This Is the Best Cut of Beef, According to Anthony Bourdain
I spoke with three chefs for advice on cooking this special steak.
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Despite already being a fan of Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, I didn’t know much about Bourdain until years after his passing. I’ve since dug deeper down the rabbit hole, bought a few of his cookbooks, and learned some of his favorite recipes. As a budding home cook, I’m more fascinated today by his expertise and methodology than ever before.
My newfound love of cooking is how I became intrigued by Bourdain’s favorite cut of beef: the côte de boeuf. Known as the bone-in ribeye steak in the U.S., this cut has a reputation for being the ultimate beef cut, not to mention the most expensive.
As a newcomer to learning about different cuts of meat, I immediately took Bourdain's preferred choice as gospel. To better understand what makes this legendary cut of beef so special (and to pick up a few cooking tips), I tapped a few experts in the field for help.
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What Makes Bone-in Ribeye the Best Cut of Beef?
“Ribeye has always been the king of steaks,” notes private chef and former Zou Zou's Sous Chef Jimmy Vasquez. “The reason being is the intramuscular fat or marbling. Fat is flavor, so the meat-to-marble ratio is imperative to picking a great steak.” Jimmy goes on to explain that good marbling almost always equals a juicy steak, so long as it is prepared properly.
Frank DePaola, owner and butcher at my local Italian salumeria quickly echoed Jimmy’s sentiments on the côte de boeuf. “The ribeye is my favorite cut of meat for a couple of reasons,” DePaola says. “Number one, the amount of marble that’s in the meat, it’s delicious.”
He goes on to explain that the popular cut “sears nicely” and really only needs salt and pepper to be perfect. Frank also picks ribeye steak for its end cap. “That’s my ultimate favorite,” he laughs. “It just melts in your mouth and tastes like you’re eating wagyu beef.”
Nate Molina, Executive Chef of The Genesee Store, names the end cap as a key component that separates the ribeye from other desirable cuts like filet mignon or New York strip. Molina breaks the ribeye down into three sections: ribeye cap, filet, and tail. “Each [component offers] a distinct yet complementary aspect to the overall experience,” he says.
Read More: Sirloin vs. Ribeye: A Butcher Explains the Difference
Simply Recipes / Adobe Stock
How To Cook a Bone-In Ribeye
To help this big steak cook more evenly, pull it from the refrigerator at least half an hour before cooking and let it come to room temperature.
Preheat a grill or grill pan to high heat and set the oven to 400°F. Season the steak on all sides with salt and pepper, then sear it on the grill using clarified butter (which, unlike regular butter, will not burn) or fat scraps saved from trimming the ribeye.
Once the pan is very hot, sear the steak, turning it 180° on each side to get the “cool checkerboard pattern we all like,” as Bourdain says in Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook. Once both sides have a nice brown crust, toss the steak into a roasting pan and let it finish cooking in the oven for eight to 10 minutes for medium rare. The oven step is necessary because this steak is too thick to cook solely on the stovetop or grill.
Once the steak has reached your desired level of doneness, let it rest for at least 10 minutes. This method allows all of the juices inside to evenly distribute. Bourdain explains that the steak “doesn’t have to be served sizzling hot.” Then transfer the steak to a cutting board, slice, and serve.
While there are a few variations you can make to the cooking process, Bourdain’s methods are as straightforward as it gets. Vasquez, on the other hand, goes one step further. He adds thyme, bay leaves, rosemary, garlic, and shallots to the pan, lets them infuse the butter, and uses that flavorful butter to baste the steak for the full steakhouse experience.
