Garlic Mushroom Ribeyes

Fall roundup planning week. I've been doing the pre-roundup logistics — confirming the vet date, calling Cody and Tommy, checking the portable pen setup, walking the pastures to assess the cattle condition before we bring them in. Second year doing this as the primary operator. Last year I was uncertain about everything. This year I'm uncertain about less. That's the progress.

Sarah and I have been talking by text most days and seeing each other Thursday evenings in Billings when I'm there for PT. We have a comfortable rhythm — dinner, sometimes a walk, long conversations that go places I hadn't expected conversations to go. She asked me Thursday about the nightmares. Not intrusively — she said, "Do you still have them? You mentioned it." I said yes, occasionally. She said, "Do they scare you?" I thought about that for a minute and said they used to scare me more than they do now. The fear of them was almost worse than the nightmare itself — the anticipation, the going to bed wondering if tonight was the night. Now they come when they come and I know what to do. Get up, go outside, stand under the sky. The sky holds it.

She said, "You say that — the sky holds it — like you know what that means." I said I do know what it means. She said, "I believe you." And she did, I could tell. There's something about being believed for the specific thing you mean, not a general warmth toward you but the actual thing, that I find I need. I find I need that.

I made venison chops for dinner Saturday — pan-seared in cast iron, finished in the oven, with a simple reduction of the pan drippings and broth. The last of the venison from last fall. Elk season in three weeks will restock the freezer.

I used venison that night — the last of last fall’s deer, which made it feel like a small ceremony. If you’re working from beef instead, this garlic mushroom ribeye done in cast iron comes closest to that same feeling: the sear, the pan drippings turned into something worth eating, the oven finish that lets you stop hovering and just trust the heat. It’s a meal that asks you to be present without being anxious, which seemed right for where I am right now.

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 18 min | Total Time: 28 min | Servings: 2

Ingredients

2 ribeye steaks (about 1 inch thick, 10–12 oz each)
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp neutral oil (such as avocado or canola)
3 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
8 oz cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup beef broth
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 tsp dried)

Instructions

Preheat oven. Heat oven to 400°F. Set steaks out at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before cooking. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towels — this is what gets you a real crust.
Season. Combine salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Season both sides of each steak generously and press the seasoning in.
Sear. Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat until it just begins to smoke. Add oil and swirl to coat. Lay steaks in the pan and sear undisturbed for 2–3 minutes per side until a deep brown crust forms.
Finish in oven. Transfer the skillet directly to the oven and cook 5–8 minutes depending on thickness and desired doneness (130°F internal for medium-rare). Remove steaks to a plate and tent loosely with foil to rest.
Build the pan sauce. Return the skillet to medium heat. Add 1 tbsp butter and the mushrooms. Cook without stirring for 2 minutes, then stir and cook another 2 minutes until browned. Add garlic and thyme and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
Reduce. Pour in beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer 3–4 minutes until the liquid reduces by about half. Remove from heat and stir in remaining 2 tbsp butter until the sauce is glossy.
Serve. Plate the steaks and spoon the garlic mushroom sauce over the top. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Garlic Mushroom Ribeyes — The Last of the Season, Cooked Right