Cowboy cut steak is perfect if you know someone with a hearty appetite!
It's easy to cook, with a simple sear then a few minutes in the oven, andthis version is glazed in wholegrain mustard for extra crunch and flavour.
Perfect for dinner for two, or just yourself with some delicious meat leftover for a proper sandwich, this is a steak worth making.
Enjoy!
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🤔FAQs
A cowboy cut steak is the same cut of meat as a tomahawk steak, côte de boeuf and bone in ribeye.
This is a side of beef cut from the primal rib weighs around a kilogramme or about 2 pounds and is said to feed 3 to 4.
Normally, for a prime rib or rib roast, a two or three rib joint would feed a crowd, but the ribeye steak is cooked with a small piece of bone left in, which helps to keep it moist and full of flavour.
If the piece of bone is removed, the steak is known as an entrecôte, meaning the meat btween ribs.
But, I like to serve this as a generous meal for 2 hungry people and there are a few slices left for a delicious sandwich too
The tomahawk steak typically has a 5 inch length of rib left attached but a cowboy steak has a smaller piece of bone left in.
It is often given a French trim. This is where the meat and fat is scraped away from the bone for a clean finish.
A rack of pork or lamb is trimmed in the same way.
The secret of this meat is the way that it is cut to serve. With a rib roast, it is often carved against the grain of the meat. Instead, with côte de boeuf, you carve long slices are cut through the grain to serve and then each piece is cut along the grain to eat.
When this meat is served it always looks impressive. Best of all, it's so easy to carve at the table if you wish too.
❤️ Why you will love this recipe
- Perfect for a celebratory meal.
- It's so easy to cook.
- Tasty and tender meat.
- Easy to carve.
- Impressive for entertaining.
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🥘 Ingredients
- Beef - a cowboy cut steak or 1 rib bone in rib eye, which is approximately 1 kilogram or about 2 pounds. Although this isn't a British cut of meat, it's gaining popularity and is often for sale in Lidl.
- Oil - vegetable or sunflower oil, as the steak will be seared over a high heat.
- Butter - salted or unsalted. Reduce the amount of salt used if using salted butter.
- Salt - kosher or cooking salt.
- Pepper - freshly ground black pepper.
- Mustard - wholegrain mustard, which adds a nice tang and crunch to the steak.
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post.
🍽 Equipment
- large frying pan or skillet
- roasting dish - if the frying pan is not oven proof
- carving fork - for turning
- sharp knife
- pastry brush
- aluminium foil
🔪 Instructions
Bring the meat out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking, so that it can come to room temperature.
Season the meat on both sides with salt and pepper.
💭 Top Tip for salting steak
- If it is salted an hour before cooking the moisture is drawn out by the salt, but is then reabsorbed, so the meat stays moist while it is cooking.
- If the meat is salted 15 minutes before cooking, for example, because you are preparing something at the same time, then the moisture escapes from the meat and it will be dry when cooked.
- To avoid doubt, generously salt the meat just before it goes in the pan, under the grill, (broiler), or on the grill.
Add the oil to a large frying pan over a medium to high heat.
Sear the meat on all sides for about 2 to 3 minutes a side, until golden brown all over.
Add the butter to the pan to melt and baste the meat.
- I prefer to use a shallow cast iron pan, then it can go straight in the oven after and there is less cleaning up.
- If you ever wondered if searing beef makes it more tender, the answer is much deeper. It's not about locking juices in or making it tender as the cooking process will take care of that. The main purpose of searing protein, such as beef, over a high heat with only a little oil, is to produce the Maillard effect. This is the chemical reaction that occurs between the proteins, or amino acids in meat and fish and the natural sugars. This is what gives the meat, colour, flavour and makes it irresistable!
⏲️ ROASTING TIME
Preheat the oven to 200 C / 400 F / 180 FAN / Gas 6.
- For a medium rare roast - cook for 12 minutes per pound or 500g.
- For a rare roast - cook for 10 minutes per pound or 500g.
