Reverse Seared Steaks

A question was posed to me recently:

So is a reverse seared steak.. ie cooked at 225 for a while and then seared for 3 or 4 minutes actually better than a steak cooked on high for 10 or so?

The quick answer is YES!

The long answer is reverse searing your steaks will give you a more flavorful steak.It will absorb more smoky flavor, make the steak more tender, and the flavor will just sky rocket.
The reason for that is you are cooking the steak evenly. Putting your steak directly over the heat source cooks one side than the other. Restaurants say they are cooking over wood, but that adds very little flavor. If anything it covers up the taste of cooing over gas.

First thing you need is a steak 1" to 1-1/2" or more thick. Thinner steaks, like you get at the grocery store, will not work well.

Here we have one of my favorite steaks for this method, the Cowboy Steak from Sam's Club. Almost like the tomahawk steak except they cut the bone back. If you go online and ask for a Cowboy Steak you will get a rib-eye steak with the bone, but much thinner.

This steak is 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 inches thick and weighs from 2.5 to 4 pounds. At Sam's they are actually less per pound than a rib-eye steak.

I will season mine with salt at least two hours before cooking. This is dry brining. Click here to learn about Dry Brining.
At cooking time, I add my final seasoning to the steak


Set the steak opposite the hot cools, try to maintain a temp between 225 - 280. Add your favorite hardwood to the coals to give some smoke to the process. I like to use Cherry and Hickory mix. Some like to use pecan, or oak, or mesquite.  It really is up to you.

Insert a temperature probe into the meat and cook until it reaches your desire internal temperature. Most people like to cook it to about 120 internal. I like 130. At 100 degrees, I flip the steak.

Once it reaches your desired temp, pull the steak and wrap it in foil. Open your grill, you may need to add more lit coals,  spread the coals and let them get HOT, I mean HOT. If your grill is like mine, you may start small grease fires, let them play out.

Now we do the searing part. Unwrap the steak and place it over the hot coals. Flames will come up around your steak. this is normal. Time may vary depending on the steaks thickness but usually 1-3 minutes is enough. This Cowboy steak can handle 3 minutes.

After that, turn the steak over and do the same.
A nice crust will form on the steak.

Once the steak is done, some say waiting for the coals has rested the steak and you can dig right in, but I still let it rest for 5-10 minutes. We use this time to get any sides ready.

 We then put it on a cutting board, slice, and enjoy.
Most steaks cook this way are going to be rare to medium rare. Anymore than that is just wrong :)

This is how I do a reverse sear steak. If you posed this same question to a Facebook group, you will get may different answers on how to do it, but still the same general process,   cook opposite the hot coals to desired temp, sear both sides to get the "grilled" look, rest, then serve.

Enjoy!