Reverse Seared Ribeye
If you’re looking for the best way to cook a thick steak that’s juicy, flavorful, and downright drool-worthy, this Reverse Seared Ribeye is where it’s at. The reverse-sear method is my go-to for edge-to-edge color, a freakin’ delicious crust, and a perfectly tender center. The next time you’re looking to make the best steak you’ve ever tasted, right at home, this recipe is all you need! Table of Contents Why You’ll Love Reverse Seared RibeyeIngredients for the Smoked Ribeye SteakPROTIP: Let Reverse-sear steaks come to room temperatureSeason and Dry BrineMake the Black Garlic ButterSmoke the SteaksCooking Steaks on the GrillServe and EnjoyWhat to Serve with Reverse-Seared RibeyeStoring and Reheating Leftover reverse-sear SteakMore Reverse Seared SteaksFAQs for Reverse-Sear SteakFlavor X Fire & FOOD X FireReverse Seared Ribeye Recipe Why You’ll Love Reverse Seared Ribeye Ingredients for the Smoked Ribeye Steak PROTIP: Let Reverse-sear steaks come to room temperature Season and Dry Brine Make the Black Garlic Butter Smoke the Steaks Cooking Steaks on the Grill Serve and Enjoy What to Serve with Reverse-Seared Ribeye Storing and Reheating Leftover reverse-sear Steak More Reverse Seared Steaks FAQs for Reverse-Sear Steak Flavor X Fire & FOOD X Fire Reverse Seared Ribeye Recipe Why You’ll Love Reverse Seared Ribeye The reverse sear method is a next-level technique for cooking a perfect steak with unbeatable flavor and texture. Reverse searing is process of cooking a steak where the searing of the meat is the last part of the process (instead of the first). We’ll cook the steak with indirect heat until it reaches our desired internal temperature first. Then, we’ll get our fire ripping hot, and finish by searing the outside of the steak. The low heat on the steak (via indirect cooking) keeps the meat tender and juicy. It also allows us to get a wall to wall, medium rare cook on the entire steak! Once it reaches the proper temperature, it’s time to turn up the heat and then hit it with a good sear on the hot grill (or hot skillet) to develop that crave-worthy tasty crust. This is what reverse seared ribeye is all about! Thanks to the Maillard reaction, you get a deep, rich flavor and a beautifully caramelized exterior of the steak, but are also able to keep the inside of the steak perfectly cooked. No gray bands here! This approach takes the stress out of cooking an expensive steak, guaranteeing the best results. Even if you’re new to steak-making, this reverse sear method makes it nearly impossible to overcook. Can’t get enough ribeyes? Check out my grilled cap of ribeye recipe, Maui Wowee Grilled Ribeyes, and Perfect Ribeye Steak . Ingredients for the Smoked Ribeye Steak Bone-In Ribeye Steak – Grab three thick ribeyes from your local butcher and also some canola oil to help the seasoning bind and build the crust. Seasoning – Kosher salt, black pepper, dried minced garlic, dried minced onion, dried parsley, and then some chipotle flakes for a nice kick. Black Garlic Butter – Black garlic cloves, unsalted butter, and then, of course, some salt. Additional Butter Ingredients – Rosemary, thyme, red chili flakes, and bourbon (optional). Bone-In Ribeye Steak – Grab three thick ribeyes from your local butcher and also some canola oil to help the seasoning bind and build the crust. Seasoning – Kosher salt, black pepper, dried minced garlic, dried minced onion, dried parsley, and then some chipotle flakes for a nice kick. Black Garlic Butter – Black garlic cloves, unsalted butter, and then, of course, some salt. Additional Butter Ingredients – Rosemary, thyme, red chili flakes, and bourbon (optional). Alright, if you’re craving a good steak, then fire up the charcoal grill, and try this reverse sear steak recipe. This cooking method makes a huge difference (especially for these thicker steaks), delivering that fantastic crust, juicy interior, and insane flavor every time. Give it a shot, drop a star rating on the recipe card, and then let me know what you think. Cheers! PROTIP: Let Reverse-sear steaks come to room temperature Let your steaks come to room temperature before cooking for even doneness and a perfect sear. A cold steak straight from the fridge will cook unevenly, leading to an overcooked exterior while the center is too rare. Aim for 30-60 minutes at room temp before grilling or searing for juicier, more consistent results. Season and Dry Brine First things first—grab a small bowl and mix up your seasoning for the reverse seared ribeye steaks. Dry brining is key to an epic steak, so pat your rib eye dry, rub it with canola or some olive oil, and then coat every inch with seasoning. Place it on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet and let it chill in the fridge for about 40 minutes (or up to overnight). This helps dry out the outside of the steak, which means an even better tasty crust for