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These Cowboy Ribeye Steaks, or in this case thick cut bone-in Ribeye steaks, are packed with incredible flavor and great for feeding a crowd. Find out how to cook this impressive looking steak perfect every time to truly wow your guests!

We all love a great steak dinner! And these days there are so many fantastic cuts to choose from. Ribeye steaks are always a winner at our house, but there is some terminology to be aware of these days when finding the perfect steak for your taste buds and party needs!

Cowboy Steak versus a Tomahawk Steak

What part of the cow is a Tomahawk Steak or Cowboy Steak? Let’s demystify something for a second. Cowboy steaks are typically a bone-in thick cut Ribeye. A Tomahawk is synonymous with Cowboy Ribeye, but depending on where you buy it, the rib bone may be much shorter on the Cowboy cut. The bones on a Tomahawk, for example, tend to be 5 inches or more in length.

Pro Tip: When choosing between Tomahawk or a shorter bone-in Ribeye, go with the shorter thick bone-in Ribeye. The long bone looks awesome, don’t get me wrong(!), but you do end up paying for that extra weight in the end.

Preparation

Simple kosher salt and pepper in equal parts is a simple way to season. We love to enhance the flavor profile of these steaks by using a coffee and chili based rub. The addition of coffee flavor is subtle and we use fresh (not used) finely ground coffee.

• Season the steak an hour or two before you cook it. You can do it the night before, but seriously, who plans that far ahead?
• If Grilling only, let the seasoned steak come to room temperature.
• If Smoking or Reverse Searing you can put the seasoned cut right onto the smoker from the fridge.

Grilling Method

We use the reverse sear method for grilling Ribeye. This means smoking at a lower temperature first, then finishing over high heat. This is a great method for thick cuts of meat because simply grilling can be a challenge with flare-ups. More importantly, adding a smoke flavor element to the steak is amazing, and not much extra work. Using the reverse sear method on these thick steaks will ensure the meat is cooked to your preferred temperature every time.

Learn more about the reverse sear method in our guide. But simply put, reverse sear is:

• Smoking the meat at a low temperature
• Searing to get the crust until your final desired internal temperature
• Resting to allow the juices to redistribute

How to Slice a Bone-In Ribeye Steak

When slicing a bone-in ribeye, especially a Cowboy Ribeye:

• Important: Let the meat rest at least 15 minutes to let the meat finish cooking and to allow the juices to settle in the meat.
• Slice along the bone.
• Slice against the grain perpendicular to the bone (you can move the bone so you have the freedom to cut) in pencil width slices.

The best way to finish the steak is with a compound butter.

Herb Compound Butter

One of our favorite ways to finish a steak is to add a dollop of compound butter. The easiest way to make a compound butter for steaks, especially this recipe, is simply to use room-temperature butter, and then your favorite diced herbs, garlic, and salt. You can make it in advance and have it in the fridge ready to go. Our ratio:

• 4 Tablespoons Room Temperature Unsalted Butter
• 1/2 Tablespoon Finely Diced Fresh Rosemary
• 1 Clove Finely Diced or Minced Garlic
• 1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

It’s that easy. Combine the ingredients together, mix, and then portion as desired. We’ll add about 2 tablespoons of the butter per steak given how big they are.

We add the butter while the steak is resting.

Wine Pairing

Cooking Ribeyes using a reverse sear method like this one, allows the steak to soak in those sweet wood flavors, and then finishing hot and fast to sear the exterior and attain the flavor crust. This method opens your options up to some fun bold wines. Ribeye also maintain a good fat to meat ratio, which means it’s safe to go with something a little tannic (the fat will soften the wine’s tannins).

Something big and smoky works for this king of steak. Cabernet Sauvignon is a standard and great go-to for this cut. A bolder style Merlot also works well. But this where you can open that Barolo or Sagrantino di Montefalco that you’ve been saving for the right occasion!

Sides Dishes for Cowboy Ribeyes

With any great cut of beef, like these steaks, add the perfect side dish to complement the flavor. Below are a few of our stand-out sides for Cowboy Ribeyes:

• Perfect Roasted Potatoes
• Duck Fat Potatoes
• Brussels Sprouts
• Grilled Broccolini with Parmesan and Lemon

If you like this recipe we’d truly appreciate it if you would give this recipe a star review! And if you share any of your pics on Instagram use the hashtag #vindulge. We LOVE to see it when you cook our recipes.

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