How to Cook Ribeye Cap Steaks
Do you love a great Ribeye steak? Can't resist a slice of Prime Rib Roast? Have the best of both with our phenomenal Ribeye Cap steaks! Wonderfully tender and deliciously flavorful, these steaks come from the outer rim of the Prime Rib roast, with the Cap steak as the most prized selection. Rich and juicy, our Ribeye Cap steak is nice and loose with TONS of delicious marbling and melt-in-your-mouth texture. This particular Ribeye Cap fat makes this cut one of the best-tasting steaks around. Some even claim the Ribeye Cap is the most delicious cut of meat. If you're wondering about the best way to cook Ribeye Cap steaks, using a smoker or grilling over direct heat is perfect. However, methods like reverse searing or cooking your Ribeye Cap steak sous vide are also outstanding. Don't wait another moment to experience the ultimate Ribeye Cap steak! We recommend using a meat thermometer to ensure your Ribeye Cap steaks are cooked to perfection!
How to Cook Ribeye Cap Steak on the Grill
If you are wondering whether a Ribeye Cap steak is good for grilling, the answer is a resounding yes! There are two main approaches to cooking Cap steak on the grill:
- Charcoal Grilling
- Gas Grilling
Regardless of which method you choose, be sure your steaks are completely thawed before cooking. We recommend thawing in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Once thawed, remove your steak from the refrigerator approximately 30–40 minutes before cooking to allow the steak to come to room temperature. Lastly, season your steak as desired. The best Ribeye Cap steaks cooked on the grill are seasoned to taste with Kansas City Steak Original Steak Seasoning.
Ribeye Cap Steak on a Charcoal Grill
Preheat your grill on high. Place steaks over the hottest part of the grill, and sear both sides for 1–2 minutes. Then move to medium, ash-covered coals and continue to grill for the times listed in the Cooking Times Chart below. Turn about 1 minute prior to the halfway point.
Ribeye Cap Steak on a Gas Grill
Preheat your grill on high. Sear both sides for 1–2 minutes, then reduce to medium heat and continue to grill for the times listed in the Cooking Times Chart below. Turn about 1 minute prior to the halfway point.
- Grill for 7–11 minutes for a 1-inch to 1½ inch steak, turning about 1 minute before the halfway point. A meat thermometer should read 130°F.
- Rest your steaks for 5 minutes before serving, covering lightly with foil. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise about 5°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking"). The final temperature will read 135°F.
- Resting steak is important because the heat of cooking pulls the juices in the meat toward the surface; if you slice into it immediately after cooking, those flavorful juices will end up on your plate, not in your steak. Allowing your steak to rest will give the juices time to sink back in and throughout the meat, keeping it moist and flavorful.
- To check the degree of doneness, use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of your steak.
- Prior to serving, add a Kansas City Steak Finishing Butter for an additional flavor boost.
How to Cook Ribeye Cap Steak in the Oven
Cooking Ribeye Cap steak in the oven is a tried and true method for preparing a flavor-filled meal. Just as in the grilling method, be sure your Cap steak is completely thawed before cooking. We recommend thawing in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Once thawed, remove your steak from the refrigerator approximately 30–40 minutes before cooking to allow the steak to come to room temperature. Lastly, season your steak as desired. We recommend using our Kansas City Steak Original Steak Seasoning.
Set your oven to “broil” and preheat for 10 minutes.
Once you have seasoned your steaks to taste, follow the directions for how to cook Cap steak in the oven:
- Place your steaks on the rack of a broiler pan and position the broiler pan in the oven so that the surface of the steak is 3–4 inches from the heat. Broil to desired doneness, according to the Measuring Doneness Chart and Cooking Times Chart listed below.
- For the perfect medium-rare steak (recommended) broil for 9–16 minutes for a 1-inch to 1½ inch steak, turning about 1 minute before the halfway point. A meat thermometer should read 130°F.
- After removing from the oven, rest your steaks for 5 minutes before serving, covering lightly with foil. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise for as much as 5°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking"). The final temperature will read 135°F
- Resting the steak is important because the heat of cooking pulls the juices in the meat toward the surface; if you slice into it immediately after cooking, those flavorful juices will end up on your plate, not in your steak. Allowing your steak to rest will give the juices time to sink back in and throughout the meat, keeping it moist and flavorful.
