Ribeye steak dinner with rosemary roast potatoes, garlic-herb butter and peppercorn sauce
A celebratory Father’s Day steak: juicy ribeye, crispy rosemary roast potatoes, garlic-herb butter, sautéed mushrooms and a silky peppercorn sauce.
This is the type of steak dinner Dad remembers — generous ribeye, crisp rosemary roasties, silky peppercorn sauce and garlicky butter that melts into every crevice. It’s showy but not fussy: most of the time is hands-off while the oven does the heavy lifting.
Make it for Father’s Day when you want to impress without panicking. The timings assume 200°C fan for the potatoes and steaks cooked in a heavy pan; adapt slightly for thicker or thinner steaks. Serve with a crisp beer or a bold red wine.
Ingredients
- 4 ribeye steaks — approx. 200–250 g each, bring to room temperature before cooking
- 1.2 kg Maris Piper potatoes
- 60 ml olive oil
- 100 g unsalted butter — use about 60 g for the compound butter and the rest for cooking
- 6 garlic cloves — peeled; some used whole for cooking, one minced for compound butter
- 10 g flat-leaf parsley
- 1 lemon — zest for butter, juice for dressing
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 300 g chestnut mushrooms — halved or quartered if large
- 1 shallot — finely chopped
- 150 ml red wine — choose a drinking-quality bottle you enjoy
- 300 ml beef stock — homemade or shop-bought
- 100 ml double cream
- 30 ml green peppercorns in brine — drained
- 5 ml wholegrain mustard
- 50 g rocket
- 10 g sea salt flakes — plus extra for seasoning to taste
- freshly ground black pepper — to taste
- 10 g flat-leaf parsley — extra for garnish
Equipment
- heavy-based frying pan
- roasting tray
- colander
- meat thermometer
- cling film
Instructions
Make the garlic-herb butter: finely chop 10 g flat-leaf parsley, mince 1 garlic clove and zest half the lemon. Beat 60 g unsalted butter in a small bowl with the parsley, garlic and lemon zest until smooth. Shape into a small log on cling film, twist ends and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm.
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C conventional. Meanwhile, halve larger Maris Piper potatoes or leave small ones whole. Put the potatoes in a pan, cover with cold water, add a generous pinch of sea salt flakes and bring to the boil. Parboil until just tender at the tip, about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander.
Rough up the drained potatoes by shaking them in the colander or roughing with a fork, then transfer to a baking tray. Toss with 30 ml olive oil, 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (leaves only), a little sea salt flakes and spread out in a single layer. Roast on the middle shelf for 35–40 minutes until deep golden and crisp, turning once halfway through.
While the potatoes roast, prepare the mushrooms. Heat 15 ml olive oil and 20 g unsalted butter in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add 2 crushed whole garlic cloves and the chestnut mushrooms plus 4 sprigs fresh thyme. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Finish with a small pinch of sea salt flakes.
Season the ribeye steaks generously with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper on both sides. Leave them at room temperature for 20 minutes while the potatoes roast (this helps them cook more evenly).
Heat a heavy-based frying pan until smoking hot. Add 15 ml olive oil and 20 g unsalted butter. Add 2 sprigs fresh rosemary and 2 whole garlic cloves. Lay the steaks in the pan and sear for 3–4 minutes without moving. Turn and sear the second side for 3–4 minutes for medium-rare (adjust time slightly for thickness). Spoon the foaming butter over the steaks for the last minute.
Transfer the steaks to a warm plate or board and top each with a slice of the chilled garlic-herb butter. Cover loosely with foil and rest for 10 minutes so the juices redistribute.
Make the peppercorn red-wine sauce in the same pan: reduce the heat to medium, add the finely chopped shallot and sweat for 2 minutes. Pour in 150 ml red wine to deglaze, scraping up any brown bits, and simmer until reduced by about half (3–4 minutes). Add 300 ml beef stock and simmer for 4–5 minutes to reduce slightly. Stir in 100 ml double cream, 2 tbsp drained green peppercorns in brine and 1 tsp wholegrain mustard; simmer for 1–2 minutes. Season to taste with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper.
Toss the rocket with the juice of the remaining half lemon, a little olive oil and a pinch of sea salt flakes. Keep simple so it cuts through the richness of the steak.
Carve the steaks or serve whole. Plate with the roast potatoes, mushrooms and dressed rocket. Spoon the peppercorn sauce over or serve in a jug. Garnish with extra chopped flat-leaf parsley if you like and a final flake of sea salt.
Tips
- For even cooking, take steaks out of the fridge 20–30 minutes before searing.
- Parboil then shake the potatoes — the rough edges become extra-crispy in the oven.
- Use a meat thermometer for reliable doneness: 52–55°C medium-rare, 60°C medium.
- Make the garlic-herb butter ahead and keep chilled; it keeps for 3 days in the fridge or 1 month frozen.
- Don’t overcrowd the frying pan or the mushrooms will steam rather than brown.
Substitutions
ribeye steaks → rump steaks or sirloin steaks, same weight
Noticeably differentMaris Piper potatoes → baby potatoes, halved (similar texture but smaller pieces)
Stays closedouble cream → single cream (100 ml) for a lighter sauce; it may be slightly less rich
Stays closegreen peppercorns in brine → cracked black peppercorns (use 1 tsp), flavour will be spicier and less floral
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 1325
- Calories
- 50 g
- Protein
- 51 g
- Carbs
- 103 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 900 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I cook the steaks in the oven instead of a pan?
Yes — sear both sides in a hot pan for 1–2 minutes to colour, then finish in a 180°C fan/200°C conventional oven for a few minutes depending on thickness. Sear-first gives the best crust.
How do I know when the potatoes are done roasting?
They should be deep golden and crisp outside. Test by piercing — the interior should be fluffy. If colour is nice but not crispy, give them another 5–10 minutes.
Can I make the peppercorn sauce ahead?
Yes — cool, refrigerate and gently rewarm. You may need to add a splash of stock or water and whisk to loosen before serving.
What if I don’t have a meat thermometer?
Use timing as a guide: for 2.5 cm steaks, 3–4 minutes each side for medium-rare. Press the steak — soft = rare, springy = medium, firm = well done. A thermometer is the most reliable method.
Community Photos
No photos yet
Be the first to share your creation!
