How to Broil Ribeye Steak in the Oven

Nothing beats the tender, juicy flavor of a ribeye steak with its perfect marbling. To maximize the flavor of the cut, you want to use high heat so it cooks quickly and gets a nice sear on the outside. Grilling is a popular option, but you can also keep the cooking indoors by broiling your ribeye steak in the oven.

Broiling generally works best for cuts that are less than 1.5 inches thick to make sure they cook enough in the middle before they get overdone on the outside. For the best results, pull the steak out of the fridge to give it a chance to warm up a little and trim excess fat to minimize flareups in the broiler. Pat the ribeye dry before seasoning it. You can use any seasonings you want, from a simple salt and pepper combination to a specialty steak seasoning.

A broiler pan works best for the steak because it has slits to let the fat drip down onto the catch tray, and it helps the hot air circulate underneath the meat. The specialty pan is a two-part option with a slotted grate on top and a drip tray below. Grease the pan to keep the steak from sticking and consider lining the bottom tray with foil to prevent burnt-on grease.

When you use the broiler function on your oven, you don't set a specific temperature because most broilers have just an on and off setting. You can control the cooking to some degree by adjusting how far the steak is from the cooking element. Turn on the broiler at least 10 minutes before you broil the ribeye to give it ample time to heat.

The ideal distance for broiling is 3 to 4 inches from the heat. That means the top of your ribeye steaks should be about that distance from the heating element. Do a test run in a cold oven to position the rack just right for an ideal distance. Slide the pan with the ribeye on it into the cold oven and use a ruler to measure the distance, adjusting the rack as needed.

Because the heat is so intense, broiling puts your steak at risk for burning, so it's important to stay close to the oven while you're broiling. It's best to set the timer in short increments of just a few minutes to remind yourself to check on the steak. Flip the steak halfway through cooking to give both sides a good sear.

Much like other methods of cooking steak, the broiling time for ribeye depends largely on your preferred level of doneness. The USDA recommends a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit for food safety, which is cooked to about medium. However, many steak lovers prefer a rare or medium-rare steak. When you broil steak, you need to balance your preferred level of doneness with food safety guidelines to cook the meat to a state that you feel comfortable eating.

For reference, the follow temperatures help you judge the doneness of your boiled ribeye:

• Rare: 125°

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• Medium rare: 135°

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• Medium: 145°

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• Medium well: 150°

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• Well done: 160°

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Use a meat thermometer to monitor the doneness of your ribeye. Factors such as how long you preheat the broiler, how close the steak is to the heating element and the steak's thickness all affect the time it takes to cook your ribeye. For a 1-inch ribeye steak, cooking between 14 and 18 minutes should equate to roughly medium well, but it's always better to cook for shorter lengths and closely monitor the internal temperature with a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking.