Smoke first, crust last
Reverse-sear ribeye
Weeknight · 50–75 min · Oak or hickory
- Time
- 50–75 min
- Pit
- 225° then 500°
- Wood
- Oak or hickory
- Serves
- 2
Thick steaks on a pellet grill want the reverse sear. Gentle smoke to 115–120°F, then a screaming finish. Edge-to-edge pink, a real crust.
Cook-along
Watch it cooked
The method on this page is ours. The video is the pitmaster walking the same cook.
How to Reverse Sear Ribeye Steaks
Traeger Grills
Ingredients
Steak
- 2 ribeyes, 1½ inches thick
- Kosher salt
- Coarse black pepper
- Neutral oil or tallow for the sear
Method
- 1
Salt the steaks 45 minutes ahead, or the night before. Pat dry.
- 2
Smoke at 225°F, Super Smoke if you have it, until 115–120°F internal for medium-rare.
- 3
Pull them. Crank the grill to 450–500°F. Rest the steaks while it heats.
- 4
Sear 45–90 seconds a side. Press for contact. Pull at 128–130°F.
- 5
Rest 8 minutes. Slice across the grain. Finish with flaky salt.
Cast iron on the grate beats a weak pellet sear. Preheat the pan in the grill.
Same method for filet, strip, and tomahawk — watch the pull temp, not the clock.
