Pan-Seared Ribeye with Cracked Pepper & Mahon-Menorca Cheese Sauce is a super-easy, quick option for holiday dinner — ready in about 15 minutes from start to finish.
This post for Pan-Seared Ribeye with Cracked Pepper and Mahon-Menorca Cheese Sauce is sponsored by Mahon-Menorca Cheese. Thank you for supporting a brand who helps keep Innocent Delight alive. #MahonCheese
For special occasions many cooks reach for large roasts — leg of lamb, rack of lamb, glazed ham or prime rib. But for smaller gatherings, a single excellent steak can be a better, simpler choice. A well-cooked ribeye delivers rich flavor and a luxurious texture, and when paired with a creamy cracked pepper and Mahon-Menorca cheese sauce it becomes an elegant holiday centerpiece.
I chose ribeye for this recipe because it’s generously marbled and deeply flavorful, yet quick to prepare. If you’re feeding more people you can use the same sauce to elevate a larger cut like prime rib.
We keep our holiday dinner small this year, but I still want something impressive on the table. My husband loves steak and prefers it rare to medium-rare, so this method yields a lovely crust and perfectly pink center when timed correctly.
How to Pan-Sear Ribeye
Pan-searing in a cast iron skillet creates a great crust because the pan holds steady high heat. I finish the steak in a hot oven to ensure even cooking through the center.
For a 1 lb ribeye: sear 2 minutes per side in a hot skillet to form a crust, then transfer to a 415°F oven for 4 minutes for rare, 5 minutes for medium-rare, or 6 minutes for medium. Remove from the oven and let the steak rest, tented with foil, for about 10 minutes before slicing — this keeps the juices inside. Internal temperatures when removing from the oven should be roughly 130–135°F for rare, 140°F for medium-rare, 155°F for medium and 165°F for well done.
On Christmas or any special night, this ribeye is a satisfying treat. The steak itself is wonderful, but the easy cracked pepper and Mahon-Menorca cheese sauce is what lifts the dish into something memorable — and you can make the sauce while the steak rests, keeping total time under 15 minutes.
Cracked Pepper & Mahon-Menorca Cheese Sauce
This sauce is a simple béchamel-based cheese sauce with bold cracked black pepper and the distinctive flavor of Mahon-Menorca cheese. Ingredients you’ll need:
- Butter
- Flour
- Milk
- Generous cracked black pepper
- Mahon-Menorca cheese (shredded)
Method: Melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a small pan. Stir in 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour and cook briefly. Gradually whisk in 1 cup whole milk until smooth. Cook until the sauce thickens, about 1–2 minutes. Add cracked black pepper, turn off the heat, then stir in 1 cup shredded Mahon-Menorca cheese until melted and smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt if needed and pour over sliced steak.
History of Mahon-Menorca Cheese
Mahon-Menorca cheese holds a Protected Guarantee of Origin (P.G.O.), meaning its production, climate and traditional methods on the island of Menorca shape the final flavor. Evidence suggests cheese-making on the island dates back millennia; the name “Mahon” originates from the port where the cheese was historically shipped. The P.G.O. was established in 1985 and later updated to “Mahon-Menorca.”
Types of Mahon-Menorca Cheese
Mahon-Menorca is classified by maturity:
- Tender: Soft, creamy, pale interior with minimal rind. Milky, buttery flavor. Aged 21–60 days.
- Semi-cured: Firmer texture with an orange rind and irregular holes. More developed flavor with notes of toasted nuts and dried fruit. Aged 2–5 months.
- Cured: Firm, crumbly texture and intense flavor. Aged more than 5 months, prized by cheese lovers.
There’s also a Traditional Style made with raw milk and aged about 6 months; it offers a deeply complex flavor and is the variety used here for the sauce.
Where to Find Mahon-Menorca Cheese
Mahon-Menorca cheeses are available in many U.S. stores and specialty markets. Check your local cheese counter or gourmet grocery to locate varieties near you.
If you’re planning holiday dinner, this pan-seared ribeye with cracked pepper and Mahon-Menorca cheese sauce is a fast, impressive choice. Happy holidays and enjoy!
Pan-Seared Ribeye with Cracked Pepper & Mahon-Menorca Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
Pan-Seared Ribeye
- 1 lbs Ribeye steak
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil (cooking type)
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- Salt and pepper to taste
Cracked Pepper and Mahon-Menorca Cheese Sauce
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup Mahon-Menorca cheese, raw and shredded
- 1/2 to 1 tsp cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Pan-Seared Ribeye
- Remove the steak from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking to bring to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 415°F.
- Season the steak with salt and pepper on both sides.
- In a cast iron skillet melt butter with olive oil over high heat until sizzling.
- Add the steak and cook undisturbed for 2 minutes.
- Flip and cook the other side for 2 minutes.
- Add rosemary to the pan and baste the steak with the flavored oil for extra flavor.
- Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and cook 4 minutes for rare, 5 minutes for medium-rare, 6 minutes for medium.
- Carefully remove the skillet and transfer the steak to a cutting board (use oven mitts — skillet will be very hot).
- Tent the steak with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Cracked Pepper and Mahon-Menorca Cheese Sauce
- While the steak is in the oven, start the sauce.
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small pan and stir in 1 tablespoon flour.
- Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth.
- Cook about 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Add cracked black pepper and mix well.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the shredded Mahon-Menorca cheese until fully incorporated.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed. Pour over sliced steak and serve.
Nutrition
| Fat: 86 g
This post is sponsored by Mahon-Menorca Cheese.
Read about the author Edyta on the blog or follow Eating European on social media.