Ribeye steak is a beef steak cut from the rib primal (ribs six through twelve), typically sold boneless; the same cut sold with the rib bone attached is called a rib steak, or bone-in ribeye. It's prized for heavy marbling, which self-bastes the meat during cooking and gives it a rich, buttery texture with a bold, beefy flavor. It suits grilling, pan-searing, and broiling, and its fat content makes it more forgiving at higher doneness levels, such as medium or medium-well, than leaner cuts. The ribeye cap (spinalis dorsi), the outer muscle layer, is often considered the most tender and flavorful part of the steak.