Grilled Wagyu Ribeye Steak with Peach Salsa
Wagyu beef ribeye may be the royalty of beef cuts, but it’s far from finicky on the grill pan or the grill; it’s hard to ruin this cut’s well-marbled tenderness. An elegantly simple pairing with fresh peach salsa magically mingles the ribeye’s meaty smokiness with the sweet taste of fresh, summertime peaches.
When you serve up this juicy, marbled, medium-rare Wagyu ribeye, it’s tender enough to cut with a butter knife. Treat that special someone — or yourself — to this extraordinary cut, or dazzle your next gathering of friends.
What is Wagyu Ribeye?
A ribeye by any other name would be Delmonico, boneless rib eye steak, rib steak, boneless or bone-in rib eye roast, or a gargantuan seven-bone rib roast. Ribeye comes from ribs six through twelve — located high on the front side of the cow. There is not much movement in the cow here to toughen up the muscles, hence the legendary tenderness of the ribeye.
A good Wagyu beef ribeye will be well marbled, yielding a well-balanced beefy flavor and a distinct juiciness.
How to choose the best grill pan for cooking Wagyu beef
A grill pan is a lot like a regular skillet but with raised grill lines on the cooking surface. Those lines create an excellent sear while draining excess fat. They also add charred grill lines to add flavor, texture, and classic fresh-from-the-grill looks, right from your gas or electric stovetop.
A round grill pan will typically distribute heat more evenly than a square-shaped one, but those slightly cooler edges can be ideal for searing and cooking veggies alongside your wagyu ribeye.
Cast iron grill pans provide even heating and are typically square, which provides more cooking area. They typically have a wee spout to easily pour off excess fats. Cast iron is heavy and a little trickier to clean and maintain than other materials. Its ease of use and ability to withstand high temperatures and hold onto that heat make it the right tool for the job, giving your Wagyu ribeye a perfect sear. Enameled cast iron is easier to clean and maintain.
Ceramic grill pans have a tendency to overheat so we recommend avoiding them on electric or gas stoves. If you have an induction stove, make sure to use another pan.
Hard anodized aluminum grill pans are much easier to clean, especially nonstick varieties. Less expensive versions have difficulty delivering an even cooking surface or the coveted grill marks. Nonstick versions can be easily scratched. Aluminum pans are not suitable for higher temperatures or for use on induction stovetops.
If you don’t have a grill pan on hand, a regular cast iron pan will work just fine.
Pro tips for grill pans or grills
Preheat the grill pan or grill to medium-high (medium heat for nonstick).
You don’t need to add oil when you cook Wagyu ribeye; the natural marbling will melt and provide all the oil you’ll need
Serve your Wagyu beef ribeye with a Smokin’ Peach Salsa
A good salsa, be it the dance or the condiment, relies on achieving a delicate balance of opposing elements. In our case, the elements are sweet and savory; sour and spicy; with a dash of salt to electrify the results.
Grilling peaches add a sultry smokiness to their natural tangy sweetness, which pairs beautifully with the buttery char of a grilled Wagyu ribeye. It also caramelizes their natural sugars, deepening that sweetness.
Shop for peaches that will be as fresh and as close to perfectly ripe as possible, while still being relatively firm, at grill time. When you smell the stem area, it should smell just peachy … literally! A little firmness helps them keep their shape, as does leaving the skin on — your choice.
If it’s not peach season, canned peaches are a fair substitute. They still need to be relatively firm, so let them drain and pat them dry before placing them on the grill. Grilling onions and peppers actually pump up their flavor. These two ingredients already pack a powerful flavor. Go easy on them until you have dialed it in to your liking.
We use Vidalia or white onions at Morgan Brook Farm because of their less-potent flavor. Red onions have a more powerful flavor and will skew the taste of the salsa even more. If reds are all you have on hand, go ahead and use them — just use less.
Pro dicing tip from Chief Cook Kathy:
When dicing peaches and tomatoes, you’re going for cubes about a quarter-inch or less. This can be challenging, as slices tend to fall away or stick to the knife as you go. Make dicing easier by first halving your fruit, resting it on its cut side, and starting your cuts with a sharp knife on one end. Tuck those fingers out of the way! Make your slices close together, and almost all the way through. This keeps those slices in place while you make your cross-cut. Finish your dicing process by cutting off the bottom part and dicing it up along with any larger pieces.
There are two ways of using oil to keep veggies from sticking to the pan or grill:
Brush oil onto the pan or grill before adding the veggies. Just be cautious due to high heat and/or open flame.
Lightly toss veggies in oil to help seasonings stick, but quickly remove them from excess oil so they don’t absorb more than is needed.