Pellets Grill Steaks The Reverse Sear Vs The Sear Over Coals
Pellet grills are an amazing cooking tools. They come with many advantages over the traditional gas and charcoal grill, especially for people who love to cook steak. Lets have a look why that is so.
First of all, pellet grills give you more control over various techniques that give perfect results when it comes to cooking steak.
Were going to show you how to use 2 of the most effective ones: The Reverse Sear and The Sear Over Coals . One or both will yield excellent results in your steaks every time.
Lets start with a bit of theory about the differences between traditional grilling and pellet grilling regarding steaks
How To Cook A Ribeye Steak On A Pit Boss Pellet Grill
If youre looking to cook a steak on a pit boss pellet grill, youll want to know about the different steps that must be taken. The process starts with putting the steak in the grates and working the muscles in order to make sure that the steak is cooked through. Once its done, its time to bake it or pan-fry it. Ultimately, you want to get the most delicious steak possible, and thats where being in the know about grates and tips the scales in your favor. Now, I will discuss more about how to cook a ribeye steak on a Pit Boss Pellet Grill. Read it continue.
How To Pick The Best Steak
The very first thing you should look at when buying your steak is the USDAs grading system for quality. Prime is the best quality, Choice is 2nd in line, and Select is on the bottom rung. Go for Prime or Choice for steak whever you can.
Prime steak can be hard to find in regular grocery stores, but weve had good luck at Costco.
You should always choose your cut of meat according to how you plan on cooking it.
If youre cooking meat well-done you should choose a cut that will remain tender.
Choose tougher cuts of meat for stewing and roasting, as the longer cook time will allow time for the meat to tenderize as it breaks down the connective tissue.
Dont be afraid to ask your butcher questions, thats what theyre there for!
Steaks are best grilled, but you can pan fry if you have to at a high temperature, and usually a medium-rare temperature allows for a tender, juicy piece of meat.
Tenderloin, or Filet Mignon, has less marbling and fat than the ribeye and is considered to be the most tender cut, but can be wallet-busting, and in my opinion has less flavor than a ribeye.
Sirloin is a leaner cut of meat that is better on your budget but be careful if cooked too long can tend to be tougher and chewier.
Im also a big fan of the flat iron.
See all of my Easy Traeger Recipes here!
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What If I Only Have A Smoker And No Grill
If you have a hard time getting your smoker to a sear temperature, have no fear. Just finish it on a cast iron pan over high heat. Get the cast iron pan hot, you know its hot enough when you add extra virgin olive oil to the pan and it is slightly bubbly and smoking just before you put the steak on. Sear each side for 2 -3 minutes or until the steak comes to the temperature you like.
How To Cook Steak On Pellet Grill: Tips And Tricks
You probably just purchased your first pellet grill, and youâre wondering how you can use it to satisfy your hunger for a lip-smacking steak. No matter what cut of beef you like, learning how to cook steak on pellet grills can yield you a delectable meal.
While weâre here to give you a rundown of the most basic procedures, weâll also throw in some tips and tricks to help you cook the steak you so desire.
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What Is The Best Steak To Cook On A Pellet Grill
When cooked over a wood pellet barbecue, a ribeye steak is one of the greatest steaks you will ever taste. A straightforward recipe that produces juicy, tasty results that are simple to grill to perfection. Preheat the pellet grill to low smoke and allow the ribeye to rest for approximately 30 minutes at room temperature.
How Do You Like Your Steak Done
Growing up, I ate steak grilled by my dad. I think you can call it cardboard-style doneness. I love my dad, but he really didnt get the concept of a properly cooked steak. Any red on the meat was unthinkable. Even a little pink was a definite no-no for my dad.
When I became a young adulta student living on my own, I moved onto medium-well. I almost felt uncomfortable if I saw a tinge of redits not how steak was supposed to be eaten . At this stage, I was doing a little cooking on my own, but I wasnt learning much about technique, and I still hadnt experienced great steak yet . What I did realize was that steak didnt have to taste like cardboard.
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Thick Ribeye Or Thin Ribeye
If you like your steak on the rare side, it’s much easier to achieve a good cook with a thick ribeye than a thin one. With a thin ribeye you’ll have a hard time getting the surface of the steak properly browned before the inside of the steak cooks to well done. A thick ribeye buys you time. You’re able to get that surface nice and browned before the interior of the steak gets too much heat.
If you prefer your steak well done, go with a thinner cut. If you choose a thick cut, the surface of the steak may burn before you’re able to get the interior cooked. Most experts prefer their steak cooked medium rare. For this reason, they typically choose a steak that’s about 2 inches thick.
Reverse Searing And Resting Your Bone
I always aim for a medium-rare steak. This requires letting it stay in the smoker until it hits about 130 degrees F. If you like your steak more well-done cook it to the appropriate temperature just remember that you need to leave room for an additional 5-10 degrees from the last step. Reverse Seering.
While you turn your pellet smoker to maximum heat rub the ribeye with a small coat of olive oil. Place the ribeye on the hottest part of your grill and give it about 1-2 minutes. Youll then want to slip the steak over and allow the other side to seer appropriately. You know the steak is done by using a temperature probe. Again, Im aiming for a final done temp of about 140 which is medium-rare. You cook your steak how you enjoy it.
After you remove the ribeye from the grill let it rest for 5-10 minutes to reabsorb the juices. Then slice and serve. Enjoy!
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Finishing With A Sear
As soon as your steak reaches its target internal temperature, take it off the grill, cover it with foil, and crank your pellet grills temperature as high as it goes. Heres where you need to be patient. Dont be afraid to wait 10 minutes for your grill to get up to its max temperature. I promise your steak will be fine while you wait for the temperature to rise! Ideally you are looking for your grill to get up into the 450°-500° range.
