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–+ servings
two juicy cooked dry brined ribeye steaks on a platter with caramelized onions and thyme on top.
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Dry Brined Steak Recipe

Dry brining is the single most impactful thing you can do for a steak before you even cook it. Your favorite steaks, salt, wire rack, and time in the refrigerator is all you need to get the most flavorful steaks of you life.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Dry brine:2 days
Total Time2 days 20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 2
Calories: 821kcal
Author: Lyuba Brooke

Equipment

  • Rimmed baking sheet with fitted wire rack
  • Digital read meat thermometer

Ingredients

  • 2 about 1 inch thick steaks-like ribeye steaks can be thicker
  • kosher coarse salt
  • 2 Tbsp avocado or canola oil
  • 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2-3 shallots
  • 3-4 garlic cloves
  • 3-4 sprigs of thyme or rosemary
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Before Cooking (1-3 days ahead):

  • Make sure to leave enough time to give the steaks at least 12 hours to dry brine. You can dry brine the steaks anywhere between 12 hours and 3 days.

Prepare the Steaks:

  • Take the steaks out of the package and pat them dry on all sides. Use coarse kosher salt and season the steaks on both sides, sprinkling evenly all over. You want to apply an even, visible sprinkle of coarse salt on each side. Don't overdo it but don't do too little either. (You can adjust to personal salt needs.)
  • Place seasoned steaks on a wire rack fitted inside a rimmed baking sheet. Make sure there is enough space in the refrigerator shelf for the baking sheet to fit comfortably.
  • Place the baking sheet with steaks in the refrigerator. Make sure you leave them uncovered.
  • Let the steaks just sit there and dry brine for as little as 12 hours or for up to 3 days. You will notice a tacky coating on the steaks forming after a few hours. That's a good thing, that's what you need to see!

Cook the Steaks:

  • When you're ready to cook the steaks, take them out of the refrigerator.
  • Make sure to preheat your skillet or another cooking pan over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes.
    I highly recommend that you use a leave-in thermometer to track the internal temperature of your steaks. Or you can use a handheld meat thermometer and simply pick up the steaks with metal tongs when you need to check the temperature.
  • Add oil to the skillet and add the steaks. Let them sear for about 1½ to 2 minutes on each side and then lower the temperature to below medium.
  • Let the steaks cook for about 2 minutes and flip them. Let them cook another 2 minutes on that side and flip them. Repeat this flip every 2 minutes until the steaks are about 10℉ away from your desired temperature.
  • Add butter and thyme. Let the butter melt and gently shake the pan to mix. Use a spoon to scoop some butter and pour it over the steaks. Baste both steaks with butter as they finish cooking until your desired temperature is reached. (Remember to take them out of the pan on the lower end of the desired temperature spectrum.)

Rest the Steaks:

  • Take the steaks out of the pan as soon as they reach your desired temperature and remember that carryover cooking will increase the temperature by about 5℉.
  • Let the steaks rest on a platter or on a cutting board with grooves. Do not pull out the leave-in thermometer probe until the steaks are done resting.

Prepare the Topping (Optional but So Tasty!):

  • While the steaks are resting, in the same cooking pan add minced garlic and sliced shallots. Sauté until the shallots are completely softened and caramelized brown.
  • Take the pan off heat and you can use the butter onion topping to top off the steaks.

Slicing Steaks:

  • Remember to slice your steaks against the grain for the most tender results.

Video

Notes

  • Nutrition: remember that the nutrition is approximate since each type of steak is different. 
  • Steaks: I used ribeye steaks for this recipe but you can use this method to cook any cut of steak. I just recommend that you keep 1-1½ inch thickness on your steaks or a little thicker.
  • Fridge: up to 3 days, store whole, sir-tight. 
  • Freezer: up to 3 months, double-wrap to prevent freezer burn. 
  • Reheating: 250°F oven to 110°F then quick re-sear. Or gently reheat in the pan until warmed.
  • Microwave: as a last resort, microwave on half power in 20-second increments just until warm.

Nutrition

Calories: 821kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 69g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 31g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 198mg | Sodium: 125mg | Potassium: 723mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 806IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 5mg