The Art of the Reverse Sear.

Whether it be on the phone or working in our retail shop - my colleagues and I often get asked “how would you cook that steak?” Such an open ended question that any of us could answer 100 different ways. Whether its a NY Strip, Ribeye, Tri Tip, Cowboy or Tomahawk Ribeye, the easier answer I can give someone is “Reverse Sear It.” It’s fool proof, relaxing, and fun all at the same time. I’ll talk about Sous Vide in another post as a secondary option, but reverse searing is a sure-fire way to produce a perfectly cooked steak, no matter the cut or thickness. Let me tell you about it.

When traditionally cooking or grilling, you are trained into searing a steak right off the bat to cook it. A few minutes each side and presto - steak is done. Searing will always help produce a great crust on your steak, adding the flavor and texture you expect. Downside - it leaves little margin for error. Too rare, too done, oooops - might have burned it and it’s too rare, etc. In my opinion, reverse searing is going to give you a good advantage to nail your cook like a pro while giving you plenty of chances and time to ensure it’s going to end up perfect.
That’s the beauty of it. It does take more time, but unless you are in a rush, give it a try.

First step - whether it’s an oven, smoker, grill, toaster oven, etc - get the cooking temperature around 225-250.

Second - season your steak. Herbs, S&P, your favorite rub, doesn’t matter.
Now is the best time to get that extra flavor on your steak.

Third - get it cooking. If on the smoker, I’ll just lay it on the grates. Same with a grill. No sense in dirtying a pan. If I am using an oven, I always use a pan and a wire rack to allow for airflow, but certainly can just use a tin foil lined pan (easy cleanup). Let it smoke, grill, bake or roast for at least 20-30 mins. Depending on the thickness of the steak (or how cold the steak was before cooking), it may even go up to 1:30. What you want to shoot for, is 10 degrees less than your desired temp. So invest in a meat thermometer - and when it hits that mark. Pull it off and let it rest while your prep for the final step. You may be temping your steaks ever 10 mins, but that’s ok!
For me - I like a medium temp. So I shoot for a final 130-135 temp. So I pull the steak out when it hits 120’ish. I let it rest for 10 mins, while I plan for the final… “Reverse Sear”

Fourth - Showtime.
What you want here - is a screaming hot cooking surface. Cast Iron, Stainless Steel pan, Wood/Coal Fired grate, etc.

Oven, get a hot pan (Cast Iron Preferred) going on the stove top over medium high heat for like 5 mins. Smoker, release the air vents and get it going as hot as it can. Grill, turn the knobs and let it burn!

This final step is easy and only takes 2-3 mins or 60-75 seconds a side. Since your steak is nearly finished, you really are just adding the final sear. A little butter or oil on the surface, and a great hot sear - your steak is going to build that quick crust and raise that final 10 degrees in temp (especially after you rest it). I like to sear in Grape Seed Oil. It has a higher smoke point than EVOO and butter, so less chance you will get a bitterness flavor from burned butter.

If in a cast iron pan, you can even add herbs, garlic, and butter and baste your steak for those 2-3 mins and add even more flavor. The best part, is that you slow cooked your steak. There will be little to no gray ring. Your steak was perfectly brought to temperature before a hot sear to build crust - result in a perfectly cooked piece of steak. Great for your tastebuds and camera.

I finished these cowboy ribeyes with a fresh and herbaceous chimichurri and a sprinkle of salt. Just fantastic.