Rosemary-Garlic Butter-Basted Ribeye Tagliata for Two

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

One thick, well-marbled ribeye, seared hard in cast iron (or over live fire), basted with foaming rosemary-garlic butter, then rested and sliced thin against the grain over peppery arugula with shaved Parmigiano and lemon. Tuscan steakhouses have been stretching one big steak across two plates this way for centuries — it eats like a $70 entrée and costs a fraction of that at home.

Ingredients

• 1 bone-in or boneless ribeye, 1½ to 1¾ inches thick (about 1¼ to 1½ lb)
• 1 tbsp kosher salt (Diamond Crystal; use 1½ tsp if Morton)
• 1 tsp coarsely cracked black pepper
• 1 tbsp neutral oil (grapeseed or canola)

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 garlic cloves, lightly smashed, skins on
• 3 rosemary sprigs
• 2 thyme sprigs (optional)

• 4 cups baby arugula, loosely packed
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano, shaved with a peeler
• 1 tsp flaky sea salt
• 1 tsp aged balsamic vinegar (optional)

Instructions

1. Up to 24 hours ahead (or at least 45 minutes before cooking), pat the ribeye completely dry and season all over — including the edges — with the kosher salt and cracked pepper. Set it on a rack over a plate and refrigerate uncovered. This dries the surface for a better crust and seasons the interior.
2. Pull the steak from the fridge 45 minutes before cooking and let it come toward room temperature. Pat dry once more right before it hits the pan; surface moisture is the enemy of a hard sear.
3. FOR CAST IRON: Set a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for 5 to 6 minutes, until a drop of water evaporates on contact in under a second. Add the neutral oil and swirl — it should shimmer and just barely wisp smoke. FOR GRILL: Build a two-zone fire, one side ripping hot (you can hold your hand 4 inches above for only 2 seconds), the other side cool. Oil the grates.
4. Lay the steak down away from you and do not touch it for 3 minutes. Lift a corner: you want a deep, even mahogany crust. Flip and sear the second side 3 minutes. Then hold the steak on edge with tongs for 60 to 90 seconds to render the fat cap until it's crisp and golden.
5. Reduce the heat to medium (or slide the steak to the cool side of the grill and set a small skillet over the fire). Add the butter, smashed garlic, rosemary, and thyme to the pan. As the butter foams, tilt the pan and spoon the sizzling herb butter over the steak continuously for 2 to 3 minutes, flipping once halfway. The butter should smell nutty and toasted, not burnt — pull the heat down if the milk solids darken too fast.
6. Start checking with an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part at the 8-minute mark. Pull at 118–120°F for rare, 125°F for medium-rare (the target for tagliata), 132°F for medium. Total cook time runs 10 to 14 minutes depending on thickness.
7. Transfer the steak to a cutting board with a juice groove, spoon the pan butter and softened garlic over the top, and tent loosely with foil. Rest 10 full minutes — non-negotiable, since you're slicing thin and every drop of lost juice shows.
8. While it rests, toss the arugula with the extra-virgin olive oil, a squeeze of half the lemon, and a pinch of flaky salt. Pile it onto a warmed platter.
9. Find the direction of the muscle fibers and slice the steak against the grain at a slight angle, about ¼ inch thick. If your ribeye has a bone or a clear separation between the eye and the cap, cut those apart first — the grain runs different directions in each — then slice each piece against its own grain.
10. Fan the slices over the arugula, pour any board juices and resting butter back over the meat, and squeeze the remaining lemon half across the top. Shower with shaved Parmigiano, a final drizzle of good olive oil, flaky salt, and the balsamic if using. Serve immediately, straight off the platter, two forks.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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