627826 Sun Jun 14 11:13:54 -0700 2009 64 31 Home Cooking 0 4771863 Could you suggest a great marinade for grilling rib eye steaks? Should this be done 24 hours in advance? Thank you! Sun Jun 14 11:13:54 -0700 2009 22620 DaisyM 1 4771897 My favorite a very simple herbed marinade. Nothing much. A good quality steak to me needs nothing more than s/p when grilled. But if you want a marinade this is mine: 6 teaspoons minced garlic, 1/2 cup mix of red wine and balsamic, 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 teaspoon dried oregano and 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, some fresh ground pepper and 1 teaspoon dijon mustard Garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, tarragon, thyme, dijon mustard and grated onion. It is a simple marinade. Just put in a baggie, add the steaks and rub it on. Put in the am and grill that night. 24 hrs to me it doesn't necessarily need if good quality but you can. Nothing wrong with it. This is another I found online but I still is good but I prefer just the herbs. It has 1 tablespoon each soy, olive oil, dijon, balsamic and worcestershire and 2 teaspoons garlic a little pepper. Either one works great but for steak all day marinade is fine but overnight to me is great for a london broil etc. I still prefer just good evoo, s/p on the steak before grill and maybe topped with a good herbed butter. Just soften some fresh butter, add a variety of herbs and some garlic roasted is best but not necessary and then chill. When the steak is done add a nice scoop of the herbed butter on top. Nothing better. Add a couple of grilled portabellos stuffed with blue cheese and bread crumbs sliced and served with the steak and a grilled tomato half simple roasted creamy potatoes with fresh dill Sun Jun 14 11:32:09 -0700 2009 4771863 232829 kchurchill5 1 4771935 Rib-eyes are so tender, I don't see a need to marinate. (Hopefully you have bone-in; if not I believe they're called delmonico) Flank steak I would marinate, to both soften and flavor, but not a rib-eye. However, I love this spice rub: salt, cumin and allspice. http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Grilled-Spiced-Rib-Eye-Steaks-103564 It highlights the beefy taste of the steaks, IMHO. I even served it to my "steak rare plain" father and he raved. Sun Jun 14 11:47:22 -0700 2009 4771863 33755 NYchowcook 1 4771969 I'll echo the opinion of others. A good rib eye doesn't need to be marinated. A simple rub of herbs and spices, allow to sit in the spices until the steak hits room temperature, oil it lightly with peanut oil, throw her on the grill. If you really want to make a marinade, then just remember it's oil, acid, herbs & spices. Any balanced combination of things you like that are laying about the house will do it. My preferred oil:acid ratio is 2:1. YMMV. Use your nose and a lick of your pinky as guidance remembering that it isn't really finished until the steak and marinade have been formally introduced. I like kchurchill5's selection of ingredients with the exception of any vinegar other than balsamic. This is just a personal thing. I always substitute red wine for red wine vinegar, etc. I do appreciate kchurchill5's bbq style. She has no fear of flavour. Sun Jun 14 12:06:57 -0700 2009 4771863 12072 Googs 2 4772029 I never thought of substituing red wine for red wine vinegar! Sun Jun 14 12:44:46 -0700 2009 4771969 22620 DaisyM 2 4772166 I was going to ask what's wrong with them that they need to be marinated. Sun Jun 14 14:02:48 -0700 2009 4771969 14974 BeaN 3 4772194 We're having company and I just wanted everything to be special. I'm getting the steaks at Whole Foods, so I'm sure they will be good. Sun Jun 14 14:14:48 -0700 2009 4772166 22620 DaisyM 2 4772382 Thats ok, I have used red wine many times and equally as good. I usually use the vinegar, but red wine works just fine for me. I usually have a bottle sitting around To Daisy M, If you grill you easily take a cast iron to the grill sautee a few mushrooms and a shallot, some fresh herbs in a little butter, then deglaze with a little red wine and just simmer to reduce. This makes an easy simple sauce over the steak. You can add garlic, s/p a must even a little dijon in the sauce. Anything even some beef broth It makes a simple easy sauce which takes the same amount of time to make the steak. And googs .. port is another great flavor to marinate in with honey and tarragon. Good flavor. So many choices :) Sun Jun 14 15:49:30 -0700 2009 4771969 232829 kchurchill5 3 