What Kind of Pan Can I Use to Cook a Rib Eye?

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Due to their rich marbling and big beefy flavor, rib eyes are one of the most flavorful steak cuts and can turn out beautifully rich and delicious when pan-fried. Before pan-frying rib eye, however, it is important to select a pan than can adequately handle the job. Generally, you want to use a pan that can get very hot, and retain that heat, to deliver a quality sear.

Cast Iron Is King

The hands-down best pan for pan-frying steaks is a cast iron skillet. The primary reason is that the heft and make-up of these pans allow them to store up significantly more thermal energy than other pans. These pans hold their heat very well and, thus, are able to deliver more thermal energy to a sear. Another benefit of these pans is that, unlike other pans, they can be pre-heated empty and dry to very high temperatures without warping, allowing you to start cooking with an extremely hot pan.

Other Choices

If you do not have a cast iron pan, the next best alternative is a stainless steel pan with a heavy bottom and a copper or aluminum core. The cores of these pans help evenly distribute heat, and the heavier weight helps with heat retention. What you particularly want to avoid are nonstick pans coated with materials like Teflon. When pre-heated to a proper temperature to pan-sear a steak, the nonstick coating on these pans can break down and release toxic fumes into your kitchen.