This Texas style dry rub and detailed cooking instructions help you expertly cook a seasoned Texas rib eye steak. Low carb, gluten-free, dairy-free & Paleo.
I was born in Texas. Although I was an Air Force Brat and my family moved every 2-4 years, we moved back to Texas when I was an impressionable teen, and Texas undoubtedly left its impressions.
If you’ve spent any time in Texas, then you know that knowing how to cook a good steak, or at the very least a good chicken breast, is an important and almost expected skill. My daddy’s first grill was a Weber. It was an exciting day when he let us kids start the grill by stacking Kingsford charcoal briquettes in the basin around the electric grill starter, and plugging it in. It was an important job, you know.
My daddy was a good griller, but we must have had some faulty grill tongs because every time he cooked chicken, a piece or two would come in to the house with extra seasoning. “It’s just a little dill,” he would say. We knew better. We knew it was grass.
Then, he got one of those big oil-drum (pronounced ERL-drum) grills and we weren’t allowed to “start the grill” anymore — but we were allowed to collect the seed pods from the Mesquite tree out front and toss them onto the coals. It was just as fun because they would curl, and spit, and pop and smoke like crazy.
How to Make the Perfect Steak
I am not the grill-master that my father is. In fact, I have struggled in the steak cooking department for many years. Of course, I have it down now, but it was not with-out much trial and error. My first big mistake? Being cheap. Buying thin cut steaks from the sale section of the meat case because they were on sale. By the time they came off of the grill, they were dry and over-done. Why did I do that? If you love steak and want to enjoy the steak, then buy a good ‘ol thick one — like 1 1/2 – 2 inches.
My second mistake was not letting the meat come to room temperature before cooking. The result was dry on the outside, but still raw on the inside. Is that even possible you ask? Believe me, it is. My third mistake was seasoning only before the meat went onto the grill. The result? The salt pulled the moisture out of the surface of my steak where it sat. The excess moisture made a nice crust impossible (because it steamed) and the surface of the meat was dried out from moisture-loss, making it a little tougher.
How to and How Long To Marinate Steak For Grilling
There are many ways to achieve perfection, but here is what I do.
- Buy a 1 & 1/2 inch steak from the meat counter – NOT skinny steaks from the sale section of the meat case. Trim any excess fat to 1/16 inch so it does not smoke while it cooks. No one enjoys that greasy-black smoke flavor.
- Season the rib eye 1-2 days before cooking — I like two. This ensures that some of the flavor from the seasoning is pulled into the meat instead of just sitting on top. (or you can do it in the morning)
- Remove the seasoned rib eye from the fridge 1 hour before cooking.
- Dry it off and season it with salt & pepper again before grilling.
- Oil the steak and oil the grill before placing the steak on the grill.
How to Cook a Thick Steak on a Gas Grill
- Let the grill get HOT, then oil the grate.
- Place the seasoned rib eye on the hot part of the grill and cover with the lid for 1 1/2 – 2 minutes. Adjust the steak by giving it a quarter turn and cook uncovered for 7 minutes.
- Flip the rib eye over onto a hot, new section of the grill and cook covered for 1 minute. Uncover and cook for 7 minutes more. Check with an instant read thermometer for your desired done-ness. If it’s not done, flip it over and leave it on a little longer. It’s okay to flip it – it will ensure even cooking. rare: 140 degrees, medium: 160 degrees, well: 170 degrees.
- Take the rib eye off of the heat 5 degrees below what you want it to be, as it will continue to cook as it rests.
- Let the meat rest for at least 10 minutes (I go 15) before cutting into it. When hot, the juices are runny and run right out of the steak when cut. As it sits, the proteins in the juice begin to cool and thicken (or congeal) a bit, so they want to stay where they are or at the very least are a little slower to escape.
NOW, go grab yourself a steak knife and enjoy yourself a great steak!
Seasoned Texas Rib Eye Steak
Ingredients
Texas Rib Eye Steak Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon oil
- more salt and pepper
Instructions
- Look at the picture again. With a sharp knife, remove about two inches of meat from the bone, forming a little handle. Scrape the bone a bit to get the meat off from both sides. Why? It looks cool and there isn't really any meat worth eating there anyway.
- Combine the seasoning and stir well. Apply a thick layer of seasoning to all surfaces of the rib eye, rubbing it in well. Fork it in. There will be seasoning left over for next time.
- Refrigerate the seasoned rib eye until you are ready to cook it. I like to have mine marinate two days for maximum flavor.
- Remove the rib eye an hour before you plan to cook it. Pre-heat and clean the grill. Rub 1 tablespoon of oil on all surfaces of the steak and season with salt and pepper. Oil the grill grate and wait for the grill to come back up to temperature.
- Put the seasoned rib eye on the grill over direct heat, and cook covered for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes. Uncover, turn the meat 45 degrees and cook uncovered for 7 more minutes. Flip the steak over to a new, hot part of the grill and cook covered for 1 1/2 minutes. Uncover and cook for 7 minutes more. Check the temperature with an instant read thermometer.
- If the temperature has not reached what you want, flip the steak and cook uncovered, 1-2 more minutes per side.
- Remove the rib eye 5 degrees under your desired doneness as it will continue to cook a bit after it has been removed from the grill.
- Let the steak rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
rare: 140 degrees
medium: 160 degrees
well: 170 degrees
Looks fantastic! I can’t wait to try this.