A wet rub made with olive oil, sherry vinegar, garlic and good Spanish smoked paprika (pimentón) adds a unique, subtle smokiness to these pan-seared rib-eye steaks. For a flavorful finishing touch, they’re drizzled with a quick pan sauce made by deglazing with sherry and adding a touch of honey to complement the flavor of the paprika.
Pan-Seared Rib-Eye Steaks with Smoked Paprika Rub
Coated with a wet rub made with Spanish smoked paprika and garlic, these pan-seared, boneless rib-eye steaks have a subtle, smoky flavor that’s perfectly complemented by a honey-sweetened pan sauce.
Ingredients
- 4 3/4-inch thick boneless rib-eye steaks (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sherry, or red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, very finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup sherry
- 1-1/2 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper until smooth.
- If necessary, trim any excess fat from around the edges of the steaks, then spread the rub over both sides, massaging it in with the back of a spoon. Set the steaks aside at room temperature for 20 minutes to allow the flavor to develop.
- Film the bottom of a large, heavy skillet with a small amount of vegetable oil and preheat on medium-high heat. To avoid overcrowding the pan, you’ll most likely need to cook the steaks in two batches.
- Add the steaks and sear until lightly browned, 1-1/2 to 2 minutes per side. Continue cooking, turning often, until the steaks are done to your liking (see recipe notes for guidelines). Transfer cooked steaks to a serving platter to rest.
- Once all 4 steaks are cooked, keep the pan on medium-high heat and quickly deglaze it with the sherry, scraping up any browned bits that may have accumulated on the bottom of the pan.
- Stir in the honey until blended and continue cooking, stirring constantly, for 1 minute longer.
- Drizzle the sauce over the steaks and serve.
Recipe Notes
Boneless rib-eye steaks are often cut a little thinner than the bone-in version and they cook very quickly in a hot pan, so you’ll need to watch them carefully to avoid overcooking.
As a guideline on cooking time, our steaks were about 3/4-inch thick and developed a nice sear on them after about 1-1/2 minutes per side. We continued cooking them for another 1-1/2 to 2 minutes for a medium-rare doneness after resting.
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