Reverse-sear ribeye

55 min · 25 min hands-on · pull 128°F · rest 8 min

Ingredients

1.5 lb on the fire · ~1.2 lb to the table · 2 plates at 8 oz

• bone-in ribeyes, 1½–2 inches thick2 (1 1/2 lb)
• kosher salt2 tsp
• black pepper1 tsp
• neutral oil or beef tallow1 tbsp
• butter2 tbsp
• garlic cloves, smashed2
• thyme or rosemary2 sprigs

Method

1. 1

   Salt the steaks generously at least 45 minutes ahead, or the night before. Pepper just before they hit heat so it does not scorch.

2. 2

   Set a two-zone fire: one side around 250–275°F, the other ripping hot. On a pellet smoker, run 250°F then finish in a screaming-hot skillet.

3. 3

   Cook on the cool side until the center reads 115–118°F for medium-rare, 20–35 minutes depending on thickness. Flip once.

4. 4

   Sear 45–60 seconds per side over the hot zone or in a cast-iron pan with oil. In the last 20 seconds, add butter, garlic, and thyme and baste.

5. 5

   Rest 8 minutes. Slice across the grain. The carryover should land near 128–132°F.

If you don’t have it

• Bone-in ribeye → Strip, tomahawk, or a thick sirloin. Keep it 1½ inches or more. Filet works but wants gentler sear fat (butter, not ripping oil).
• Cast-iron finish → Direct grill grate or a steel plate. Whatever is hottest. The reverse is the cook; the sear is 60 seconds of crust.
• Thyme butter → Tallow, ghee, or nothing. Dairy burns. If the pan is 600°F, skip butter or add it off heat.

Same cook, different day

• Pellet then pan

  You already have the smoker on. 250°F on the pellet to 115°F internal, then a screaming skillet for the crust.

• Sous-vide adjacent oven

  No grill. 250°F oven to 115, rest, sear in cast iron. Same steak, indoor.

• Peppercorn crust

  You want a steakhouse finish. Press cracked pepper on after the reverse, then sear. Salt still goes on hours ahead.