4772387 Hubby is the saucier. Port is a must in our cabinet. "With honey and tarragon" is now on my, I mean his, to-do list. Thanks! Sun Jun 14 15:52:50 -0700 2009 4772382 12072 Googs 1 4772231 Don't marinate. Just heavily salt the steak about 1 hour before you grill or cook the steak. Sun Jun 14 14:37:03 -0700 2009 4771863 11583 ipsedixit 1 4772389 Slight change of subject and I know you are grilling rib eyes, but my recipes for marinades and anyone else are great for skirt steaks, flank or even london broil. Skirt steaks are very flavorful and tender when marinaded and then grilled. A simple inexpensive way to make steak with great flavor. Thin sliced, individually or over a mixed green salad a great cheap cut with tons of flavor and tenderness. Also great for fajitas, tacos, hoagies or philli steak cheese type sandwiches, stir fry, stroganoff, anything. Great way to have steak more often. It is cheaper than most chicken and fish these days. Sun Jun 14 15:53:31 -0700 2009 4771863 232829 kchurchill5 1 4772438 I am with the court that does not marinate the rib eye. Cooked high heat, cast iron grill/griddle, with perhaps a little butter at the end, and salt and pepper. Let them rest for 7 mins for the juices to settle in. Med rare, pull it towards the rare side, it will keep cooking. Perfect steak. I'd make a mushroom - scallion sauce with olive oil, scallions sliced thin, fresh garlic minced fine, mushrooms, and then add a couple of shakesof Tobasco, worcestershire sauce, about 1/2 cup and about 3T butter. When the mushrooms are done, swirl the butter in last, and serve in a little gravy boat to eat with the steaks either top it, or on the side in its own little bowl. Sun Jun 14 16:15:08 -0700 2009 4771863 50431 chef chicklet 2 4772455 Am I alone in thinking that everyone on this board is such an amazing cook and are awfully kind and generous to address my mundane questions? Sun Jun 14 16:22:50 -0700 2009 4772438 22620 DaisyM 3 4772491 I just enjoy cooking and sharing. Isn't that what cooking is about? No question is mundane. I have many unconventional methods at times but still love traditional methods so I love to get ideas. So nothing is a bad or mundane question. Me and I am sure most are always happy to help. Try making herbed butter some weekend, weather you use it with steak or not. buy some fresh herbs (store or market) thyme, rosemary and parsley and garlic and maybe oregano, 1/4 - 1/2 each herb/spice and then 1 stick unsalted butter. Add all and mix to the softened butter. Chill and next time you make steak or pork chops or pork roast and chicken but a small slice on when you take it out before you serve it. Heaven. Also add to fresh spaghetti and toss, baked or roasted potatoes or sweet potatoes. It is a great go to easy quick flavor. And never be intimidated to ask anything. We all ask stupid questions all the time, just ask us :) Have fun!! Sun Jun 14 16:37:41 -0700 2009 4772455 232829 kchurchill5 4 4772509 In addition to herbed butter (which I love to make) a small pat of good white or black truffle butter on steak is heavenly. Sun Jun 14 16:45:20 -0700 2009 4772491 12072 Googs 5 4772513 Oh yeah!! the best! Sun Jun 14 16:46:58 -0700 2009 4772509 232829 kchurchill5 1 4772506 IMO marinating meats is mostly a waste of time and resources...Any tenderizing effects, (if any) by an acid component, are mainly on the surface of the meat regardless of the time marinated...If you don't like what you have to eat, then marinades do a good job of changing, altering, disguising, or enhancing meats various flavors to suit your taste....If you like what you have to eat, then don't mess with it..Choose quality meat...learn to cook it properly and... Enjoy! Sun Jun 14 16:44:33 -0700 2009 4771863 65057 Uncle Bob 2 4772514 on the other hand, flavors are nice, too. Sun Jun 14 16:47:21 -0700 2009 4772506 11892 tommy 2 4772517 My problem is some times I pick up skirt or flank or london broil or not great quality so I do marinate on occasion. But yes it does depend on the meat by all means. A cheap cut rib eye may need a little help but a good cut is fine with just s/p and olive oil. Agreed but like me, I can't always afford it. so I do the best I can. Sun Jun 14 16:49:19 -0700 2009 4772506 232829 kchurchill5 3 4774271 salt, pepper and fire is all those steaks need. Mon Jun 15 10:09:36 -0700 2009 4772517 75012 jencounter 4 4774572 cheap steaks taste like nothing. Mon Jun 15 11:31:28 -0700 2009 4774271 11892 tommy 1 4774928 Rib Eyes are so flavorful, you really