Use Your Freezer For An Even Coloring On Your Ribeye Steak

We know it sounds unintuitive and perhaps slightly unhinged to freeze your steak before cooking it. Why compromise a fresh slab of ribeye for something that sounds like it would result in a sad, 1950s-era TV dinner? There's some logic behind the madness: Cooking a steak straight from frozen allows for an aggressive, even sear that keeps the outside of your steak crisp and charred, while the interior remains tender and rare.

Over the years, recipe developers and even some steak companies have recommended the practice, noting that cooking the meat directly from its frozen state eliminates that gray, chewy, well-done layer of steak just beneath its crust. You've seen it before: Known by some as the infamous gray band, this layer develops when heat penetrates the steak just enough to slightly cook a portion of its interior, leaving a ring that is no longer rare but not yet browned. Freezing can prevent that outcome.

There's one major challenge to keep in mind when cooking a steak directly from frozen: It takes longer. You want to make sure you thoroughly defrost the meat's interior once it hits heat, lest you accidentally serve an icy steak to your friends or family. This is why the internal thermometer is a crucial tool for this experiment (and a great appliance to have on hand for most meat-related cooking endeavors).

Once your frozen steak emerges from the freezer, pat it dry to eliminate moisture, and season it generously with coarse salt. Line your pan or cast iron skillet with a heaping of oil that has a high smoke point, like grapeseed or canola oil. You'll want a hot cooking surface. Once your pan reaches high heat, place each side of the steak on the pan until you've reached a good sear. Then, place your steak into a preheated oven at low heat. A 275-degree bake may work for this method.

As your steak cooks in the oven, use your internal thermometer to assess whether it has reached your preferred level of doneness. For instance, 120 degrees Fahrenheit indicates a rare interior; 140 for medium. As always, let your steak rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting into the meat to preserve its prized, flavor-packed juices.