our reverse seared ribeye later. Make the Black Garlic Butter Black garlic takes regular garlic to the next level—think of it as the dry-aged steak of the garlic world. To make it, whole garlic cloves are slowly fermented until they turn dark, taking on a sweet, earthy flavor with an intense umami punch. Take those black garlic cloves and mash them into a paste, you can add a bit of neutral oil to this mash to make it into more of a paste (if needed). Mix that garlic/oil mash into a softened cup of butter (or more, no judgment) along with any herbs, bourbon, or chili flakes you’re using. Wrap it up in wax paper and then pop it in the fridge to firm up. This compound butter will melt perfectly over your juicy steak later. Smoke the Steaks Next up, fire up your smoker for indirect heat at around 250 degrees F. Toss in some wood chunks for extra smokiness and flavor. Place steaks in the lower temperature smoker and then let them slow roast until they hit an internal temperature of about 120 degrees F for a medium-rare steak. This will take around 40-60 minutes, depending on how thick your steaks are. Flip them halfway through so both sides of the steak cook evenly. Once our reverse seared ribeyes reach the proper temperature, pull them off and let them rest for about 15 minutes while you prep for the high heat sear. Cooking Steaks on the Grill Crank up your grill or large cast iron skillet to high temperature—we’re talking 450 degrees F or hotter. If you’re using a skillet, add some vegetable oil or avocado oil to coat the bottom. Place steaks directly over the heat and then let them sear for about 60 seconds per side for rare steaks. Remember, they’ve already hit our desired internal temperature, so we want this sear to be fast! The goal is not to cook the inside of the steak anymore, but simply sear the outside of it so we can achieve a nice crust. For those epic grill marks, feel free to rotate them halfway through the sear. After the first flip, top each steak with a tablespoon of butter to let it melt into all that crispy goodness. Serve and Enjoy Once your reverse-seared steak is perfectly cooked, slice into that juicy steak and enjoy every bite. This steak is next-level delicious, and you just nailed one of the best cooking techniques out there. What to Serve with Reverse-Seared Ribeye Pair this good steak with a baked potato, grilled asparagus, or some garlic butter mushrooms. If you’re feeling fancy, add a squeeze of lemon juice over your veggies to brighten things up. Cheers to a killer meal! Storing and Reheating Leftover reverse-sear Steak Got leftover steak? No worries. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in a preheated oven at 250 degrees F until warm, or use an air fryer at 360 degrees F for about 5 minutes. Avoid the microwave—it’ll ruin that perfect texture. More Reverse Seared Steaks FAQs for Reverse-Sear Steak Can I use the reverse sear steak method for other cuts? Absolutely! Try it with a sirloin steak, filet mignon, or even a tomahawk steak for insane flavor and tenderness. What are Delmonico Steaks? Delmonico steaks are thick-cut, well-marbled steaks named after Delmonico’s restaurant in 19th-century New York. While typically a boneless ribeye or top loin, the name has been used for various premium cuts. Known for their rich flavor and tenderness, they’re best cooked over high heat for a perfect sear. Do I need a cast iron pan for the sear? A large cast iron skillet is ideal for a hot pan sear, but you can also use a stainless steel pan or a cooking grate on a hot grill for a killer crust. Get The Cookbooks! Flavor X Fire & FOOD X Fire By Derek Wolf All the major tastes—salty, sour, sweet, bitter, and umami—are explored in depth, along with an investigation of other components you should consider when it comes to flavor, such as aroma, heat, and texture. Steak: ▢ 3 Ribeyes preferably large▢ Canola Oil as needed ▢ 3 Ribeyes preferably large ▢ Canola Oil as needed Seasoning: ▢ 2.5 tbsp Coarse Salt▢ 2 tbsp Black Pepper▢ 1.5 tbsp Dried Minced Garlic▢ 1.25 tbsp Dried Minced Onion▢ 2 tsp Dried Parsley▢ 1 tsp Chipotle Flakes ▢ 2.5 tbsp Coarse Salt ▢ 2 tbsp Black Pepper ▢ 1.5 tbsp Dried Minced Garlic ▢ 1.25 tbsp Dried Minced Onion ▢ 2 tsp Dried Parsley ▢ 1 tsp Chipotle Flakes Black Garlic Butter: ▢ 6-8 Black Garlic Cloves▢ 1 cup Unsalted Butter softened▢ Salt to taste ▢ 6-8 Black Garlic Cloves ▢ 1 cup Unsalted Butter softened ▢ Salt to taste Butter (Additional Ingredients): ▢ 1.5 tsp Rosemary chopped▢ 1 tsp Thyme chopped▢ 1 tsp Red Chili Flakes▢ 1 oz Bourbon (Optional) ▢ 1.5 tsp Rosemary chopped ▢ 1 tsp Thyme chopped ▢ 1 tsp Red Chili Flakes ▢ 1 oz Bourbon (Optional) Begin by adding all the ingredients for the steak seasoning to a bowl and mix thoroughly. Lather your steaks in oil and generously season on all sides. Set them aside for 40 minutes in the fridge to dry brine.Next, add your black garlic