prod the steaks. Trust your timers and temp probe.
Don’t Cut Into the Steak!
Never slice into steak to check doneness during cooking. This pushes out all the delicious juices you worked so hard to seal in. Use a meat thermometer instead for perfect doneness every time.
Rest Before Slicing
After grilling, resist cutting into the ribeye right away. Let it rest 5-10 minutes so juices redistribute evenly throughout the meat. Skipping this step means dry, leaking steaks.
Follow this step-by-step process and you’ll achieve ribeyes with a perfect sear, accurate doneness and irresistible juicy flavor. Now let’s talk about how to adapt methods based on steak thickness.
Grilling Tips for Different Thicknesses
Thin ribeyes under 1 inch require some modifications to traditional grilling methods. Follow these tips:
Choose Leaner Cuts
Thin steaks have less fat to render out. Opt for well-marbled cuts to prevent drying out. Overly lean thin ribeyes will be tough.
Preheat Grill Less
Don’t let the grill get overly hot. High temps will overcook thin steaks fast. Heat grill to medium high instead of blazing hot.
Cook Uncovered
Grill over direct medium-high heat without the lid to prevent moisture build-up and steaming. Watch closely to avoid overcooking.
Flip Steaks More Often
Check frequently and flip every minute for even cooking and color. Thinner cuts require more attention and handling.
Don’t Remove Fat Cap
Leave the fat cap intact for moisture and shielding from high heat. It won’t have time to fully render anyway at quick cook times.
Pull 5° Before Temperature
Monitor with a probe thermometer and remove thinner steaks earlier, when internal temp is 5°F before desired doneness, because they’ll keep cooking off heat.
For mega thick ribeyes 2-3 inches, tweak your technique like this:
Trim Fat Cap Down
Thick steaks already have enough fat distributed internally. Trim the fat cap to around 1/4 inch to prevent excessive flare ups.
Set Up a 3 Zone Fire
Use direct high heat for searing, indirect low heat for cooking through, and direct medium heat for crisping up the outside right at the end.
Sear on High, Finish on Low
Get a good sear over the hot zone then transfer to indirect low heat to gently finish cooking to your desired doneness without charring the exterior.
Cook Fat Side Up
With most of fat cap trimmed, cook fat side up the entire time to self baste. Place a foil tent over steak if browning too fast.
Check Temp in Multiple Spots
Since they cook unevenly, take the internal temperature in several areas, not just the center. Average the readings to determine doneness.
Let Rest Longer Before Slicing
Give mega thick ribeyes a good 10-15 minutes to relax before cutting to allow juices time to redistribute after the long grill times.
No matter the thickness, let your thermometer be your guide and use indirect heat to control the cooking process for foolproof juicy grilled ribeyes.
Nailing the Perfect Doneness
Cooking ribeyes properly on the grill comes down to nailing the ideal level of doneness. Follow these pointers for steaks cooked just right from edge to edge:
Take Them Off Before Target Temp
Remember to remove 5°F before final desired temperature because the heat left in the outer layers of meat will continue to cook the steak as it rests.
Check in Multiple Places
Test temperature in several spots, especially the thicker end and center. Look for consistency to confirm even doneness throughout.
135°F for Perfect Medium Rare
For many steak lovers, medium rare with a warm red center is the pinnacle of doneness. Pull the ribeye between 130-135°F and let carryover cooking bring it to 135°F as it rests.
Shoot for 145-150°F for Medium
If you prefer less pink in the middle go for medium. Remove from heat around 140-145°F and allow the temperature to coast up to 145-150°F.
160-165°F for Well Done
Cooking to well done without overdrying requires finesse. Carefully cook over indirect heat until 160-165°F. Any higher will be tough.
Take Notes After Each Cook
Observe exactly what grill temps and times produce your ideal level of doneness and make adjustments on your next steak to hone it in.
With the right internal temperature, your ribeyes will turn out perfectly cooked from the outside to the center every single time. Now let’s go over how to get the most flavorful sear.
Scoring an Epic Sear
Thateye-catching dark brown crust is what steak dreams are made of. Follow these pro tips for the ultimate sear:
Heat Grill as Hot as Possible
Only extremely high heat, around 600-650°F will instantly caramelize the meat and avoid a steamed gray appearance. Get the grill as ripping hot as you can.
Pat Steak Dry Pre-Sear
Right before grilling, use paper towels to soak up any moisture on the exterior of the meat. Searing wet steak causes steaming not browning due to evaporating drippings.
Coat with Oil Not Marinade
A light brush of a high smoke point neutral oil like avocado or grapeseed helps tremendous browning. Marinades make it impossible to achieve a good sear.
Hold Your Tongue
Don’t be tempted to peek or move the steak until a nice crust forms. Twitching tongs interrupts crust formation. Set a timer and trust it.
Weigh Steaks Down
Place a heavy bacon press, grill brick or foil wrapped brick on top of steaks while searing. The extra pressure squeezes out moisture and improves contact.
Choose Wide Spaced Grates
Use grates with at least 1/4 inch between rungs to get nice grill marks. Narrow spaced grates limit sear marks. Make sure grates are meticulously clean.
Leave That Fork in the Drawer
Never use a fork to move steaks, only tongs. Fork holes puncture the meat causing vital juices to escape. Tongs maintain surface integrity.
Dry Rub Only
Wet marinades make it impossible to get a good sear and flavor crust. Stick with a dry seasoning rub for optimal browning.