should just dry-brine them with kosher salt & pepper, maybe a Montreal Steak seasoning type blend, and elevate them on a rack in the coldest part of your fridge for a day. Let them dry out a bit - they will be incredibly juicy. If you're insisting on marinating them, I would keep it simple with a garlic vinaigrette. Most fresh herbs won't flavor the steaks all that much. but you can try rosemary or thyme. Mon Jun 15 13:19:21 -0700 2009 4771863 90755 Phurstluv 2 4775101 Does this mean that they should be in the fridge seasoned without any kind of wrap? Mon Jun 15 14:06:19 -0700 2009 4774928 22620 DaisyM 3 4775131 Right, you want the air to circulate around the meat to dry off any surface moisture. That will help it sear perfectly. The seasoning will be absorbed and the salt will plump up & straighten the protein molecules, therefore making the meat tender and juicy. Think of it like dry aging, where they hang the meat to dry it out and age it for weeks. You can wrap them if it makes you feel better, but they will dry quicker without any wrap. It really isn't necessary, as long as they're not touching anything else in the fridge. I dry brine most of my meat and poultry this way, and have never had a problem with any cross contamination. Mon Jun 15 14:17:32 -0700 2009 4775101 90755 Phurstluv 4 4775157 this sounds like a very good idea! Mon Jun 15 14:24:42 -0700 2009 4775131 11892 tommy 5 4775165 Thank you....I'm going to do this! Mon Jun 15 14:26:52 -0700 2009 4775157 22620 DaisyM 6 4775783 Great. let me know what you think after your meal!! Mon Jun 15 17:42:16 -0700 2009 4775165 90755 Phurstluv 5 4775170 Trust me, it works every time. I've been doing it for quite a few years now, and wouldn't make a steak without dry brining it first. Also excellent way of preparing whole birds, instead of finding a pot big enough to brine a whole turkey, and then trying to keep it cold for a day or so. Not very convenient, even tho I have 2 refrigerators!! Mon Jun 15 14:27:05 -0700 2009 4775157 90755 Phurstluv 6 4775739 I've become a fan of salting meats and chicken and leaving in the fridge uncovered for a day or two. The results are excellent IMO. I know there have been many debates on the subject of pre-salting steaks. I think you get a better crust that has lots of flavor. The loss of some water helps to concentrate the flavors in the meat. You can get some fantastic crispy skin on a chicken this way as well. As to the marinade. Make it, reduce it and turn it into a sauce for when the meat is done. Mon Jun 15 17:29:59 -0700 2009 4775170 89493 scubadoo97 7 4775804 I know, I had a raging debate with other CHers a few months back on another board... but it's so true. The meat becomes seasoned throughout, and the excess surface moisture is gone, so it sears beautifully, or crisps the skin like nothing else, on a bird. Good rec to reduce the marinade & make a sauce with it. Tho, I usually don't sauce my steaks, stick with a compound butter if you need to sauce it , but again, if you dry brine, you don't even need a sauce! Mon Jun 15 17:45:38 -0700 2009 4775739 90755 Phurstluv 8 4775815 I'm a salt firster as well. The meat taste great all the way through not just on the surface. Mon Jun 15 17:49:20 -0700 2009 4775804 10195 KTinNYC 9 4775974 It's so true. I think I've made a few converts on some boards. And I'm not even a salt fiend, Like my husband, but it definitely makes a difference, to my taste! Mon Jun 15 18:33:08 -0700 2009 4775815 90755 Phurstluv 8 4776012 marinades will penetrate meat, and they do have their place. writing anything off wholesale, as i've seen in this thread, is just a little silly. Mon Jun 15 18:42:56 -0700 2009 4775804 11892 tommy 9 4776279 I certainly don't write off marinades at all. They absolutely have their place to tenderize and flavor much tougher cuts of meat and I love marinated chicken breasts, pork tenderloins, even shellfish. But for something as inherently flavorful as a ribeye, which is my go to cut of steak, I prefer to just dry brine it and grill or pan roast. I was merely suggesting it as an alternative to a marinade, for the flavorful cut of steak. In my post, I did recommend a good garlicky marinade which would serve the steak just as well as no marinade, but told the OP of my opinion that a ribeye does not need a marinade to make it special. I certainly wouldn't expect marinated steak fans to all of a sudden convert to non-marinade preps for their steaks. But I bet if they tried it, they would find a marinade unnecessary, at