As the cut comes from the cows back, where the muscles don’t work as much, the ribeye is a tender, soft and buttery steak. The more a muscle works, the tougher the meat will be.
Ribeye is taken anywhere from the 6th to the 12th rib of the animal, and which end you take dictates how best to cook it. The loin end has less fat, whilst the chuck end has more of the cap and more marbling. Sometimes the ribeye may come on the bone, the rib steak or tomahawk are increasingly popular ribeye cuts.
Whilst the mid sections are most common, if its flavour you’re after, you should ask the butcher for a cut from the chuck end. When choosing your ribeye, you should look for aged, deep red meat, with lots of marbling and a thickness of around 2.5-3cm.