Charred Ribeye Steak with Black Garlic Butter

Adapted from Harvest Chef Nick Deutmeyer / Photo by Michael Piazza / Styled by Catrine Kelty

This dish represents many of the things I consider to be hallmarks of the restaurant. The ingredients are seasonal, locally sourced and special. I feel a personal and nostalgic connection having grown up on a farm and eating this way my whole life. I am thrilled to be able to continue the great food traditions at Harvest started so many years ago and added to by the myriad of great chefs who have come before me.

Editor’s note: Originally served at the restaurant by Chef Deutmeyer accompanied by a confit byaldi, a ratatouille-style summer vegetable casserole, here we’re serving it with a rich potato gratin and some garlicky sautéed winter greens to suit the season. This is an essential, versatile steak recipe for your repertoire that can span the seasons—serve it with butternut squash and Brussels sprouts in fall; with peas and creamed leeks in spring; and Provençal-style roasted vegetables in summer. Black garlic can be difficult to find, so if you come across some, double the butter recipe and freeze it for when you need a good steak. If you can’t find black garlic in clove form, you can still make this delicious butter using Curio Spice’s Black Garlic Powder, or you can substitute with three cloves roasted garlic and a dribble of dark, syrupy balsamic vinegar.

Serves 2–4

FOR THE BLACK GARLIC BUTTER:
¼ cup minced shallots
2 tablespoons minced garlic
neutral oil
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
¼ cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cloves black garlic, smashed OR 2 teaspoons Curio Spice Black Garlic Powder OR a blend of 3 cloves roasted garlic and 1 teaspoon syrupy balsamic vinegar
2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into cubes, room temperature

FOR THE GRATIN AND GREENS:
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
3 cloves garlic, smashed, divided
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh thyme
unsalted butter
3 large Russet potatoes, peeled and sliced very thinly on a mandoline
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
¾ cup grated Alpine-style cheese, like Gruyère, Comté, Fontina or a local equivalent like Alpha Tolman from Jasper Hill in VT
1 pound mixed winter greens, like kale, chard, spinach and mustard greens, stems removed and leaves coarsely chopped
extra virgin olive oil

FOR THE STEAKS:
2 (16-ounce) ribeye steaks, room temperature
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
neutral oil
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 clove fresh garlic, smashed
Black Garlic Butter, for serving

MAKE THE BLACK GARLIC BUTTER: In a sauté pan over low heat, sweat the shallots and minced fresh garlic in a tablespoon of neutral oil until translucent. Add minced herbs, wine, Worcestershire sauce and salt. Bring to a simmer and reduce until it is almost dry.

Remove from heat and let cool. Scrape the vegetable mixture into the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and add the softened butter and black garlic (or substitution); mix until everything is evenly processed and set aside at room temperature; you will want to “dollop” this onto your steaks once they are cooked, so if you need to make the butter ahead of time, be sure it’s softened before serving.

MAKE THE GRATIN AND GREENS: Preheat oven to 400°F.

In a large saucepan, bring the milk and cream to a simmer with 2 cloves of smashed garlic, the bay leaf and thyme. Reduce the heat to very low, add the potatoes, stir to coat and set aside for 10 minutes to develop the flavors.

Butter a small gratin dish and add the potatoes in even layers, alternating with a sprinkling of salt and pepper, a grating of nutmeg and a layer of grated cheese. Continue until all the potatoes are in the dish, then pour in any remaining cream mixture. Season the top with salt, pepper and nutmeg and bake 35–45 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the top is bubbly. Remove from the oven and set aside.

In a sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and add the remaining smashed clove of garlic, then the greens in batches, adding more as they cook down. Season with salt and pepper and set aside until ready to serve, reheating at the last minute if needed.

MAKE THE STEAKS: Season both steaks liberally with salt and pepper. Brush with a light coating of neutral oil.

Sear in a very hot cast-iron pan on both sides and cook until the interior reaches 125°F for medium rare. Reduce the heat, add unsalted butter, rosemary sprigs and smashed garlic clove. Spoon the hot butter over the steak until the garlic and rosemary are fragrant, the butter is foaming and beginning to brown.

Remove the ribeyes from the pan and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice the steaks, top with dollops of the black garlic butter and serve alongside the rich potato gratin and some garlicky sautéed greens.

This recipe appeared in the Winter 2026 issue as part of a larger story: How The Harvest Keeps Its Cool.