With these sear creating tricks, your ribeyes will deliver on both flavor and visual appeal. Next we’ll explore seasoning ideas to take the flavor over the top.
Crafting the Perfect Seasoning Rub
A flavor packed dry rub makes ribeyes sing. Kick things up a notch with these awesome seasoning combos:
The Classic – Salt, Pepper & Garlic
For simple and satisfying, coat steaks evenly with a generous blend of coarse kosher salt, cracked black pepper and minced garlic. The holy trinity!
Tex Mex Style – Chili, Cumin & Oregano
Transport your tastebuds to South of the border with chili powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, crushed red pepper, salt and brown sugar.
Steakhouse Style – Peppercorn Medley
Get that signature steakhouse flavor with a blend of black, green, white and pink peppercorns, garlic powder, thyme, rosemary and mustard powder.
Coffee Infused – Coffee & Cocoa
Wake up your ribeyes with ground coffee, cocoa powder, brown sugar, chili powder, cayenne, cumin, salt and pepper. Savory meets sweet.
Mediterranean Herb – Rosemary & Oregano
This blend combines lemon zest, minced garlic, rosemary, oregano, parsley, crushed fennel and red pepper flakes.
Umami Bomb – Mushroom & Soy
For deep rich flavor try dried mushrooms, onion and garlic powder, a splash of soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and plenty of pepper.
Southwest Style – Chipotle & Lime
Mix lime zest, minced garlic and onion, ground chipotle pepper, cumin, chili powder, brown sugar and salt.
Get creative with spice combos to put your own signature flair on grilled ribeyes. Now let’s go over some quick tasty finishing touches.
Mouthwatering Finishing Touches
These final embellishments take your grilled ribeyes to new heights of flavor:
Brush on Flavored Butter
Top off steaks with a pat of compound butter blended with herbs, garlic, citrus zest or other flavorings. The butter melts into the meat adding richness.
Splash with Worcestershire Sauce
A few dashes of Worcestershire sauce added right when the steaks come off the grill gives a tasty umami boost.
Garnish with Chimichurri
Spoon some bright herby chimichurri sauce over grilled ribeyes for a fresh punch of parsley, cilantro, garlic, vinegar and olive oil.
Top with Sauteed Mushrooms
Quickly saute mushrooms in butter, garlic, thyme and Worcestershire until tender and spoon over ribeyes for an earthy complement.
Make Steak Tacos
For something different, slice grilled ribeyes and serve in warm corn or flour tortillas with salsa, guacamole, shredded cheese, lime and cilantro.
Add Blue Cheese Sauce
Drizzle ribeyes with a rich and pungent blue cheese cream sauce spiked with Worcestershire and hot sauce. Over the top delicious!
With the right prep, seasonings and finishing flourishes your grilled ribeyes will deliver smoky backyard flavor that rivals the best steakhouses. Now let’s quickly go over food safety.
Key Food Safety Tips
Proper food handling prevents the risk of foodborne illness. Follow these guidelines:
- Allow steaks to rest on the counter after seasoning for no longer than 1 hour before grilling. Discard if longer.
- Marinate steaks in the refrigerator, not on the counter. Limit marinating time to 6 hours max.
- Use separate plates and utensils for raw and cooked steaks to prevent cross contamination.
- Heat grill to high temps, at least 600°F, to sterilize the grates before grilling.
- Insert thermometer into the thickest part of steaks to accurately take internal temperature.
- Use clean, sanitized thermometer to check every steak. Never reuse a thermometer without sanitizing between tests.
- Discard any steaks that don’t reach a food safe minimum internal temp of 145°F. Don’t risk undercooked meat.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 1 hour of cooking. Divide into shallow airtight containers for quick chilling.
- Reheat ribeye slices to 165°F. Only reheat once, discard after second reheat.
By handling ribeyes safely and cooking to proper temperatures, you’ll protect your health while enjoying delicious grilled steaks all summer long.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have some questions on how to grill the perfect ribeye? Here are answers to some common FAQs:
What is the best thickness for ribeyes?
Go for 1 to 1 1/2 inch steaks, bone-in if possible. This thickness holds up well on the grill. Ultra thick 2+ inch steaks can be trickier for home grilling.
Should I grill steaks frozen or thawed?
Always allow steaks to thaw fully in the refrigerator before grilling, 1-2 days for thickness. Frozen steaks cook unevenly. Don’t try to rush thaw in the microwave.
Does covering the grill speed up cooking?
Avoid placing a lid over direct high heat because it traps steam, creating a sauna effect. Use the grill lid only over indirect heat to help control temperature.
Can I get a good sear from a gas grill?
Yes, crank the burners on high for at least 15 minutes to preheat. Use a grill stone for extra heat retention. Dry steaks well before grilling for best searing.
What temperature should I grill ribeyes?
Sear over high direct heat, 600-650°F. Finish cooking over indirect heat around 325-350°F until steaks reach 5°F under desired doneness.
Is ribeye steak healthier than other cuts?
While delicious, ribeye is higher in saturated fat than leaner cuts like sirloin. Limit intake and use healthy cooking methods to minimize fat intake if a concern.
Which is better ribeye or strip steak?
It’s a matter of personal preference! Ribeyes have more marbling for richer flavor. Strip steaks are tastiest when cooked no more than medium rare. Both are beefy treats!