Reverse Seared Ribeye

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).

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!

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

Grilled Ribeye with Cowboy Butter

Blue Cheese Crusted Steaks

Coffee Crusted Ribeyes with Honey Chili Butter

Ribeye with Bourbon Cream Sauce

Best Steaks for Reverse Searing

Reverse Seared Steak

FAQs for Reverse-Sear Steak