Rib-Eye: Meat Eaters' Delight

The Early Show resident chef Bobby Flay has made rib-eye steaks more times that he can count. Still, one is rarely bored with a rib-eye from the grill because Chef Flay knows just how to season his beef so that it offers a brand new flavor every time.

For this holiday, when grills across the country will be fired up, he shares his recipe for: Coffee Spice Rubbed Rib-eye with Smoked Red Chile Tomato Relish and Texas Toast.

Rib steak is cut from the rib section, between the short loin and the chuck. Think in thirds: Just after the head is the chuck (shoulder area), then the rib section, then the short loin. Rib steaks have a lot of marbling, or fat, which makes them tender and quite flavorful.

Generally, rib steaks are sold either bone-in or boneless. This is a cut of meat not for the faint of heart. This is a big piece of meat that sports a big bone, so if you'd prefer something petite, steer clear of this cut.

When the bone is removed, the result is the extremely tender rib-eye steak. Note: Meat on the bone has more flavor.

Steaks of this type will definitely give your grill a good workout since they call for grilling at high heat so as to sear the outside and lock the tender juices inside.

Once that is done, the steaks are moved to the cooler side of the grill where they continue to cook with the lid closed. The end product should yield a steak that is savory to the tongue, tender and easy to the bite.

The following are Chef Flay's recipes:

Coffee Spice Rubbed Rib-Eye with Smoked Red Chile Tomato Relish and Texas Toast
Serves: 4

Coffee Rub
1/4 cup ancho chile powder
1/4 cup finely ground espresso
2 tablespoons Spanish paprika
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons chile de arbol powder

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid.

Smoked Red Chile Tomato Relish
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup pure olive oil
2 teaspoons chipotle pepper puree
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 large ripe tomatoes, diced
1 small red onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
1 serrano chile, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Whisk together vinegar, oil and salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss to combine.

Texas Toast
2 sticks unsalted butter, slightly softened
8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 loaf Pullman bread, sliced into 1-inch thick slices

Mix together butter and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Grill bread on both sides until lightly golden brown…Remove the bread from the grill and spread one side of each slice with a few tablespoons of the garlic butter.

Rib-eye
2 bone-in or boneless rib-eye steaks, 2-inches thick, approximately 1 1/2 pounds each
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 cup coffee rub

Preheat grill to high. Season each side of the steak liberally with salt and pepper. Rub 2 tablespoons of the coffee rub onto 1 side of each steak. Grill the steak, rub-side down until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Flip the steak over, then move the steaks to a cooler spot on the grill, close the cover and grill to medium-rare doneness, about 10-12 minutes longer.