one-skillet steak and crispy smashed potatoes
you're 30 minutes and one-skillet away from the most perfect steak you've ever cooked, plus a side of crispy, delicious potatoes.
happy holidays!
i’ve been saying “happy holidays” since november 1st, but it finally feels acceptable to say it in public. and by “public”, i mean to the grocery baggers, mailman, and mattis’ teachers, AKA the only humans other than my family that i interact with on a regular basis. oh 2020, you absolute freak.
you guys crushed it cooking the One-Pot Cheesy Sausage and Squash Orzotto last week. thanks so much for sharing all of your pics and for HEAPING the compliments on me all week. i’m so glad you loved it. i’m working on a way to catalogue all of these exclusive newsletter recipes so that you guys can easily access them. stay tuned!
but now it’s time for one-skillet steak and crispy smashed potatoes. we don’t eat a ton of red meat, but when we do, i always cook it in a cast iron skillet instead of on the grill. it’s much better in a skillet, in my opinion, because we can control the heat much better, and we can constantly test the temperature of the steaks to ensure we don’t overcook them.
speaking of which, HAVE YOU BOUGHT A MEAT THERMOMETER YET? i cannot say this enough times: you do not have x-ray vision. if you want to cook perfect meat, order a meat thermometer TODAY! my favorite one (amazon just informed me that i’ve purchased it three times - thanks mattis for snapping two in half last month!) is on major cyber monday sale. order it. now.
can’t wait to see your meat and potato masterpieces this week. thanks for sharing your pics, convincing your friends to follow me, and helping me grow as an independent recipe publisher!
xoxo caro
one-skillet steak and crispy smashed potatoes
Serves 2
Tools
Cutting board
Chef’s knife
Cast iron skillet
Tongs
Ingredients
1 (1 to 1/2 pound) 1 1/2 to 2-inch thick boneless ribeye steak
Kosher salt and pepper
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
1 1/2 pounds baby Dutch yellow potatoes (or other small - golf-ball-ish sized potato)
1 tablespoon olive oil (or other neutral cooking oil such as vegetable or canola), plus 2 teaspoons
4 large garlic cloves, smashed
2 fresh rosemary sprigs and/or 4 fresh thyme sprigs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
Season 1 large boneless ribeye steak aggressively with salt and pepper and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. What does “aggressive” mean? I like to use 1 teaspoon of salt per 1 pound of meat, and about 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (if I’m using pepper! You don’t ALWAYS have to use pepper!).
Allow the steaks to come to room temperature for at least 10 minutes, but up to 1 hour. Meanwhile, add 1 1/2 pounds baby potatoes to a large heatproof bowl and add 2 tablespoons water to the bowl. Cover the bowl with a plate, and microwave for 7 minutes. Poke the potatoes with a fork. They should be very tender! If they’re not, microwave for another minute at a time until totally tender. Let the potatoes cool down completely - throw them in the fridge if you’re tight on time.
Warm a 12-inch skillet (preferably cast iron, and NOT nonstick if you can help it) over medium-high heat for three minutes. Add 1 tablespoon oil and warm until it just begins to smoke. Carefully add the ribeye steak into the skillet, then add 4 smashed garlic cloves and fresh herb sprigs on either side of the steak.
Cook the steak for 3 to 5 minutes, until a nice golden-brown sear forms. Flip it, and add 2 tablespoons butter to the pan. Continue cooking for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, basting it with the melted butter the entire time by tilting the skillet to one side and spooning the butter over top of the steak.
For medium-rare, stop cooking your steak when it reaches 125°F internally. Medium, 135°F. But a good, fatty steak like a ribeye should really be enjoyed medium-rare! A good indicator that your steak is finished cooking is when the juices begin to rise on the surface of the steak. The fat will also puff up a bit. You’ll see what I mean!
Transfer the steak to a plate and pour the butter, garlic, and herbs over top. Don’t you dare slice into that steak until the potatoes are finished cooking! It needs to rest so that the juices can redistribute through the meat.
Return the skillet to medium-high heat and warm 2 teaspoons oil for 30 seconds. Add the potatoes to the skillet in a single layer and use the bottom of the bowl you cooked them in to smash them lightly. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and pour all of the juices that have collected under the steak into the skillet along with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and cook for an additional 3 minutes, until crispy. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Turn off the heat.
Slice the steak into 1/2-inch thick slices. This is not one to slice super thin - you want nice, thick, juicy slices. Divide the steak and potatoes between two plates, garnish with a hit of finely chopped parsley if you’ve got it (I’m not gonna make you buy parsley just for a little garnish, but if you have it, use it!). ENJOY!
link to printer version
Notes:
It’s impossible to get a great sear with a nonstick skillet since, by nature, they are built to NOT let food stick (sear) to them! Use a cast iron or stainless steel pan.
Season your steaks the second you get home from the store, if you can! The longer they’re seasoned, the more delicious they’ll be.
You can use any cut of steak, just use that meat thermometer and pull it off when it’s finished! A New York Strip is a great option, but it will cook faster!
Try using mushrooms instead of potatoes! Same cooking method (including smashed them with the bottom of the bowl!), but they’ll take longer to cook. Don’t add the steak juices to the skillet until the mushrooms have released all of their moisture, and it has evaporated.
Want some greens? After you finish cooking the potatoes, add 4 cups of spinach to the pan and wilt them (aka use tongs to toss them until they’re wilted and the liquid has mostly evaporated) over medium heat with the juice of 1/2 a lemon.
I love this recipe. I keep burning the seasoning on the steak. Do I have the heat too high?
Dug into the archives for this one to cook up a thick tenderloin and it came out to perfection!!