least for this application. Mon Jun 15 20:12:42 -0700 2009 4776012 90755 Phurstluv 1 4776424 Rib eye is a perfect candidate for a quick marinade with liquid smoke, especially if done on gas or pan seared. Colgin's is the best brand of LS. I do a one hour marinade, the time required to go from 34 degrees in fridge to room temp. The following procedure can be done in a no-mess manner using the styro tray that the steaks are sold in. (I'm losing those Lugers readers already... but this is a quick and dirty choice or select grocery store steak method) Use this tool to pierce the steak to allow penetration of marinade: http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-7032-Professional-Meat-Tenderizer/dp/B00004UE7Y (Losing more purists... I sense it...see paragraph 3). Pierce both sides of steak. Remove the "diaper" from styro tray. If you have no Norpro, then pause to order one online before proceeding, as it is an invaluable tool for many applications. Then use a fork to pierce. Rub some Colgins liquid smoke on the horizontal surface. Then sprinkle with granulated garlic and salt. Turn steak and repeat on other side. Cover with plastic wrap, and massage. Repeat the massage on occasion as you do other steps of the meal prep. Cook and enjoy. Mon Jun 15 21:27:25 -0700 2009 4771863 17562 FoodFuser 2 4777934 Another reason why I don't use a marinade on my steaks, or any liquid smoke is because I use a charcoal grill, so I don't need to infuse the meat with fake smoke taste. I also tend to buy prime steaks at costco, they come three to a pack and serve my family at least 2 meals, so I think the steak speaks for itself with its flavor, I don't want to mask it w/ a marinade or artificial flavors. And see below, I have also used dried porcini powder w/sea salt and it is a wonderful rub for a rib eye, Tue Jun 16 10:12:44 -0700 2009 4776424 90755 Phurstluv 2 4778321 Your procedure for "marinating" your rib eyes sounds more like a wet rub to me. If it fits in the styro tray, there is not enough liquid to "marinate" it. It is a wet rub. Tue Jun 16 11:45:36 -0700 2009 4776424 90755 Phurstluv 3 4779208 Agreed on the magic dust of the shrooms. I sometimes do the same with dried shiitake dust., and it gives a great crust. Also agreed on prime over select. My local store marks down their prime cuts that haven't sold in the glass service case, and styro's them to the plebe pile, at 9 or 10 a.m. on Fridays, to make way for replenishing the glass case with fresher looking beef for the weekend grillers. So, if I want prime steaks, I get them for 3.99 per pound, and savor the extra aging time and that (ewwwwww) dried surface. Awesome beef. But I'd be hesitant to buy the same beef 3 days earlier at 14.98. But I am fundamentally wired in a parsimonious way , and enjoy the challenge of getting the best taste from cheaper ingredients. Ribeye is the cut of beef where the tenderness of the muscle, even at select grade, is very acceptable to me. Thus my caveat in P3: "this is a quick and dirty choice or select grocery store steak method". Sometimes I just want to pan sear a steak and zap some leftovers and make a salad. Liquid smoke is a matter where many cooks are divided. But it is not fake, nor does it contain as many additives as a can of Campbells soup. This thread explores the debate of LS: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/397618 "Wet rub" vs "marinade". Good taxonomic point. I guess mine's a hybrid that should be recorded in the nomenclature as "beef, chunk thereof, pierced with steel needles (2 penny nail gauge) to open spaces between meat fibers, then addition of liquid ingredients, sometimes carrying associated dry flavoring components, then massaged to facilitate capillary travel via said holes, and surface absorption of said liquid suspension, into the internal matrix of the meat, to the point of saturation". Let's eat. Tue Jun 16 15:48:25 -0700 2009 4778321 17562 FoodFuser 4 4779453 Love your description of the "magic dust of shrooms" - takes me back to college!! You're so lucky to have a store that marks down it's prime beef - 3.99/lb.? That's unheard in SoCal. Yes, you do have a hybrid working there. "...massaged to facilitate capillary travel via said holes, and surface absorption of said liquid suspension, into the internal matrix of the meat, to the point of saturation" - That makes it sound so sexy!! Either way, I would be thrilled to have some rib eyes with you!! Tue Jun 16 17:17:57 -0700 2009 4779208 90755 Phurstluv 5 4781309 No