Cast Iron Chuck Eye Roast with Rosemary and Garlic
You’re in for a treat if you’ve never cooked chuck eye steaks.
Often called the “poor man’s ribeye,” the chuck eye steak is situated right next to the ribeye and has a slightly firmer texture. The “good end” of the ribeye is actually the chuck eye end, which is why I often reach for this cut-over ribeye. I love cooking them whole as a roast or slicing them into steaks for the grill or skillet.
One of my favorite ways to cook chuck eye steaks is to sear them in tallow in a hot cast iron skillet with smashed garlic and rosemary. The tallow gives the meat a rich, beefy flavor that compliments the steak beautifully. If you don’t have tallow on hand, a good high-heat olive oil or clarified butter works just as well. I like to serve these steaks medium to get that perfect melting of the fat and a better overall texture. Paired with our Herbed Chimichurri sauce, you’ve got an amazing steak dinner that goes above the standard ribeye experience. Give it a shot, and you might find yourself reaching for the chuck eye the next time you’re steak shopping.
Main Ingredients:
Chuck Eye Steak: This cut has a little more chew than a ribeye but delivers a richer beef flavor. The chuck eye comes from the same primal section as the ribeye.
Tallow: Beef tallow is rendered beef fat that adds richness to your steak. It handles high heat well, which is essential for a good sear. It also gives the steak a deeper flavor, reinforcing that beefy taste.
Garlic and Rosemary: These aromatics are a classic combination with steak, infusing the meat with earthy, savory flavors. The garlic gets smashed and caramelizes slightly during cooking, while the rosemary adds a herbal note that balances the richness of the steak.
Cast Iron Chuck Eye Roast with Rosemary and Garlic
You’re in for a treat if you’ve never cooked chuck eye steaks.
4
servings5
minutes15
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minutes28
minutesKeep the screen on while I cook
Ingredients
1 chuck eye steak, 32 oz, 1 ½ inches thick
2 rosemary sprigs
2 tbsp tallow
4 garlic cloves, smashed
salt and pepper, to taste
Herbed Chimichurri to serve
Method
- Prepare the steak: Take the steak out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes—season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Preheat your cast iron: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat for about 3 minutes. You want it nice and hot.
- Smash the garlic: While the skillet is heating, smash the garlic cloves with the side of a knife.
- Melt the tallow: Once the skillet is hot, add the tallow. Let it melt and heat until shimmering.
- Sear the steak: Place the steak in the skillet along with the smashed garlic and rosemary sprigs. Cook for 6-8 minutes on the first side without moving the steak to get a nice crust. Don’t think of this as searing but rendering.
- Flip and finish: Flip the steak and cook for another 6 minutes for medium doneness, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 135°F. Baste the steak with the hot tallow, garlic, and rosemary during the last minute of cooking.
- Rest the steak: Remove the steak from the skillet and let it rest for 5-8 minutes. This helps the juices redistribute. Place the garlic and rosemary on the steak and pour the fat from the pan over the steak.
- Slice and serve: Slice the steak across the grain and spoon the Herbed Chimichurri on top.
Field Notes
- The crust on the steak is attained by cooking on medium heat so you can cook to more doneness without burning the outside. Basically searing at a lower heat for a longer period of time.
- RELATED RECIPES: Herbed Chimichurri
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