“You can have whatever you want, so long as it’s roast beef or leg of lamb.”

My grandmother Mummum used to say this to my mom when she was little and they, or rather she, was planning her birthday dinner. My mom maintains she would have been happier had the choice been between pizza and hot dogs.

Perhaps it was this “wide” variety of options my mom enjoyed growing up that led her to buy only chicken breasts and filet for us when we were little. That, or my dad’s “conservative” palate. Either way, I didn’t know about the glories of chicken thighs, osso buco or carne asada, let alone ribeye, until later in life.     

I don’t remember when I first got hooked on these more flavorful cuts. It may have had something to do with me exploring Mexican food and falling for carnitas. Or trying the ropa veija at Cuba Libre in Philadelphia, which instantly made the restaurant my favorite in town. I do, however, remember when Pete Campbell says “ribeye, in the pan, with butter” when his wife Trudy asks him what he would he would like for dinner during an early episode of Mad Men. It just sounded so good, simple yet decadent. 

I haven’t ordered filet since.

Try this and it will make you think of steak in a whole new way. 

Ribeye in the Pan with Butter

Let the ribeye come to room temperature (about an hour), salt both sides, and then melt 3-4 tablespoons of butter in a medium size fry pan over medium-high heat. Lay steak in the pan and begin to baste constantly with melted butter. Every minute, for four, five minutes, flip steak and continue to baste until steak is cooked to your liking. (I like medium rare so four or five flips and mine is done.) Let the meat rest for maybe 10 minutes before serving.

You can also add some garlic cloves to the pan, or herbs like rosemary, to further flavor the meat while your cooking. Too easy and so good.