need to bring a bottle of wine... a 5 oz bottle of liquid smoke will suffice. Wed Jun 17 10:05:59 -0700 2009 4779453 17562 FoodFuser 1 4776540 To reiterate. You don't need a marinade. Heavily (and I mean HEAVILY) salt your steak on both sides an hour before grilling. After an hour, rinse your steak of the salt, pat dry (very dry) Then grill, or pan fry. Enjoy. Mon Jun 15 22:36:34 -0700 2009 4771863 11583 ipsedixit 2 4776764 Everyone is talking about salt....but does pepper also go on before grilling? Thank you! And when you say "rinse" do you mean with a paper towel? Or are you rinsing with water. Sorry if these are inane questions...dinner is tomorrow night. Tue Jun 16 03:46:11 -0700 2009 4776540 22620 DaisyM 2 4776895 You don't "need" salt, either. Marinades add flavor. To suggest otherwise is ridiculous. Tue Jun 16 05:27:04 -0700 2009 4776540 11892 tommy 2 4778020 How about for those who can't have salt or very little. I add a little but over salt to me ends up being all that I taste. Tue Jun 16 10:27:45 -0700 2009 4776540 232829 kchurchill5 3 4778302 "How about for those who can't have salt or very little." This is like asking someone how to make a lobster roll for someone allergic to lobster. Common sense will answer your question. Tue Jun 16 11:39:21 -0700 2009 4778020 10195 KTinNYC 4 4778340 I guess that is why I prefer the marinade vs the salt method. There were a few posts that were against marinade and only salt , I just wondered what they would do when someone they cooked for can't have salt? Thats all. Tue Jun 16 11:52:40 -0700 2009 4778302 232829 kchurchill5 5 4778380 There was no mention of anyone being on a sodium restricted diet in the original post. "There were a few posts that were against marinade and only salt , I just wondered what they would do when someone they cooked for can't have salt?" Again, use common sense. Tue Jun 16 12:04:10 -0700 2009 4778340 10195 KTinNYC 6 4778458 Fortunately there are no restrictions for this group. However, on Saturday I've got to do low protein for one person and fat and sugar free for another. Honestly, sometimes I just want to serve everyone a big glass of ice water. Tue Jun 16 12:27:21 -0700 2009 4778380 22620 DaisyM 5 4778454 I know what you are saying, K, and my response, as a no-marinater, would be to use one of the many fine salt free rubs there are out there or make your own with garlic pepper & herbs. Tue Jun 16 12:26:21 -0700 2009 4778340 90755 Phurstluv 6 4778587 Thnx, my response was to those salt only no marinade, not to the original post. Thx PH for your response. I'm not against salt, in fact good meat as I mentioned s/p only and grill. I do like marinades for some meats and some recipes. I have had brined and heavy salted meats and then rinsed and don't like them, just my taste. But I was wondering do you use the salt free rub in the same way or what else do you use especially on tougher cuts? I have no salt restrictions, but many I cook for do, so I have to be careful. Me personally, just don't like a really salty taste. But thx for the reply, I do appreciate it. Tue Jun 16 12:56:05 -0700 2009 4778454 232829 kchurchill5 7 4778968 By the way, "salt-free" =/= "sodium free" Tue Jun 16 14:32:44 -0700 2009 4778587 11583 ipsedixit 7 4779044 I don't use salt free mixtures, but I would assume you could use it in the same way as any other herb rub. And on tougher cuts, I probably would marinate it in liquid, or cook it low and slow, or braise it, to break it down so as to be tender. But I've got to say, I'm hooked on the fuss-free prep of dry brining, and I rarely buy tougher cuts of beef anymore, like london broil. Exceptions would be brisket and carne asada, which is skirt steak, that is basically wet-brined w/ spices like adobo, salt & pepper, maybe some juice (lime or orange). Tue Jun 16 14:51:05 -0700 2009 4778587 90755 Phurstluv 1 4777124 http://homecooking.about.com/od/specificdishe1/a/marinadescience.htm HTH DaisyM Enjoy! Tue Jun 16 06:59:55 -0700 2009 4771863 65057 Uncle Bob 1 4777482 one idea to add. like most, i don't marinate ribeyes. however, i understand the inclination to make the meat special. from time to time i adopt a suggestion independently offered by both mario b and tom valenti. rub the steaks with powdered dry porcini mushrooms. buy a little bag of the dried treats and whomp them into powder in a little food processor. i add s/p and a little olive oil if doing this. this technique keeps the meat center stage, adds a hint of welcome flavor and fills the bill as "special." Tue Jun 16 08:32:58 -0700 2009 4771863 270283 silverhawk 2 4777589 What a great idea! I'll try that next time. Right now the steaks have some kosher salt and are on a rack in the fridge for grilling tomorrow. Thank you for all suggestions. I love the sauce/marinade ideas. I've got the whole summer to try them out. Thanks again everyone....you make me a better cook and add immensely to my family's enjoyment of these gatherings. Tue Jun 16 08:57:38 -0700 2009 4777482 22620 DaisyM 2 4777923 I have done the same thing, and it's wonderful. I mix the porcini powder with fine sea salt and it's delicious. And yes, by all means, use some pepper too, DaisyM! Tue Jun 16 10:10:10 -0700 2009 4777482 90755 Phurstluv 1 4777587 geez, another thing--i like ribeyes so much i can't shut up. i grill my steaks quite hot initially and then damp down the fire to get the desired doneness--for me, warm rare. i prefer reasonably thick steaks--2 inches or so, sometimes 3 inches. i do not cook ribeyes quite as hot as strip steaks--at least during the 2nd phase of cooking. generally, there's more marble in a ribeye and it is wise to get some melting of this internal fat. some ribeyes are more than marbled--they have internal islands of fat--depending on which end of the rib roast the steak came from. i usually avoid these, tastey as the meat might be. however, if cooking a rib eye with a good bit of visible internal fat it is probably wise to dial back the heat more than usual to be sure the fat is nicely melted. Tue Jun 16 08:57:05 -0700 2009 4771863 270283 silverhawk 1 4778675 Agree with all of those who have said that a good rib eye steak only needs some salt and pepper for seasoning. But for other cuts of beef that you'd like to marinate for awhile, this is my all-time favorite marinade - a "firecracker sauce" recipe I got from Country Living awhile back: http://www.countryliving.com/recipefinder/sirloin-summer-vegetable-kabobs-firecracker-sauce-3844?click=main_sr I just shake up the ingredients in a clean jar with a tight-fitting lid to mix the marinade. Tue Jun 16 13:21:27 -0700 2009 4771863 10532 LindaWhit 2 4778753 But supermarket rib eyes need help. Tue Jun 16 13:39:52 -0700 2009 4778675 11892 tommy 3 4778822 If it's a supermarket rib eye, perhaps - depends on the supermarket. And I see you're in my old stomping grounds of Bergen County, although I've been gone so long I don't recognize any of the restaurants in your blog EXCEPT the Mason Jar in Mahwah. Boy, do I remember those Long Island Iced Teas in their mason jars! LOL Tue Jun 16 13:55:24 -0700 2009 4778753 10532 LindaWhit 4 4783648 Dinner was last night. I salted the steak and put it on a rack for 24 hours. I let it come to room temperature and added pepper. My husband grilled them over high heat. Everyone agreed...they were the best steaks we had ever had on the grill! Thank you! I still want to try the mushroom crust and also try some of the sauces. But last night with some additional company and a lot of cooking...this was easy. Thanks again for helping me cook so much better! Thu Jun 18 04:31:16 -0700 2009 4778822 22620 DaisyM 5 4787164 I like to marinate-season the steaks w/ Dales seasoning and someEVOO for about an hour in a baggie. Dry off and crack fresh black pepper over them and grill. The dry brining sounds cool and I'm going to try that soon. Fri Jun 19 07:49:48 -0700 2009 4783648 246458 wubba 5 4789900 Congratulations. It takes real nerve to go naked the first time. Bravo on serving the perfect steak. Sat Jun 20 07:54:57 -0700 2009 4783648 12072 Googs 1 4787519 Don't. Really don't. Unless your beef was raised in Guam, and has been frozen for 9 months, don't marinate, please, I beg you. The fat that will render out of them, when blended with the salt and pepper is more flavor than you can imagine. All you'll do is cover up the reason you spent the extra on the meat. Fri Jun 19 09:23:12 -0700 2009 4771863 1086121 ssgarman 1 4787566 Last night we had rib eye and here's what I did. I took the meat out from the fridge so it'll be at room temperature. About 10-15 minutes before cooking, I marinated the meat with olive oil, soy sauce and a splash of cognac. Heat up the pan, add combination of butter and oil, garlic (for flavouring the grease) then add steak. Once steak is done, I added some herb butter and stock to help deglaze the pan and poured over steak as "gravy". It does seem like a lot of butter but I only used no more than 2-3 tbsp. Fri Jun 19 09:39:18 -0700 2009 4771863 92180 gourmet wife