Reverse searing is arguably the best way to prepare and cook a smoked ribeye steak, and a pellet grill is arguably the best way to smoke and sear steak.
There’s something extra special about steaks on a pellet grill.
The process involves smoking the steak at a low temperature for a longer period of time, and then searing it at a high temperature to finish it off. This method results in a steak that is perfectly cooked with a delicious smoky profile, a crispy seared outside and a juicy, tender texture inside.
Searing steak in a pan is great too, but those extra smoky woody flavours from cooking steak slow and low in the pellet grill make it absolutely next level. The compound butter elevates the taste again.
In this article, we will walk you through the steps of how to reverse sear a smoked ribeye steak on a pellet grill. The method works well on Pit Boss, Traeger, Camp Chef or what ever BBQ smoker you have.
Easy Smoked Reverse Seared Ribeye Steak with Garlic, Lemon & Chilli Butter on the Pellet Grills
Ingredients For the Ribeye Steak
- 1 boneless ribeye steak
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons coarse salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
Smoked Ribeye Steak Recipe
Reverse Seared Smoked Ribeye Method
- Start by preheating your pellet grill to 225°F. This is the ideal temperature for smoking a ribeye steak slow & low. If you are lucky enough to have a Traeger use the Super Smoke Setting. If you have a Pit Boss set it to the Smoke (or S) setting. If you want bold smoke flavours use mesquite or hickory, if you want a milder smoke profile use maple, pecan, apple or cherry wood.
- While the pellet grill is heating up, prepare the steak by brushing it with olive oil and seasoning it with liberally with coarse salt & black pepper. Make sure the steak is evenly coated with the seasoning top, bottom and on the sides.
- Once the grill has reached 225F (107C), place the ribeye steak on the grill and smoke it for about 1 hour per pound of steak, or until the internal temperature reaches 115°F.
- While the steak is smoking make the compound butter – see below for recipe.
- After the steak has finished smoking, remove it from the grill and let it rest for about 10 minutes before searing it.
- While the steak is resting, increase the temperature of the pellet grill to the highest setting.
- Once the grill is hot, place the steak back on the grill and sear for about 1-2 minutes per side, or until a nice crust forms on the outside. This will give the steak char lines and add a nice crispy texture to the meat.
- Remove the steak from the grill and let it rest for another 10 minutes before slicing. This will allow the juices to redistribute throughout the steak, resulting in a juicier, tastier final product.
- Once the steak has rested, slice it against the grain and serve it with your compound butter.
Garlic, Lemon & Chilli Compound Butter
Ingredients:
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1/2 cup (100g) room temperature butter
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
- 1 sprig of rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Steak Compound Butter Method
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly to combine.
Place on a piece of clingfilmand roll into a log shape. Twist the clingfilm at the ends to make a shape like a sweet or a sausage. Place in the fridge for at least 30mins to firm up.
You can watch the whole process here served with goose fat chunky chips and tobacco onions here on Instagram.
If you enjoyed this recipe you might like to read this one too:
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