cloves to a bowl or food processor with 1 tbsp of neutral oil and mash into a paste. Add the softened butter to a bowl along with the black garlic mash and the rest of the butter ingredients (as you desire). Mix thoroughly. Then add to wax paper or plastic wrap. Roll into a log and place in the fridge for 1 hour to harden.Preheat your smoker for an indirect fire around 250F. Add some wood chips or wood chunks for added smoke flavor.Pull your ribeyes out of the fridge and place them on the smoker to cook. Cook them until they reach 120F internal (around 40-60 minutes). Make sure to flip the steaks over halfway through to get an even cook. Once the steaks have hit temperature, pull them out and let them rest for 10 minutes.While the steaks rest, preheat a high heat direct cooking fire around 450F. After the steaks have rested, add them to the direct heat to sear for 60 seconds per side. After the first flip, top them with 1-2 medallions of the Black Garlic Butter. Pull the steaks off when done and let cool for 1-2 minutes.Slice up your steaks, serve and enjoy! Begin by adding all the ingredients for the steak seasoning to a bowl and mix thoroughly. Begin by adding all the ingredients for the steak seasoning to a bowl and mix thoroughly. Lather your steaks in oil and generously season on all sides. Set them aside for 40 minutes in the fridge to dry brine. Lather your steaks in oil and generously season on all sides. Set them aside for 40 minutes in the fridge to dry brine. Next, add your black garlic cloves to a bowl or food processor with 1 tbsp of neutral oil and mash into a paste. Next, add your black garlic cloves to a bowl or food processor with 1 tbsp of neutral oil and mash into a paste. Add the softened butter to a bowl along with the black garlic mash and the rest of the butter ingredients (as you desire). Mix thoroughly. Add the softened butter to a bowl along with the black garlic mash and the rest of the butter ingredients (as you desire). Mix thoroughly. Then add to wax paper or plastic wrap. Roll into a log and place in the fridge for 1 hour to harden. Then add to wax paper or plastic wrap. Roll into a log and place in the fridge for 1 hour to harden. Preheat your smoker for an indirect fire around 250F. Add some wood chips or wood chunks for added smoke flavor. Preheat your smoker for an indirect fire around 250F. Add some wood chips or wood chunks for added smoke flavor. Pull your ribeyes out of the fridge and place them on the smoker to cook. Pull your ribeyes out of the fridge and place them on the smoker to cook. Cook them until they reach 120F internal (around 40-60 minutes). Make sure to flip the steaks over halfway through to get an even cook. Cook them until they reach 120F internal (around 40-60 minutes). Make sure to flip the steaks over halfway through to get an even cook. Once the steaks have hit temperature, pull them out and let them rest for 10 minutes. Once the steaks have hit temperature, pull them out and let them rest for 10 minutes. While the steaks rest, preheat a high heat direct cooking fire around 450F. While the steaks rest, preheat a high heat direct cooking fire around 450F. After the steaks have rested, add them to the direct heat to sear for 60 seconds per side. After the steaks have rested, add them to the direct heat to sear for 60 seconds per side. After the first flip, top them with 1-2 medallions of the Black Garlic Butter. After the first flip, top them with 1-2 medallions of the Black Garlic Butter. Pull the steaks off when done and let cool for 1-2 minutes. Pull the steaks off when done and let cool for 1-2 minutes. Slice up your steaks, serve and enjoy! Slice up your steaks, serve and enjoy! Remember to Bring Steaks to Room Temperature Let your steak come to room temperature before cooking for even doneness and a perfect sear. A cold steak straight from the fridge will cook unevenly, leading to an overcooked exterior while the center stays too rare. Aim for 30-60 minutes at room temp before grilling or searing for juicier, more consistent results. Serving: 4g | Calories: 811kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 70g | Saturated Fat: 40g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 225mg | Sodium: 4487mg | Potassium: 626mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2000IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 4mg Derek Wolf Derek is the driving force behind Over the Fire Cooking. He started cooking with live fire in 2016 and decided to start a social media page so his friends and family could follow the journey. Fast forward to today and Over the Fire Cooking has spread across multiple platforms with millions now following Derek's fire cooking journey. He's a southern fellow who enjoys everything from classic BBQ to Central and South American inspired dishes. Whatever he's cooking up, it's guaranteed to be so freakin' delicious!