Seared Rib Eye Steaks With Korean Barbeque–Style Sauce and Banchan
Serves 4
I love to serve simply cooked rib eye in the mode of Korean ssäm, for which leafy greens wrap fish and meat. The beefy star of the show shares the stage with a riff on sweet-salty ssäm sauce and a few vegetable-forward supporting players made in the style of banchan, the assortment of little dishes that flesh out the Korean meal.
INGREDIENTS
For the Cucumbers
2 Persian or small Japanese cucumbers, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 1 teaspoon raw sesame seeds, toasted (see page 26)
For the Mushrooms
1 tablespoon avocado oil
5 ounces stemmed shiitake mushrooms (about 2 cups), halved or quartered if large
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons coconut aminos 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
1 medium garlic clove, finely chopped
1 scallion, trimmed and thinly sliced
For the Steaks
2 rib eye steaks (about 1 inch thick and about 2 pounds total)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon coarsely cracked black peppercorns
2 tablespoons avocado oil
For Serving
2 heads butter lettuce, trimmed and leaves separated
1 cup Korean Barbecue–Style Sauce (page 309)
Kimchi, homemade (page 279) or store-bought
MAKE THE CUCUMBERS
Combine the cucumbers and salt in a small bowl, toss well, and let sit for 10 minutes. Drain the cucumbers and gently squeeze them, discarding any liquid. Put them back in the bowl, add the remaining ingredients, and toss well. Let pickle at room temperature until you’re ready to serve.
MAKE THE MUSHROOMS
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over high heat until shimmery. Add the mushrooms, reduce the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring now and then, until golden and softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the salt and turn off the heat. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and let them cool to room temperature. Stir in the remaining ingredients and let marinate at room temperature until you’re ready to serve.
COOK THE STEAKS
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set a wire rack in a sheet pan. Evenly season the steaks with the salt and pep- per on both sides and let them sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes so the salt can penetrate the beef.
Heat the oil in a very wide, heavy skillet (13 inches should do it) or two heavy skillets over high heat until very shimmery. Then wait 30 seconds or so, until the oil is especially hot but not smoking. Put the steaks in the pan, reduce the heat to medium-high, and cook, without messing with them, until the first side has developed a deep-brown crust, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the steaks and cook the other side the same way, 2 to 3 minutes more. Use tongs to stand the steaks on their fat caps and cook for about 30 seconds, until they’re crispy and deep golden brown as well.
Transfer the steaks to the rack in the sheet pan and finish cooking the steaks in the oven. I like mine medium-rare, so the flesh is deep pink with a hint of red and the fat has had the chance to melt a bit. After the steak has been in the oven for about 5 minutes, insert a meat thermometer into the center or prod the middle with a finger. When it registers 120°F or the flesh feels soft but with a little spring to it, the steak is ready. Let the steaks rest for 15 minutes (their internal temperature will rise to 125°F and the juices will redistribute through the meat, so they’re nice and juicy throughout).
SERVE THE DISH
Slice the steak against the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices, then into 2-inch pieces. Serve with the lettuce, sauce, mushrooms, cucumbers, and kimchi for making lettuce wraps and eating between bites.
