Pan Seared Chuck-Eye Steaks
Known among chefs as “the poor man’s ribeye,” chuck-eye steak is a common and incredibly inexpensive (our recipe developer purchased two organic chuck eye steaks for less than $8) cut of beef readily available at most supermarkets. While chuck-eye is often purchased as a roast—destined to cook for hours in a slow cooker in order to become tender enough to enjoy—what many home cooks don’t know is that in steak form, chuck-eye holds the potential to be one of the most succulent cuts you’ll ever cook. In other words, you can serve what tastes like a luxurious steak dinner at a fraction of the cost if you opt for chuck-eye. There are a few details of this recipe that are key to your steak success; for one, salting the beef and letting it rest uncovered in the fridge draws moisture from the surface of the meat, which is what will allow you to achieve an incredible crispy sear. Your next essential step is basting. This technique is one often overlooked by home cooks; however, continually spooning that rich mixture of the steak’s drippings, melted butter, and aromatics over the beef is crucial to yielding a tender, juicy steak. Finally, be sure to allow your steaks a full 5 minutes to rest (yes, this will test the boundaries of your self control) before thinly slicing against the grain.
Serves 4 (serving size: 6 oz. steak)
Ingredients
1 1/2 chuck-eye steaks (about 2 steaks)
1 kosher salt
1/2 freshly ground black pepper
2 olive oil
1 unsalted butter
3 thyme sprigs
1 garlic clove, smashed
1 coarse sea salt
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