Chef Kevin Nashan’s Grilled Ribeye Steak and Tater Tots

Besides a great-looking lawn and backyard, nothing brings people together quite like food. And, there’s nothing better than cooking up a satisfying meal—like a grilled ribeye steak— in the comfort of your own backyard.

In this episode, host David Bancroft welcomes back guest chef Kevin Nashan for his unique twist on this backyard favorite: ribeye.

Follow these prep and cooking steps to mimic the “2017 James Beard Best Midwestern Chef” recipient’s grilled ribeye, grilled cabbage and scratch tater tots recipe.

Grilled Ribeye & Cabbage

• To start, trim the ribeye and season it with a little salt. (Nashan says he prefers using a heart/center cut for this recipe.)

• Once your grill—or Big Green Egg—is ripping hot, apply cooking oil to the grate before placing the ribeye on it. This, explains Nashan, helps prevent the steak from sticking to the grill.

• As the ribeye cooks, prep the cabbage leaves by applying a coat of grape seed oil and salt to them. (Nashan prefers Napa cabbage for its grilling durability, and grape seed oil for the neutral flavor it gives the cabbage.)

• Place your cabbage leaves on the grill alongside the ribeye. Nashan emphasizes the importance a super-hot grill plays in quickly charring the cabbage before it becomes mushy.

• Beyond this ribeye dish, Bancroft notes the “high-heat” trend he’s seeing many other chefs adopting. Ripping-hot grills and cooking vessels, he says, prevent sticking, and enable certain ingredients to be charred quickly. Nashan adds that identifying specific grill areas best for cooking, resting, and removing items will help you better navigate cooking the entire meal.  

• Once the cabbage is properly charred, remove it from the grill. Allow the ribeye to continue cooking until the desired temperature has been reached.

The Tater Tots

• Now, place your tater tots—ideally, prepared ahead of time—in a large pot or skillet containing peanut or grape seed oil. Then, fry them on a stovetop burner that’s reached 350 degrees. (Nashan’s tots are a mixture of roasted potatoes, cooked mashed potatoes, baking soda, salt and Chimayo chile powder. His hand-formed tots are chilled in the refrigerator to help them keep their shape when fried.)

• As the tater tots begin to fry, remove the ribeye from the grill. (Nashan prefers a medium-rare ribeye and allowing it to “rest,” before final plate up, so it can bleed out. He explains roughly 10-12 minutes of total cooking and resting time is needed if medium-rare’s what you’re after, too.)

• While the tots finish cooking, sauté some Cipollini onions to add caramelization and sweetness to the cabbage.

• Prepare the final dish by first placing the “open-faced” sliced ribeye on your plate. Next, top the ribeye with grilled cabbage and onions. Nashan suggests complementing these with sauerkraut and pickled mustard seeds for a pop of acidity and heat. Finally, place a mound of 4-5 tots on your plate atop a dollop of homemade “glorified egg salad.” Nashan then drizzles the entire dish with a broth made from mustard seeds, red wine and ribeye bone/scrap stock.

• And, there you have it: a delicious and creative “meat-and-potatoes” dish you and your guests will absolutely love!

For more details on the recipes shown here, check out our Bonus Ribeye Prep video.

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