Momofuku's Pan-Roasted Dry-Aged Rib Eye

Recipe courtesy David Chang, 2010

David Chang says you can sum up this recipe in a text message: season it, sear it, roast it. baste it, rest it, slice it, eat it. But he warns, it is not easy.

Yield: 2 to 4 servings

Ingredients

2 to 2.5 pound bone-in rib-eye steak, very preferably dry-aged
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 tbsp unsalted butter
Few sprigs of thyme
3 garlic cloves
1 medium or 2 small shallots
Maldon salt (see http://www.maldonsalt.co.uk/) or use any sea salt you have.

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
2. Heat a medium to large (10-12 inch) cast-iron pan over high heat.
3. While the pan is heating, season both sides of the steak liberally with Kosher salt. I would say more like how you'd sprinkle a bed with rose petals, rather than how you'd salt a sidewalk in New York in the winter. Then season with pepper.
4. When the pan is ready (really, really hot), place one side of the steak down and do NOT touch it. The steak should sizzle aggressively. After 2 minutes, using tongs, flip the steak onto its other side. The seared side should be on the golden side of browned. Sear the other side for another 2 minutes. Then, stand the steak up on its fatty edge (opposite the bone) and sear that for 30 seconds. Afterwards, turn it back down on the first side that was seared.
5. Place the steak in the oven and leave it alone for 8 minutes.
6. Protect your hands and remove the steak from the pan, then place it back on the stove over low heat. Add the butter, thyme, garlic and shallots to the pan. As soon as the butter melts, start basting! Use one hand to tilt the pan at a 45 degree angle so that the butter pools at the bottom. Then with the other hand, scoop the liquid butter up with a large spoon and bathe the steak. Baste constantly for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes or so, the steak will be rather rare. If you like it that way, stop now and move to step 6. If you like medium rare (which is your next and last option), keep basting for another minute or two. Move it to a plate and let it rest. Make sure to leave the remaining fat/butter in the pan and reheat it once the steak is ready to eat.
7. Lastly, slice the steak. Cut the steak off of the bones and slice against the grain (perpendicular to the bone) into half-inch thick slabs. Sprinkle on some Maldon salt and drizzle the remaining fat/butter over the pieces. Serve with potatoes and drippings.