Massive grilled rib-eye with just salt — meat cookery at its finest.
Txuleta is the Basque answer to a perfectly grilled steak. A thick-cut rib-eye (at least 2 inches) is seasoned only with salt, grilled over coals until rare inside and charred outside. It's served at the table sizzling, sometimes finished with a squeeze of lemon and coarse salt.
Serves 2
Remove steak from cold storage 1 hour before cooking. Rub lightly with olive oil.
Heat grill to very high. Grill steak 6–7 minutes per side for rare-medium rare, depending on heat.
Season generously with coarse sea salt on both sides.
Rest 5 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges and extra salt on the side.
Don't move the steak while it cooks — let it get a crust.
Use a meat thermometer: aim for 50°C (rare) to 55°C (medium-rare).
Thickness is crucial — thin steaks won't work.
Serve with chimichurri sauce
Add roasted garlic cloves
Finish with smoked sea salt
Best eaten immediately. Leftovers can be eaten cold the next day.
Txuleta comes from the French word côtelette (cutlet). In the Basque Country, it evolved into a massive grilled steak tradition that celebrates meat quality above all else.
Thickness allows the inside to stay rare and juicy while the outside chars. Thin steaks overcook.
A hot charcoal grill is ideal. A gas grill works but won't give the same crust.
Per serving · 2 servings total
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