Reverse Seared Ribeye Steak Recipe

Prep Time
20 min
Total Time
3 hrs
Yield
In this Recipe

Welcome to our reverse seared ribeye steak recipe, buckle yourself in for one delicious steak, because the combination of cooking techniques we’re using in this recipe will yield a restaurant quality steak. Don’t worry, this recipe doesn’t require you to be a trained chef, you just need a little patience and you’ll turn out INCREDIBLE steaks.

We titled this recipe “reverse seared ribeye steak” because that’s the cooking method we’re using. If you haven’t learned about reverse searing yet, you’re missing out, and we’re here to introduce you to this technique that makes evenly cooked steaks with a beautiful sear on the outside. Traditionally, steaks would be seared first, then put into an oven or some other indirect heat source to finish cooking through. This led to unevenly cooked meat and a suboptimal sear.

A reverse seared ribeye takes this cooking model and…reverses…it. First, you cook the meat over indirect heat to bring it to temperature. The meat will be evenly cooked throughout, so no raw middle and overdone outside. After it’s cooked through, you then move the steak to direct, very high heat for an incredible sear for that crips outside that’s to die for.

We wrote this recipe to be done entirely on the grill, but the principles can be used for inside cooking as well. Instead of using a two zone grill set up for indirect and direct heat, you can bring your steak to temperature using a sous vide cooker, or in the oven. After the steak is to temperature, you can then sear it in a sauté pan or under a broiler.

In addition to the cooking method, we make this reverse seared ribeye steak super flavorful by using a dry brine. Dry brining makes meat more juicy, tender, and flavorful by helping it retain more of its own natural moisture while also adding salt and breaking down protein structures. You can read more about how this cooking method works on our How to Dry Brine blog post.

What do you think of this reverse seared ribeye steak recipe? Do you like the reverse sear technique, or do you prefer a different technique? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below and share your uses for dry brining and reverse searing. We’d love to hear them!

Ingredients

  • 1 Leahy’s Angus Ribeye Steaks (cut at 1.5″ thick)
  • Kosher Salt (preferably Diamond Crystal brand)
  • 2 Tbsp Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 Tbsp Onion Powder
  • 1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
  • 1 tsp Cumin
  • 1 tsp Brown Sugar
  • 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

Directions

  1. Place your ribeye steak on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Grab a pinch of kosher salt (we recommend using Diamond Crystal brand) and sprinkle it over the steak to form a thin, even coating over all the steak. Let the steak sit in the refrigerator for 2 – 24 hours or at room temperature for 30 minutes. This is the process of dry brining.

  2. After you have seasoned your steak and it has rested, combine the other seasonings and evenly season all sides with that seasoning rub, or a similar salt-free steak seasoning. Do not use more salt to season!

  3. After you have seasoned your steak, set up your grill for two zone cooking, one side indirect heat and one side direct. Have the grill at 425ºF then place the dry brined steak on the indirect heat side. Cook for about 15-20 minutes until it reaches 120ºF. We recommend using a remote meat thermometer to check temperature as it cooks. Cook to temperature, not time!

  4. Once the steak reaches 120ºF, move the steak to the direct heat side and cook over high heat for 1-2 minutes per side until you achieve an even sear. Be sure to sear the fat cap as well!

  5. Let the steak rest for 5 – 10 minutes, then cut into strips and serve. Enjoy a delicious reverse sear ribeye steak!

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