Cooking steak should be easy, right? Well what if I told you there was a way that it could be even easier! If you have been following me for a while, then you might have heard “Reverse Searing” come up at some point. At first, this sounds like some fancy way of cooking a steak that is for high end restaurant and not your backyard. Luckily for you, this is a high end way to cook a perfect steak that is easy to do right at home!
So what is Reverse Searing?
Reverse searing is a way of cooking that first grills the meat indirectly on a low temperature (oven or smoker) until the internal temperature is perfect. Then you let it rest for 10 minutes before you quickly sear the outside of the meat to get those famous grill marks!
You can do this at home easily! Just check out my step by step instructions below!
Step by Step Instructions:
1. Start your grill/smoker till it reaches an even 225F.
The ideal temperature for reverse searing is 225F. This allows the meat time to cook slowly without directly searing the outside!
2. Place you steak inside the grill/smoker so it cooks indirectly until the internal temperature is perfect.
Once your charcoal has gotten to 225F, it is time to cook. The internal temperature is the key to this style of cooking. We all know that steak continues to cook after you pull it off the grill, so follow my instructions below so that you hit your ideal temp!
Pull the steak off when it hits your ideal internal temperature:
Rare = 120F
Medium Rare = 130F
Medium = 140F
Well Done = 150F
3. Pull steak off grill/smoker and let cool for 10 minutes.
When reverse searing, you will actually let the steak settle before you sear the outside. This allows the juices inside the meat to reabsorb before heating it up again. PRO TIP: Wrap the steak in tin foil and place inside a cooler for 20 mins to settle. This lets the steak cool slower so you lose less juice than when cooling at room temperature.
Ready to eat!
4. Preheat your grill to a high temperature for direct grilling!
Get that grill going so those sear marks are perfect.
5. Sear the steak on each side for 1 minute.
Sear the steak quickly so you get those ideal grill marks. Do 30 secs then a 90 degree turn for hatched grill marks.
6. Slice that steak up and enjoy!
Enjoy reverse searing with any cut of steak from roasts to ribeyes. Just follow the same instructions and you will have a beautifully cooked piece of meat for the whole family!
7. Want to try a Reverse Seared Ribeye?

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!
Jose Mora says
I used this method on a thick cut of tri tip. 👍🏽👍🏽 It came out perfect. The only issue I had was maintaining my temp at 225°. It hovered around 220° for the longest until I added another batch of lit lump charcoal. Huge difference and different beast compared to my usual carne asada. Thanks for sharing your methods. Much appreciated.