Grilled Prime Ribeye Cap Steaks

Ask any butcher for their favorite cut and many will whisper the same answer: the ribeye cap. This is the spinalis dorsi, the thin, lavishly marbled muscle that crowns the ribeye — more tender than filet, more flavorful than the eye. Grilled simply and set over creamy Gruyère spinach and earthy wild mushrooms, it makes a steakhouse dinner that outshines the steakhouse, at your own table.

Grilling the Cap

The cap is all about high, direct heat and restraint. Because it is richly marbled and relatively thin, it wants a screaming-hot grill and only a few minutes a side — just long enough for a deeply charred crust over a warm, rosy medium-rare center. Season it simply with salt and pepper so nothing competes with the beef itself, and pull it a touch early to rest, where the juices redistribute and the temperature carries gently up. Slice against the grain and the tenderness is almost startling.

The Steakhouse Sides

What turns a good steak into an occasion are the sides. Build a proper creamed spinach on a Gruyère Mornay — squeeze the cooked spinach bone-dry first so the sauce stays glossy and rich rather than watery — and sear the wild mushrooms hard in butter until deeply browned and meaty. Together they bring the earth and cream that a great cut of beef loves, and they can both be made while the grill heats, ready to plate the moment the steaks come off.

Jorj Morgan

Grilled Prime Ribeye Cap Steaks (Spinalis)

Savor the smoky elegance of grilled prime ribeye cap steaks, perfectly complemented by rich Gruyère creamed spinach and earthy wild mushrooms for an elevated take on Southern comfort.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Resting Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Main Course

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

  

The Steaks

• 4 6 to 8-ounce prime cap steaks (Spinalis)
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• Salt and coarse black pepper to taste

Creamed Spinach - Vegetables

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 pounds fresh spinach leaves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper

Creamed Spinach - Cheese Sauce

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 ounces Gruyère cheese grated (about ½ cup)
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Wild Mushrooms & Garnish

• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ pound fresh assorted wild mushrooms sliced (about 2 cups)
• 2 ounces Parmesan cheese grated (about ½ cup)

Equipment

• 1 Large rectangular ceramic baking pan
• 1 Heavy-bottomed cast-iron skillet
• 1 Heavy-bottomed saucepan
• 1 Stainless steel wire whisk
• 1 Heavy glass mixing bowl

Method

 

The Spinach & Gruyère Sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion until soft, then add spinach leaves. Cook until just wilted. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a baking dish.
3. In a separate saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes until bubbling.
4. Slowly whisk in the milk and continue stirring for 4–5 minutes until thickened.
5. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in the Gruyère. Pour this sauce over the spinach and toss.

The Mushrooms

1. In the same skillet used for the spinach, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat.
2. Add the wild mushrooms. Do not touch them for 4–5 minutes until they are deeply golden.
3. Flip and sauté for another 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then spoon over the spinach.
4. Top with Parmesan and bake for 20 minutes until bubbling.

The Cap Steaks

1. Marinate the steaks with Worcestershire, soy, garlic powder, and onion powder for 20 minutes.
2. Prepare an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
3. Just before grilling, season the steaks with salt and pepper.
4. Grill for 3–4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let the steaks rest for 5 minutes before serving alongside the spinach.