- To check the degree of doneness, use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of your steak.
How to Cook Ribeye Cap Steak on the Stove
If you've ever wondered how to cook Ribeye Cap in a pan on your stovetop, this method will give you excellent results with a sear that will give your steaks a rich golden-brown color and enhanced flavor.
Be sure your steak is completely thawed before cooking. We recommend thawing in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Once thawed, remove your steak from the refrigerator for 30–40 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature. Season your steak as desired; we recommend a generous serving of our Kansas City Steak Original Steak Seasoning.Follow these steps and learn how to cook Ribeye Cap steak in a pan. You will have a perfectly-cooked steak with the best results:
- Preheat a heavy non-stick skillet over medium heat until hot, for about 5 minutes. A very hot pan delivers the best sear for your Cap steak.
- Once seasoned, place steaks in the hot skillet (do not overcrowd). Do not add oil or water and do not cover.
- For the perfect medium-rare steak on the stove, sear in a non-stick skillet for 7–11 minutes for a 1-inch to 1½ inch steak, turning about 1 minute before the halfway point. A meat thermometer should read 130°F.
- Rest your steaks for 5 minutes before serving, covering lightly with foil. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise for as much as 5°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking"). The final temperature will read 135°F.
- Resting steak is important because the heat of cooking pulls the juices in the meat toward the surface; if you slice into it immediately after cooking, those flavorful juices will end up on your plate, not in your steak. Allowing your steak to rest will give the juices time to sink back in and throughout the meat, keeping it moist and flavorful.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of your Ribeye Cap steak to ensure it is cooked to the perfect level of doneness, from rare to medium-well.
Similar to using a non-stick skillet, Ribeye Cap Steak in a cast iron skillet can provide an excellent finish with succulent flavor, a rich brown crust, and a cut of steak cooked to perfection. Follow the same set of directions as you would if cooking Cap steak on the stove in a non-stick skillet.
Specialty Ribeye Cap Steak Cooking
Interested in trying a fun, new cooking method for your Ribeye Cap steak? While pan fried Ribeye Cap and using the grill for your Ribeye Cap cut are both great ways to prepare your dinner, there are also several specialty cooking methods to choose from that provide outstanding flavor and mouth-watering tenderness. With each method, your steak should be completely thawed in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Remove the Cap steak from the refrigerator 30–40 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature. Season your steaks to your liking; we recommend using our Kansas City Steak Original Steak Seasoning.
For perfect doneness, we recommend using a meat thermometer.
Take the cooking process a step further with the professional reverse sear method for your Ribeye Cap steak.
- Preheat oven to 275°F. Place steaks on a wire rack over a baking sheet.
- Place baking sheet on the center rack of the hot oven. Cook until internal temperature reaches 10°F lower than the desired final temperature. View our Measuring Doneness Chart and Cooking Times Charts below for reference.
- Remove steaks from the oven and let them rest for 5 minutes, covering lightly with foil.
- Preheat a heavy skillet or cast iron skillet over high heat until very hot, about 5 minutes. A hot skillet delivers the best sear.
- Add some butter or a high smoke point oil such as avocado oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil and sear steaks for 1 minute on each side. The final internal temperature of your steak should be 135°F for medium-rare and 145°F for medium.
- The sear will give your steaks the rich golden-brown color and enhanced flavor that is typically associated with grilled steaks.
- Serve immediately. Unlike other methods of cooking steak, the low heat of the oven used in reverse searing does not draw the juices of the meat to the surface so additional resting time is not needed.
Sous vide Cap steak is delicious and this cooking method takes all the guesswork out of the process, delivering steaks that are cooked perfectly to your desired doneness every time. Sous vide uses a low-heat, long-time cooking process which allows for evenly cooked steaks from end to end and guarantees every bite is as tender and juicy as the first.
Note: Steaks cooked under 130°F should not be cooked longer than 2½ hours at a time due to food safety concerns.
