Ribeye Caps with Chimichurri

These ribeye caps with chimichurri use the best part of the beef and are paired with a flavorful easy herb sauce.

I’ve cooked a LOT of fancy dinners over the past few years. Without a doubt, I’d say chimichurri steak is a top contender, with these Ribeye Caps being one of the most popular choices and biggest crowd pleasers. 

I was first introduced to ribeye caps by my friend who first saw them at Costco. I don’t usually purchase proteins from Costco since they’re always packaged in such large quantities, but I make an exception for these Ribeye Caps. They are known as the king of steaks, as they hold the BEST part of beef. Ribeye caps are made of the outer muscle next to the rib and carry the flavor and fat of the ribeye and also the tenderness of the tenderloin. 

These fatty, tender, delicious pieces of steak will melt in your mouth and be your new favorite dish to whip up. You can enjoy them as is, or with this easy and flavorful chimichurri. I have made this recipe so many times – for Christmas dinner during the peak of quarantine, for numerous dinner parties when I was a private chef, and recently paired with my fall Dinner Party Menu. I promise these are SO worth a try, and hope you all get to share this recipe with a group of people you love. 

FAQ – for the Chimichurri

Q: How can I keep the chimichurri green?

A: The chimichurri should be a vibrant green color if you’re using fresh herbs. To keep this from turning brown, you can add a small layer of olive oil over the top of the chimichurri, then cover it with saran / plastic wrap.

Q: How far in advance can I make the chimichurri?

A: You can make the chimichurri the day before if you’d like. You can also freeze chimichurri in ice cube and defrost the night before if you’re looking to save some of the leftovers.

Q: What other herbs can I use?

A: You can use any soft, leafy herbs that you like, but a traditional chimichurri typically has Italian flat leaf parsley. I’ve used mint or basil instead of cilantro before, and either of those herbs are great options to pair with parsley! Using just parsley itself is also totally fine.

FAQ – for the Ribeye caps

Q: Do I need to sous vide the ribeye caps? How else can I cook these?

A: No – you don’t need to use the sous vide for the ribeye caps. Instead of a sous vide, you can use a cast iron to sear the steaks until golden brown on each side (about 3-4 minutes), and then finish them in the oven at 400 F until the inside is 135F. A couple important notes when using this method is to make sure the steaks are at room temperature before searing, and to let the steaks rest for 10 minutes after they come out of the oven. 

Q: Why are the ribeye caps wrapped and tied with string?

A: I’ve only been able to find ribeye caps at Costco, and they are typically tied up after being rolled. Since the ribeye cap itself is a thin outer muscle, it makes sense to roll this so it can be cooked traditionally with a nice sear and still have a medium-rare cook. 

Q: How long do leftovers last? 

A: It’s highly unlikely you’ll have many leftovers, but if you do, you can keep this stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can chop this up and serve this with a salad, or reheat gently and enjoy again warm.

Step by Step Instructions:

For the Chimichurri:

1. Combine all the ingredients into a food processor. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute.
2. Taste, adjust seasoning as desired, then pour into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve.

For the Ribeye Caps:

1. Setup the sous vide – I use my large 7 qt all clad pan. Fill it up 4/5 of the way with warm water, then setup the sous vide to 130F.
2. Season the ribeye caps generously with kosher salt and make sure to salt all the sides.
3. Add the steaks to a ziplock bag and seal 4/5 of the way. I do this in order to eliminate the remaining air from the bag.
4. Once the sous vide is up to temperature, add the bottom of the bag to the water. Make sure to keep the unsealed portion of the bag above the water and remove the air from the bag. Once most of the air is removed, seal the bag and make sure the bag is completely submerged. You can place a bowl or plate over the steaks.
5. Keep the meat submerged for 1 hour.
6. After an hour, remove the steaks from the bag and pat dry with a paper towel.

7. Heat a cast iron pan on high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the steaks and sear for about 2 minutes, or until a nice golden brown crust. Flip and repeat on the other side as well.

8. Remove the steaks from the pan, then slice into 1/2” thick pieces. Remove any large pieces of fat or silver skin.

9. Plate the ribeye, then top with a few large spoonfuls of chimichurri and some picked parsley and cilantro leaves. Serve with more chimichurri on the side.

VIDEO Tutorial here: Will Post when it’s live

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If you liked these Ribeye Caps with Chimichurri, try these others recipes:

• Herby Balsamic Chicken Skewers
• Lemongrass Chicken with pickled shallot and herb salad

• Dinner Party Menu – Fall Edition