Ribeye with Bourbon Cream Sauce is the ideal special occasion recipe. It feels fancy without being fussy or requiring too many ingredients. The ribeye steak is simply seasoned with salt and pepper and cooked in a skillet or grill pan until it is medium rare. Then the pan drippings are mixed with bourbon, cream, freshly ground peppercorns, and a touch of dried tarragon to create a sauce.
The end result is a perfectly seasoned steak with a creamy sauce with a hint of bourbon and kick of pepper. The tarragon ties all of the flavors together wonderfully. The sauce would also be excellent drizzled over a baked potato.
The secret to getting a nice crust on the outside of the beef is patting it dry before you season it and cook it. Moist meat creates steam, and steam prevents the beef from developing a crust locking in the meat’s juices. It’s also important to let the steak rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing it.
This recipe is part of my collaboration with PRE Brands Beef, and you can find this recipe on the back of their Ribeye packaging! And you can learn where to purchase PRE Brands grass-fed beef, which is free of added antibiotics and hormones, here.
- 1 Ribeye Steak
- ½ tsp. Salt
- ¼ tsp. Ground Pepper
- 1 tbsp. Butter
- 2 tbsp. Bourbon (I used Four Roses)
- 3 tbsp. Heavy Cream
- ¼ tsp. Ground Peppercorns
- ¼ tsp. dried Tarragon
- Pat the steak dry with a paper towel. Season the steak with the salt and pepper, and rub it into the beef. Melt the half of butter in a pan over medium heat. Place the steak in a hot pan and cook for 2 minutes, then rotate 90 degrees and cook another 2 minutes.
- Add the remaining butter to the pan, and flip the steak and cook for 2 minutes, rotate 90 degrees and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the steak from the pan, and let it rest for 5 minutes. It should be a perfect medium rare, and register 140 degrees with a meat thermometer.
- Keep the drippings from the steak in the pan, and add the bourbon, cream, ground peppercorns, and tarragon. Beware that the bourbon might flame up a bit until you add the cream.
- Whisk the sauce together and simmer slowly for 5 minutes while the steak rests, then serve the steak with the sauce.
