The popularity of outdoor cooking on kamado grills like the Big Green Egg or Kamado Joe has people learning how to reverse sear a steak to cook the perfect steak from the comforts of home.
Today I will teach you the reverse sear method of cooking steaks.
What is the reverse sear method?
The method is simple. Instead of cooking your steak completely over hot flames or coals, you roast the steak to a specific temperature and then quickly sear it at the very end.
What you're left with is a perfectly cooked steak. Although I prefer to cook a steak over charcoal, this method works just as well using a gas grill.
Cook the perfect steak time after time with the reverse-sear method
The Benefits of the Reverse Sear Method
Simply put, the reverse sear is the best way to cook a steak on the Big Green Egg or other charcoal grills.
It allows the steak to have consistent, edge-to-edge doneness with predictable results every time.
- Build a fire with charcoal oriented on one side of the grill. If using a gas grill ignite only the burners on the right or left side of the grill.
- Insert a digital probe thermometer into the centermost part of the steak.
- Roast the steak on the side of the grill away from the flame flipping and turning occasionally until it reaches an internal temperature of 105-110F.
- Sear the steak on the hot side of the grill for 60-90 seconds per side
- Remove from heat and allow the meat to rest covered, on a plate for 10 minutes or until carryover cooking brings the steak to your desired doneness.
If your steak is too thin to use a roasting thermometer, check out this method of how we like to cook thin steaks on the grill.
The Disadvantages of the Reverse Sear Method
The main disadvantage of the reverse sear method is that it's not as quick as other direct grilling methods.
You will also need the help of a digital thermometer to complete the job. A leave-in thermometer is best but in a pinch, you can use an instant-read digital thermometer and check the temperature frequently.
How to reverse sear a steak
Reverse searing a steak consists of first roasting the meat to get it close to your desired doneness and then finishing the meat by searing.
Be sure to generously season the steak before reverse searing to coax out the maximum amount of flavor.
Expert Tips
- Keep the seasoning simple - a good amount of salt and pepper is all you need to season the steak.
- For a thick steak, like a reverse sear ribeye steak season it about an hour before cooking using a good amount of seasoning.
- Some people prefer searing the steak in a hot pan like a cast iron skillet to achieve a brown crust. If you choose this route, be sure to allow the skillet to preheat for at least 20 minutes over the high heat side of the grill.
- Don't be afraid to flip the steaks often. There's no harm when searing to flip frequently until you get color on the meat the way you desire.
What To Serve With This Recipe
Steak and potatoes go together like peas and carrots and I almost refuse to eat a steak without some kind of tuber tagging along.
One of my favorite side dishes is this crispy potato wedges recipe. The recipe calls for using an air fryer, but you can put the potatoes directly on the grill grates and cook them on the side away from the direct flame.
Another amazing potato side dish is this twice-baked potato recipe. Adjust the cooking method slightly by roasting the potato on the cooler side or the indirect side of the grill before stuffing it and baking it a second time using this method.
For a special treat, consider using the reverse sear method with Wagyu beef like the Wagyu sirloin we use in this recipe. You won't be disappointed!
Reverse Seared Steak Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 steaks 16 oz each
- 1 tablespoon garlic salt
- 1 tablespoon bbq seasoning
Instructions
- Take your steak out of the refrigerator and let it warm up to room temperature for about 45 minutes.
- Use a sharp knife and trim off any silver skin that is visible. Unless you prefer eating the beef fat, cut off and discard any excess bits of fat as well.
- Preheat your grill and plan on having it stabilized at about 350F when you begin cooking. Today, I am using the Big Green Egg version of the Kamado style ceramic grills.
- Season your meat about 10 minutes before you begin cooking. I like to use a combination of a pre-made steak seasoning flavored with garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and a favorite meat rub that has nuances of coriander, cumin, and coffee flavors. Seasoning is simply a matter of preference and at times salt and cracked black pepper simply work best. A word of caution to initially be sparing when using seasonings and rubs with salt added. The salt can often overpower the other flavors.
- Insert a digital meat-roasting thermometer halfway up the thickness of the steak and slide it into the meat as close to the center as possible. Because digital meat roasting thermometer probes are often 4 inches or longer, when inserted in the middle and center of the meat, you get a relatively consistent temperature reading throughout.
- The meat will initially be roasted, and then seared before service. Start by roasting the meat indirectly, or not sitting it directly over the flames until your desired temperature is achieved. My grill does not allow me to easily roast the meat near or next to the flame, so I have found that I can achieve the same effect by raising the steak vertically away from the flame. This allows the meat to roast and heat up without being directly charred until I am ready.
- The Meat Temperature and Doneness Chart has beef steak cooked medium rare at 135F. The meat will continue to cook after it is off of the heat so I like to roast my steak to about 125F and pull the meat off the grill to rest.
- Remove the meat thermometer and let the meat rest on a plate, covered with foil for a good 10 minutes. This allows the juices to re-distribute.
- Resist all temptation to cut into the meat and instead go back to your grill and raise the heat by opening the bottom vent and removing the damper top completely.
- After the meat has rested, the grill should be between 500 and 600F, an ideal temperature for searing.
- Hot sear the steaks at the higher temperature for about one minute per side.
- Serve immediately
Notes
Nutrition
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Quickly searing the steaks close to the coals after roasting for a nice char and extra flavor
By monitoring the internal temperature of the meat you know that it will be cooked to your desired doneness.
Allowing the meat to roast slowly enhances the flavor of the meat while keeping it juicy.
The reverse sear method takes the guesswork out of grilling the perfect steak.
Now if I can just figure out how to pick the perfect glass of wine to go with it.
I like how you let the steak rest for 10 minutes, it's a good time period to get the coals really hot for the searing part.