Reverse Seared Steaks

I Learn Something New Every Day

I have told you about my simple weekday method for cooking thick cuts of steaks, chicken and fish in my post The Easiest, Most Reliable Way to Cook Chicken, Steak, Rack of Lamb and Fish. I stand by this method, particularly if you are short on time, but this week I learned a new method for making amazing steak: the reverse-sear method. It is extraordinarily easy, foolproof and can be modified for the grill or the stove top. This is my new favorite method for cooking steak.

Start With Amazing Steak

Good quality, well-marbled steak is the place to start. I personally like ribeye. If you have the budget, go for prime ribeye that is between 1 1/2" and 2" thick. Marbling is the primary factor fordetermining the quality grade. So don't be afraid of the fat! It is what makes this steak so delicious. A quality rib eye willset you back a bit. I paid $26 per pound for these beauties. If you live in Orange County, I have a new favorite meat store, The Butchery in Costa Mesa. They have high quality meat and very knowledgeable people behind the counter. If you have a meat question, go ahead and ask; they have the answers. In addition to great meat, they have a fine selection of cheese, beer and wine. It is a fun place to plan your next barbecue!

Start Low and Slow

For reverse seared steaks, you start with a 200 degree oven and room temperature steaks. Put the steaks in the oven until they reach 110 to 115 degrees internally. This will take about 20 - 40 minutes, depending on the thickness of your steaks. I check after 20 minutes just to be sure because with the price of these steaks you don't want to screw up. Check the temperature with a good quality thermometer by inserting your thermometer intothe sideof the steak. By going inthrough the side of the steak, instead of the top,you get a better, more accurate reading.This is a trick I learned from the good people at The Butchery.

You Can Prepare in Advance

The beauty of this method is you can cook the steaks well in advance and put them back in the fridge until just before you are ready to eat. Just bring them back to room temp before you finish them.

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Finish on the Grill or the Stove Top

This fool proof method will do wonders for your next barbecue.At our house, when thick cuts of meat are cooked on the grill and there are guests, conversation and co*cktails involved, it is easy to miscalculate and wind up with overdone steaks. Nothing breaks my heart like overdone steaks! Using the reverse searmethod, the only time you really need to focusis for thethree minutes it takes to sear the steaks. Even when we have a house full of guests and the co*cktails are flowing, we can generally focus for this crucial three minutes!

Alternatively, the steaks can be searedin a cast iron skillet or a grill pan. Easy peasy. Heat your pan up with a little olive oil over high heat. When the pan and the oil are nice and hot, sear the steakfor 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on each side, remove from the heat, rest for 10 minutes and slice. Your steaks will be perfect! If you want to get fancy, swirl in a pat of butter to finish.

Kosher Salt, Fresh Ground Pepper and Olive Oil

No need to marinate or use a lot of seasoning on theses steaks. Kosher salt and fresh-cracked pepper is all you need. I cook my steaks in olive oil, because I use olive oil for just about everything. Some olive oils have higher smoke points and do just fine with high heat.

Make a Little Extra

Make a little extra for sandwiches or a steak salad the next day. Warning, this steak is so good despite best intentions to cook extra, every last strip may be gobbled up.

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Ingredients

Scale

2 1½” thick to 2″ thick well marbled ribeye steaks (1 to 1½ pounds each)
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Fresh cracked pepper

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Instructions

Heat your oven to 200 degrees F. Bring your steaks to room temperature and place in a baking or roasting pan. Cook until the internal temperature is about 110 to 115 degrees F. This will take 30 to 40 minutes depending on the thickness of your steaks. Check the temperature with a thermometer inserted into the side of the steak for the best reading. When steaks are at the correct temperature, remove them from the oven. At this point you can proceed with searing the steaks, or cover and refrigerate to cook later.
If you have refrigerated the steaks after cooking them in the oven, return the steaks to room temperature before you sear them. Dry them well, rub them with a bit of olive oil and season on all sides with salt and pepper. Sear over high heat on the grill or on the stove in a cast iron pan. Sear for 1½ to 2 minutes on each side to form a nice crust. Remove from the heat and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.