Here are the steps to follow when using the sous vide method for your Ribeye Cap steak:
Prepare It
- Preheat your water bath: Fill your sous vide container up with warm water and set the sous vide device to the appropriate temperature for the desired doneness. The sous vide device should be set as follows:
- Rare: 122°F
- Medium-Rare: 129°F
- Medium: 135°F
- Medium-Well: 145°F
- Repackage your steaks into sous vide heat-stable bags. We recommend seasoning your steaks with Kansas City Steaks Original Steak Seasoning for an enhanced flavor, prior to cooking in the sous vide. Another option is to add fresh herbs and a Kansas City Steak Finishing Butter, along with your raw steak, into the heat-stable vacuum seal bag before sealing.
Cook It
- Make sure the water bath has fully reached the desired temperature for cooking before adding in the steak.
- Place the packaged steak in the water bath and allow it to cook for the recommended amount of time, based on your desired degree of doneness.
- Rare: 1½ hours
- Medium-Rare: 1½ hours
- Medium: 1½ hours
- Medium-Well: 1½ hours
- Once your steaks are finished cooking, remove them from the sous vide and take them out of the packaging.
- Preheat a skillet over high heat for about 5 minutes (this can be done on a grill or in your kitchen). A hot skillet delivers the best sear.
- Lightly coat the bottom of your skillet with high smoke point oil such as avocado oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil. Place your steaks on the skillet and sear for approximately 2 minutes on each side. Sear until the steaks reach the final desired internal temperature, according to the Measuring Doneness Chart below.
- The sear will give your steaks the rich golden-brown color and enhanced flavor that is typically associated with grilled steaks.
- Serve immediately. Unlike other methods of cooking steak, the low heat used in sous vide does not draw the juices of the meat to the surface so additional resting time is not needed.
- We recommend adding an additional savory flavor by topping your steak with a Kansas City Steak Finishing Butter (even if you added butter during the sous vide).
The unique taste of a smoked Ribeye Cap steak is perfect for those who love the extra boost of flavor. The best Ribeye Cap steak is best cooked in your smoker and seared nice and hot for a crisp finish. Smoking time varies greatly depending on the cut of meat, thickness of the cut, quality of smoker, smoke and smoke retention, wind, etc. It is best to use a meat thermometer and base doneness off internal temperature.
Note: Steaks cooked under 130°F should not be cooked longer than 2½ hours at a time due to food safety concerns.
To begin, fire up your smoker and preheat it to 225°F.
- Rare: 115°F
- Medium-Rare: 125°F
- Medium: 135°F
- Medium-Well: 145°F
Ribeye Cap steak cooked in an air fryer is a modern cooking method that is fast and easy. Prepare your delicious Cap steak in a short period of time with the air frying technique.
Here's how to cook Ribeye Cap steak in an air fryer:
- Preheat your air fryer. Set temperature to 400°F. Allow your air fryer to preheat for approximately 2–3 minutes.
- Place your steak in the center of the air flyer and begin frying. We recommend using the grill rack option if available.
- Flip your steak halfway through your cooking time, listed in the Cooking Times Chart below.
- Remove the steak from the air fryer and allow it to rest for 5 minutes, covering lightly with foil. The temperature of the steak will continue to rise about 5°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking").
- Resting steak is important because the heat of cooking pulls the juices in the meat toward the surface; if you slice into it immediately after cooking, those flavorful juices will end up on your plate, not in your steak. Allowing your steak to rest will give the juices time to sink back in and throughout the meat, keeping it moist and flavorful.
- To check the degree of doneness, use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of your steak.
- Prior to serving, apply a Kansas City Steak Finishing Butters for an additional flavor-filled experience.
Cooking Times for Ribeye Cap Steak
A tasty Ribeye Cap steak can be prepared with any of the methods above, providing the perfect meal to enjoy. To achieve perfect doneness to your desired taste, we recommend you use a meat thermometer and the Measuring Doneness Chart, below.
Measuring Doneness for Ribeye Cap Steak
Remove when your steaks are 5°F less than the temperatures listed.
The centers will continue to warm as they rest.
Ribeye Cap Steak Recipes
Looking for a specific recipe, marinade, seasoning or rub for Ribeye Cap Steak? Check out our most popular Ribeye Steak Recipes below or click Ribeye Steak Recipes to view our recipe library.