Grilled Spice Rubbed Ribeye with
Tangy Cumin Potatoes and Garlic Aioli

Compliments of Executive Chef Matt Zadeh
801 Chophouse in Leawood, Kansas

Meat on the grill is something just about anyone gets behind. Unless you’re a vegetarian, in which case I’m not sure why you’re even interested in a beef recipe unless you’re ready to broaden your cuisine horizon. Using USDA Prime beef is the only way to go here ensuring you get ideal marbling (fat), tenderness and a succulent, buttery flavor.

The best steak for this recipe is the ever juicy and tasty Ribeye. You’ll love this recipe which combines the rich savory flavor of a spice-rubbed ribeye with the tangy acidity of cumin potatoes. A garlic aioli adds a creamy break in the action that ties it all together. These South American inspired flavors are perfect on the patio whether on a hot summer day or a chilly evening.

Note. Serves 2. Adjust the ratio of ingredients to the number steaks you will be grilling and people you will be serving.

Prepare Garlic Aioli

Prepare this early and have it ready when the potatoes and steaks are done. Drizzle it over finished potatoes or as a steak dipping sauce.

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp dry white wine
• 1/2 Tbsp kosher salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Puree until smooth.

Tangy Cumin Potatoes

• 3 Yukon gold potatoes. Dice into 1/2 inch cubes (shape of dice)
• 1 Tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp ground cumin
• 2 Tbsp canola oil

When ready to serve.

• 1 Tbsp chopped parsley
• 2 Tbsp sherry vinegar (red wine vinegar is an acceptable substitute)

Potato Preparation

Combine oil, pepper and cumin in a bowl. Mix well. Blend-in the diced potatoes making sure they are coated thoroughly. Lay them out evenly on a baking sheet. Place in a preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes until barely tender. Stir once at about 8 minutes.

Now….set aside until steaks are almost grilled and ready to serve. The potatoes can be prepared well ahead and refrigerated before baking if preferred.

Spice Rub Ingredients For Steaks

• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp oregano flakes
• 1 Tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp brown sugar (Forms a nice flavorful crust)

Preparation and Grilling of Steaks

Bring steaks to room temperature. Mix above spice rub ingredients in a bowl and rub on the steaks. Let sit for about 30-45 minutes to let the rub absorb into steaks before grilling.

Time for the main event. Get your grill ripping hot. Then place the steaks gently on the grill. You may be tempted to move them around a bit. Don’t. Stop. Settle down. Let them get some nice grill marks.

After about 4 minutes flip them gently. Cooking time depends on the thickness of the steak and desired temperature. For a very fatty Prime ribeye, I prefer a little over medium rare, closer to medium, as that temperature allows much of the fat to render and melt, so the steak will be extra juicy and tender.

If a steak is under done, it has a tendency to be chewy. A very accurate way to test the doneness of your steak is using a probe thermometer. If anyone gives you any grief about one, poke them with it. So, with your handy heat measuring device, I’d let the steak get to about 130-135, then pull it off the grill, set it on a plate and let the residual heat cook it to where it needs to be.

This is called the resting stage, and it is NOT to be interrupted. I don’t care if you haven’t eaten all day in anticipation of this meal. Don’t touch the steak. Don’t even look at it. The moisture is currently still trying to escape the hot steak (it doesn’t know how good it has it there), and if you cut into it, all of that moisture will just end up on the plate. Let it sit for about five minutes.

To distract yourself, finish-off the potatoes.

After cooking the coated potatoes in the oven (see above), get a saute pan smoking hot, then add about some canola oil. Add in your potatoes, and saute for 3 minutes or so, until they’ve reached a nice brown crispy coating.

Turn off the heat. Add in the sherry vinegar and parsley, and toss to coat evenly. An alternate method is, if you’re one of those proud owners of a mini deep fryer, to just fry the potatoes at about 350 degrees until crispy on the outside and tender insider. Then toss with the vinegar and parsley.

You’re Ready To Enjoy

Put that delicious hot ribeye on your plate. Dish-out a nice helping of potatoes. Get wild with the garlic aioli. Drizzle over the potatoes or utilize as a dipping side for the morsels of greatness. While not integral to the recipe, a nice crisp, cold lager might hit the spot.