After 10 minutes of cooking time, remove the steak from the oven and brush with the wholegrain mustard.
Return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.
Let the meat rest, loosely covered with foil in a warm place, for 5 minutes.
Carve long downward slices from the end opposite the bone and tuck in.
This meat will melt in the mouth.
It's even more impressive if you carve this at the table.
🥗 Serve with
Try some of these side dishes.
- Honey Roast Chantenay Carrots
- Leeks in White Sauce
- Honey Roast Carrots and Parsnips
- Fried Cabbage with Bacon
- Cavolo Nero Kale
- Rosemary Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Roast Savoy Cabbage
- Whole Baked Cauliflower Cheese
- Roasted Green Beans and Carrots
- Roasted Long Stem Broccoli
- Roasted Swede Chips
🥙 Substitutions
- Wholegrain mustard - use Dijon mustard instead.
📖 Variations
If you don't want to glaze the beef with mustard, try some of these sauces.
- Dijon Mustard Sauce
- Mushroom Sauce
- Béarnaise Mayonnaise
- Creamy mushroom and Shallot Sauce with Brandy
- Onion Sauce Soubise
- Garlic and Parsley Butter
🍣Storage
- Refrigerator - cool, cover and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer - freeze for up to 2 months and defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
- To reheat - wrap in foil and reheat in the oven at 180 C / 350 F / 160 FAN / Gas 4 or add directly to stirfries. Delicious in toasted sandwiches.
🍱 Prepare in Advance
- There is very little preparation. However, you could sear the meat and refrigerate until it is time to roast it the oven, but you will need to extend the cooking time.
More beef recipes to try
- Spider Steak with Tarragon Butter
- Slow Cooker Corned Beef Hash
- Slow Cooker Beef Cheeks
- Slow Cooker Brisket
- Flanken Short Ribs
- Corned Beef Fritters
- Roast Rib of Beef
- Picanha Beef
- Chateaubriand
- Beef Olives
- Savoury Mince
- Jacob's Ladder Beef
- Flanken Short Ribs
📋 Recipe
Mustard Glazed Cowboy Cut Steak
Equipment
- Large frying pan or skillet
- roasting dish - if the frying pan is not oven proof
- carving fork - for turning
- Sharp knife
- Pastry brush
- Aluminium foil
Ingredients
- 1 kg cowboy steak
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
Instructions
- Bring the meat out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.
- Season the meat on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Add the oil to a large frying pan over a medium to high heat.
- Sear the meat on all sides for about 2 to 3 minutes a side, until golden brown all over.
- Add the butter to the pan to melt and baste the meat.
- Preheat the oven to 200 C / 400 F / 180 FAN / Gas 6. For a medium rare roast - cook for 12 minutes per pound or 500g. For a rare roast - cook for 10 minutes per pound or 500g.
- After 10 minutes of cooking time, remove the steak from the oven and brush with the wholegrain mustard.
- Return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.
- Let the meat rest, loosely covered with foil in a warm place, for 5 minutes.
- Carve downward slices and serve.
Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
Detailed instructions for this recipe, including step by step photographs, hints and tips, can be found in the main article
More beef, lamb and venison recipes
- Braised Featherblade Steak2 Hours 20 Minutes
- Slow Cooker Venison Shanks6 Hours 15 Minutes
- Stuffed Breast of Lamb2 Hours 45 Minutes
- Slow Cooked Lamb Neck Fillets2 Hours 45 Minutes
Food Safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat.
- Wash hands after touching raw meat.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds.
- Always have good ventilation when using gas.
Do you have a question or did you make the recipe?
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Mahy
This reminds me that I have not had a proper steak in such a long time. Yum!
Sisley White - Sew White
Wow this was so incredibly delicious. I wish I culd eat steak like this every day!
Tayler
I made Thai cowboy steak for dinner last night and it was incredible! So flavorful and juicy!
Andrea
My family definitely has some big appetites and this fabulous steak will be devoured by them.
kushigalu
This steak looks amazingly delicious. Thanks for the great recipe!