I’ve already had great luck with the reverse sear technique on prime rib, so why not give a try on a big ol’ ribeye?
1 thick-cut ribeye steak (about an 1 1/2 thick is ideal)
Sea or kosher salt
1-2 tablespoons Montreal-style steak seasoning
At least an hour before you are ready to cook, prep the steak by trimming off any excess fat, salting fairly heavily, and giving it a light dusting of the steak seasoning. Move the steak to a raised rack and stash it in the fridge to let the salt do its magic. Most of the liquid that forms on the surface of the meat will get sucked back in or evaporate off. Either way, this helps you get an outside that will crisp up nicely and an inside that’s juicy and well-seasoned.
Set your grill up for a raised direct cook over low (250°F) heat. On the Big Green Egg I used an extender to move the grate up to the level of the rim, putting the steak further away from the heat.
When the grill is ready, add a little wood for smoke. I use a mix of apple and a little mesquite.
Roast the steak at 250°F until it hits 115°F internal (about for 1 1/2 hours). I used a Maverick Et-732 Remote Thermometer to keep an eye on both the grill and the internal meat temp.
Remove the steak from the grill and let rest while you crank up the fire as hot as it will go. I got the Egg up to 700°F in about 15 minutes.
Return the steak to the grill and sear each side, flipping often, until you get a nice char on the outside (about 5 minutes).
The Verdict:
Loving the reverse sear! The steak was a perfect, juicy medium-rare on the inside with a with a crispy crust. Normally I would tie the steak to get it a little more compact so that it cooked evenly, but I left this one a little loose and really liked the way the ends crisped up.
Great looking steak, before and after!
Oddly, ribeye is the only steak where I don’t prefer the reverse sear. I think it has something to do with the fat not rendering as much. Odd because I like reverse seared prime rib, same cut. But do love tenderloin, strip, etc all reverse seared. It’s all just a matter of preferences, right?