Prime Ribeye Cap Steak Recipe

If the ribeye is, as some say, the king of steaks, then the ribeye cap is the jewel in its crown. This is not a common cut of meat to find, but if you are lucky enough to find a ribeye cap (sometimes called rib cap or even by the Latin

) at your local grocery or meat store, do not hesitate—buy it! In our considered opinion, it ranks as perhaps the greatest cut of meat on the whole cow, boasting an unmatched balance of tenderness, flavor, and ease of cooking. Read on to learn more about this amazing cut and how to cook it properly. Here’s a hint: if you’ve ever cooked a steak with a Thermapen® ONE, you’ve pretty much got it down already!

The rib cap is the glorious outer-rim of the prime rib roast. It is, to many minds, the best corner of a traditional ribeye steak on the plate—that loose part on the other side of the strip of fat that runs through the middle of each ribeye steak. But removed from the rest of the rib loin entirely and cooked as its own self-sufficient cut, the rib cap becomes something altogether extraordinary.

Reverse Seared Rib Eye Caps Recipe

The meat of the cap is, well, loose. Spongy, almost. It has layers of muscle fibers that are bound together with almost no connective tissue. The cut is shot-through with marbling fat that melts like butter when cooked, and it’s not just any fat, either.

. If you’re a beef lover, you know already that every muscle tastes differently and that fat from every part of the cow has its own unique flavor and texture. And you know that seared ribeye fat is among the best smelling and best tasting.

Ribeye cap steak takes on two forms: falts and pinwheels. If you cut the cap off of your rib roast and cook it as is, it closely resembles a flank steak. This is a flat. But hen you buy ribeye cap steaks at a butcher, you’re likely to get pinwheels. To make the pinwheels, the butcher rollst eh flat cap up, ties it into sections, and cuts those sections loose. The result is a rolled steak held together with butcher twine. Either of these options is great, but here we’re going to cook the flat.

Smoked Rosemary Ribeye Cap Steaks

A common muscle. I hear tell of it being sold at giant-box wholesale stores from time to time, and you can certainly buy them from specialty retailers online. If you have a very good local butcher’s shop, you can most likely get one there. But otherwise, if you want a ribeye cap, you’re going to have to make one yourself.

Yes, this is an opportunity for some light home-butchery, so sharpen up your boning knife and check out the video below. It’s really quite simple, once you get past the first stages. At a certain point, you can even set the knife down and let your fingers do the work.

Note: one end of the cap may be a good deal thicker than the other. You can either cut the cap into pieces of even thickness for even cooking, or you can cook the thinner side to medium-rare, leaving the thicker side rare (adjust up the scale as your guests require).

Easy Reverse Seared Ribeye Steak In The Oven

The ribeye cap is an incredible cut. It is not an exaggeration to say that the whole team here now lists it in their top beef rankings. And here’s the thing: we think you should eat this every time you buy a prime rib. If you serve the trimmed out eye-loin as a roast, you expand the prime rib’s utility. It is something I will absolutely take advantage of, and we think you will too, once you try it out

So grab a knife and a rib loin, a skillet and a Thermapen and try out what may well be the best piece of beef there is.Tasty is a subjective term in most cases, but it’s not likely that you won’t agree that ribcap steak is one of the tastiest cuts you’ll encounter. The cap ofribeye steak is primarily hailed as one of the best cuts of steak you can put in your mouth, thanks to its incredible marbling that gives it its full flavor and perfect texture. If you haven’t yet heard of this type of steak, you’ll want to learn about it. Fortunately, we have all the details for you on the ribcap, how you should cook it, and why you should add it to your arsenal of steak options.

This cut of steak goes by a lot of different names, so it’s possible that you’ve heard it referred to as rib eye cap steak, prime rib cap, Wagyu rib steak, or its Latin name, spinalis dorsi . Regardless of its name, it all comes from the same spot: the rib primal area of the animal, which sits under and lends its support to the backbone. This is also the same area where you’ll get prime rib and ribeye cuts of steak.

Rare Steaks: Spinalis Dorsi, The Ribeye Cap

The rib caps are actually part of a beef ribeye cut. These come from the curved top end of the ribeye, the part with muscle that sits against the backbone. This rib area is not used for much movement, which is why it has the fantastic melt-in-your-mouth texture that it does. Basically, the more a muscle is used, the less tender it is because it gets worked in more. Infrequently used muscles like the rib muscle are the kind most steak lovers crave (like filet mignon, for example)! The cut also doesn’t come from a fatty part of the cow, so there’s no excess fat to make it gristly and chewy, but it does have just the right marbling to keep it tender and full of flavour.

Visiting the butcher shop for a ribcap steak is your best bet to ensure you’re getting the quality steak you want. Your butcher is likely to carry the best of the best USDA Prime and Certified Angus Beef, and you can advise the butcher that you’d like only the rib cap. If they don’t already have some cut, they’ll be able to butcher it for you to give you just that delicious, flavorful eye of prime beef.

You can also ask your butcher for the tenderloin wrapped in butcher’s twine, so you can enjoy the rest of the tenderloin too.

How To Trim A Prime Rib To Make Ribeye Cap And Ribeye Filet Steaks

You may have heard ofWagyu steak and how its standards are among the highest for steaks. Well, the same is true for the Wagyu rib cap. If you find a steak that’s denoted as Wagyu ribcap steak cut, you have a steak that’s been graded with the Wagyu grading system. The system sets exceptionally high standards for its steaks, much like the USDA Prime grading system. These rib steaks are just about as perfect as you can get.

Now, it’s time to learn how to cook ribeye cap steak to churn out the perfect steak for dinner. Much like your other favorite cuts of steak, the ribeye cap cut fares well pan-seared on the stovetop in a cast iron skillet or cooked on the grill. Both cooking methods bring out the steak’s delicious flavors, and if you’re careful about cooking time, leave the smooth texture intact.

For either method, the preparation process will be the same. First, trim any excess fat off the outer edges of the steak. Then, add some olive oil to all sides, and season your steaks with salt and ground black pepper or your favorite steak seasoning. Be sure to have your ribcaps come to room temperature, usually for about a half-hour or so, before you cook them.

Three Bites: Tip O' The Cap

If you’re cooking your steaks in a cast iron pan, first melt a couple of tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the steaks slowly and allow them to cook on one side for about 3 to 5 minutes, depending on your desired doneness. Then, flip to the other side and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Medium rare is a desirable goal for ribcaps, and you’ll need to cook them to about 140 degrees for this level. You can add a little minced garlic to the pan after flipping, too, for a flavorful boost.

On the grill, sear your ribcaps over high heat for about two minutes on each side, and then move to another part of the grill over medium heat. You’ll need to cook them for another 4 to 6 minutes on each side to your level of doneness. Your total cooking time will vary depending on the type of grill you use, so it’s a good idea to keep a close watch on your steaks and the grill temperature during cooking.

With either method, be sure to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the steak. Then, let your rib cap steak rest for 10 to 15 minutes before you slice or enjoy it to lock in all the juices and allow the steak to reach the proper temperature.

Sous Vide Ribeye Cap

Note: Like filet mignon, this cut works exceptionally well with a balsamic vinegar marinade