Slice into a perfectly pan-seared ranch steak. This inexpensive cut is the perfect alternative to other lean steaks and can go round for round with the best beef recipe when tenderized with a simple marinade and served with savory cowboy butter.
Table of Contents
In this recipe:
As prices for a good cut of beef soar, finding new cuts from cheaper primals and learning how to cook them so they become tender meat is a good idea for saving money. Introducing the ranch steak. With a little work, these unexpected versatile steaks, when cooked with care, can become a great alternative and your new favorite cut.
The Cut: What is Ranch Steak
The ranch steak cut comes from the chuck primal, also known as a Shoulder Center Steak, and has a robust beef flavor similar to a flat iron steak and with minimal marbling. The connective tissue of this working shoulder muscle causes it to be a bit tough, but similar to a petit sirloin steak; it can be delicious as long as it is cooked over high heat quickly after a marinade. This steak recipe shouldn’t be cooked past medium-rare, 135 degrees F for the best results to maintain its juicy, tender texture.
The ranch cut isn’t common at most grocery stores but is growing in popularity. Currently, its found in online meat markets, butcher shops, and meal kits.
Ingredients
- Ranch Steaks – Curious where to order this cut? Check out our resource for the best places to buy meat online.
- Steak Marinade – our easy steak marinade recipe is a mild blend of oil, lemon juice, and herbs perfect for adding some flavor to this lean cut of meat
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Canola oil
- Butter – See our notes in the recipe card for skipping the unsalted butter and go with a flavorful compound butter for resting.
- Cowboy butter – or your favorite steak sauce recipe
How to Cook Ranch Steak
Marinate the steaks
- Start by removing the steaks from their package and whipping up your steak marinade.
- Marinate the steaks for 4 to 8 hours.
Pan-sear the steaks
- When ready to cook, remove the steaks from the marinade and pat them dry with paper towels to remove the excess oil.
- Season the steaks on both sides with salt and pepper
- Heat the canola oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Carefully place the steaks in the pan once it’s preheated. Use caution, as any residual marinade with bubble and pop when touching the hot oil.
- Cook the steaks for 3 to 5 minutes per side, flipping once when a good seared crust has formed. Cook until the steak’s internal temperature reaches 130 degrees F with a digital meat thermometer.
Rest and serve
- Using tongs, carefully remove the ranch steaks from the pan and set them on a clean cutting board to rest. Top with the butter and tent with foil. If serving this steak with Cowboy butter sauce (as shown in the pictures), skip the compound butter. If not, consider a savory steak sauce to accompany it.
- Allow the steaks to rest for 5 minutes before using a sharp knife to slice them into thin strips against the grain to serve.
Girl Carnivore Expert Recipe Tips
This steak is best cooked fast and hot, not past an internal temperature of 130 degrees F, for big beefy flavor and juicy bites. Remember, the steak will continue to cook and gain about 5 more degrees as it rests. Use a meat thermometer for the most accurate results.
What to serve with ranch steaks
This petite steak is perfect with your favorite side dishes. We love it paired with steakhouse creamed spinach and a smoked baked potato. It’s also wonderful with smoked Mac and cheese or smoked corn on the cob for a heartier meal.
We love this steak paired with a cowboy butter recipe, caramelized onions, homemade chimichurri sauce, or one of our favorite sauces for steak, like our red wine sauce.
Wine Pairing:
Pair this lean cut of beef with a light red wine, like Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, or a slightly more jammy Malbec.
Leftovers and reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container or wrapped in foil for up to 4 days in the fridge. To reheat, slice thin strips and wrap in foil topped with a bit of the Cowboy butter or your favorite compound butter recipe. Reheat in an oven preheated to 325 until heated through, 7 to 10 minutes. It’s best to only reheat as needed, as reheating this whole cut will only further dry it out.
Recipe FAQs
Ranch steak is moderately tender. It is not as tender as filet mignon (the most tender cut) or ribeye, but for an affordable cut of beef from the chuck primal (shoulder area), it’s a great cut with good flavor.
Ranch steak can be used as a substitute for other cuts in recipes that call for lean and flavorful beef, like top sirloin filets. It could also be sliced thin for dishes and used in place of flank steak.
More Pan-Seared Steak Recipes
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Have you discovered this awesome beef recipe yet? We hope it adds something new to your menu and inspires you to try something new. If you’ve tried this recipe for ranch steaks, please rate the recipe card and leave a comment to help out the next guy.
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Pan Seared Ranch Steaks
Ingredients
- 2 ranch steaks
- 1/2 cup steak marinade
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 3 tbsp butter divided
- 1/4 cup Cowboy Butter or your favorite steak sauce
Instructions
Marinate the steaks
- Start by removing the steaks from their package, and patting them dry with paper towels.
- Marinate the steaks in a good steak marinade for 4 to 8 hours.
Pan-sear the steaks
- When ready to cook, remove the steaks from the marinade and pat them dry with paper towels to remove the excess oil.
- Season the steaks liberally on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat the canola oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Carefully place the steaks in the pan once it’s preheated. Use caution, as any residual marinade with bubble and pop when touching the hot oil.
- Cook the steaks for 3 to 5 minutes per side, flipping once when a good seared crust has formed.
- Cook until the steak’s internal temperature reaches 130 degrees F with a digital meat thermometer.
Rest and serve
- Using tongs, carefully remove the ranch steaks from the pan and set them on a clean cutting board to rest. Top with the butter and tent with foil. If serving this steak with a Cowboy butter recipe (as shown in the pictures), skip the compound butter. If not, consider a savory steak sauce to accompany it.
- Allow the steaks to rest for 5 minutes before using a sharp knife to slice them into thin strips against the grain to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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Save Recipe BookmarkSources
Ranch Steak via Beef it’s What’s for Dinner: https://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/cuts/cut/2500/ranch-steak
The Handy Guide to Wine and Steak Pairing via Wine Folly: https://winefolly.com/wine-pairing/the-handy-guide-to-wine-and-steak-pairing/
