BLACK PEPPER-CRUSTED GRILLED RIBEYE WITH BLUE CHEESE-PECAN BUTTER

BLACK PEPPER-CRUSTED GRILLED RIBEYE WITH BLUE CHEESE-PECAN BUTTER image

Categories Beef

Yield 4 1/4 inch slice

Number Of Ingredients 11

THE MEAT
1/2 cup freshly cracked pepper
1/4 cup kosher salt
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
4 boneless ribeye steaks, about 1-inch thick, 12-14 ounces each
2 tablespoons olive oil
THE BUTTER
1 tablespoon chopped pecans
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Steps:

Toast pecans: Heat oven to 350 degrees, spread pecans over a shallow baking pan, and cook, checking frequently, until golden brown (5-10 minutes). Allow to cool. Combine butter, blue cheese, pecans, and lemon juice in a small bowl and mix well. Pile butter mixture onto a piece of wax paper or plastic wrap, form it into a rough cylinder, and wrap it up. Refrigerate until firm. (This butter will keep in refrigerator for a week, or frozen for several months.) Build a fire in (or preheat) your grill. When coals are all ignited, flames have died down, and temperature is hot (when you can hold your hand 5 inches above the grill grid for 1-2 seconds), you're ready to cook. Combine black pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl and mix well. Rub steaks all over with oil and coat generously with spice mixture, pressing gently to be sure it adheres. Put steaks on grill over the hottest part of the fire and cook, turning once, until very well seared - about 6-8 minutes per side for rare. To check for doneness, poke steaks with your finger to test their firmness (the firmer it is, the more done); if you're unsure, make a small cut in the thickest part of one steak to be sure it is just slightly less done than you like it. While steaks are cooking, cut chilled blue cheese butter in 1/4-inch slices, As soon as steaks come off grill, top each steak with a slice or two of butter, so it starts to melt as you serve steaks.