Make Bobby Flay's Ribeye Seasoning Blend With The Spices In Your Cabinet

Bobby Flay is well known for many things, including his all-purpose spice rub, which is just one of two things you can't skip for the best grilled steak. While deliciously flavorful and sure to elevate any dish, he also has a similar mixture that he specifically uses on ribeye. Flay's blend for this distinct cut of beef combines paprika, cumin, coriander, chili powder, salt, and pepper to taste. In a TODAY Food segment shared on YouTube, Flay went over this spice rub recipe and how he thinks is best to use it when cooking a ribeye steak.

The core spices that make up this blend are robust on their own, but they also nicely elevate other ingredients you may want to incorporate depending on the dish. Paprika is slightly sweet and earthy, meanwhile cumin presents a warming nuttiness. Coriander pulls in an understated citrusy brightness and the chili powder delivers a kick of heat. The complete combo makes for a well-balanced rub. 

Flay notes that this rub is not only good for boosting flavor, but it also creates a delicious crust on the surface of the steak. In a TikTok in which he prepares another ribeye, he suggests adding a bit of brown sugar to achieve a more caramelized crust on the steak when grilling. However, in the same TODAY Food clip, Flay shared that he personally prefers to leave the rub to one side so that the flavor of the meat is still prominent throughout. If you're not cooking your ribeye on the grill, you can use his cooking trick for preparing a juicy steak with a drool-worthy crust. 

If you want to get a little more creative with your seasoning blend, like with that brown sugar addition, you don't need to feel limited in your selection. In the aforementioned TODAY Food segment, Bobby Flay states, "If you want to add some other ingredients that you have on your shelf, that's totally fine." This base combo of cumin, paprika, coriander, and chili powder is great for those who prefer to customize their recipes further with other complementary seasonings. For example, in other spice blends, Flay has been known to add thyme and ground mustard powder. 

Ribeye might also be one of Flay's three go-to cuts of steak for the grill, but there are many types of protein you can cook with this spice rub or slight variations for delicious results. It turns out that Flay's all-purpose rub is great to use on other steak cuts like filet mignon, but it also pairs well with beef tenderloin, burgers, chicken, and fish. Additionally, in a Food Network clip posted to Facebook, Flay shared that he thinks rubs are a better way to ensure flavor than marinades because the spices are directly applied to the cut of meat.

Many of these spice mixtures are simple to pre-batch. Therefore you can blend them together to be used over extended periods without having to freshly combine them each time. Just make sure to keep the containers away from heat when storing, otherwise you'll risk diminishing flavor and longevity due to exposure.