Once your grill is ripping hot, put your steak back on for 90 seconds per side. Keep the lid closed to keep the grill hot. You can turn your steak halfway through each side and move it to a different part of the grill to get criss-crossed marks, but try not to get too obsessed with these marks. Instead focus on overall browning from the Maillard reaction. After searing, both sides, youre done! Since the internal temperature was brought up slowly, theres really no need to rest your meat, but a couple of minutes wont hurt.
TIP: Place your steak near the front edge of the grill when searing. This is an area where a ton of heat escapes around the diffuser plate.
How To Reverse Sear On A Traeger:
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Set the grill temperature to 225°F.
- Place steak on grill grate and smoke for 45 to 60 minutes.
- Remove steak from the grill.
- Increase temperature to the highest setting and allow grill to fully preheat.
- Sear steaks on the hot grill grates until they reach an internal temperature of 125 for medium-rare.
- Enjoy the best steak of your life.
Use a meat probe or thermometer to reach your ideal internal temperature with 100% certainty. Insert the probe into the meat, avoiding fat and bone, and check the internal temperature progress on the Traeger App or through your grill. Wondering what internal temperature your steaks should be at? Check out our Steak Doneness guide.
If you’re looking for deep, classic grill marks, enhance your steaks with our cast iron grill grates, griddle or skillet. For additional searing tips and tricks on a Traeger, check out our handy guide here.
Traeger’s mightiest grill, the Timberline, makes reverse searing even easier.
For the smoking portion, place steaks on the second tier. Set temperature to 225°F and activate Super Smoke mode for a blast of natural hardwood smoke.
After about 45 minutes, increase the grill temperature to 500°F and let grill fully preheat. When grill is hot, move the steaks down to the lowest tiered rack to get maximum heat, searing each side for one minute.
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Do You Flip Steaks On A Pellet Grill
The grate has the ability to increase temperatures from 500 degrees to around 700 degrees on average, which is ideal for searing steaks. Another set of gear youll need is a nice set of tongs and/or a grill spatula, which will help you get your steak on and off the grill, as well as flip it when its required.
What Should I Serve With Traeger Pellet Grill Ribeye
The ribeye is often served with a sauce such as a béarnaise sauce, which complements the meats rich flavor. Other popular sauces include chimichurri, peppercorn sauce, or horseradish cream sauce.
The best thing to serve with a ribeye is a side dish. The most popular side dishes are mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, and rice.
Some people like to serve vegetables and grilled corn on the cob with their Traeger ribeye. You can also serve salad or pasta if you want something different.
You can use a steak platter to serve your ribeye steak.
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How To Season Traeger Ribeye Steak Before Grilling
Ribeye steaks are well known for their flavor, which can be amplified further by toasting or buttering them. To avoid fussiness, I would recommend using only salt & black pepper as your seasoning for this dish!
You can add a little more flavor to your STEAK by using a portion of Traegers Rub
Seasoning the ribeye steak will all come down to timing.
The best way to season the steak is by liberally sprinkling it with salt/pepper and allowing it to sit for 1-3 days before cooking. Leave the pot in the fridge uncovered until you are ready to cook.
You should season your steak early. This gives the salt time to help break down the muscle fibers, but its not mandatory. It comes with an added flavor boost.
When you are in a rush in order to have a tender, juicy piece of meat, you should salt it at least 45 minutes before cooking, or right before it goes on the grill. Applying salt will draw any moisture to the surface of the steak. This is crucial for grilling since moisture is the enemy of high-temperature grilling.
When you put a steak on the Traeger pellet grill, any moisture on the surface needs to evaporate before it actually starts cooking. Salting the steak in advance & patting it dry before grilling will reduce the amount of water there, which will allow it to cook more evenly.
How Long Do You Cook Ribeye On A Pit Boss
Preheat your Pit Boss Grill to 400°F and adjust the temperature as needed. Once the grill has reached the desired temperature, place the steaks immediately on it. For a medium-rare steak, sear each side for 5-7 minutes on high heat, rotating the steaks just once throughout the cooking process. Make the necessary adjustments to the time to get your desired doneness.
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What Is Ribeye Steak
A ribeye steak is one of the highest quality steak cuts you can find. Its cut from the beef rib primal cut . Its famous for being tender, flavorful, and juicy, and is the perfect choice for a romantic date, a celebratory dinner, or any special occasion. Another version of the ribeye steak is the ribeye cap steak or the bone-in and dramatic-looking tomahawk ribeye steak.
More Ways To Smoke Ribeye On The Traeger
- Reverse sear ribeyes on a gas grill by smoking them first, taking it off the grill when it hits around 180-200 degrees F internally. Then instead of raising the temperature of the pellet grill, youll use a gas stove or charcoal grill to finish cooking the steak at a high temperature around 500 degrees F in just a couple minutes.
- Smoke high and hot, quickly at 450-500 degrees F. This method doesnt pick up as much of a smoky flavor though, due to the short cook time.
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How To Smoke Ribeye
- 60 minutes before you are ready to start cooking, bring your steaks out of the refrigerator and sprinkle with salt- allow the steaks to come to room temp
- Preheat your smoker- get it smoking well and stabilize the temp around 225-235°F
- Smoke your ribeye until 10-15°F from your preferred finished temperature. So for medium rare I would take the steak off at 115°.
- Preheat your grill or a cast iron pan with a little oil, the sear the ribeye on each side until a nice crust forms. Sear each side for about 2 minutes and remove when your internal temp reaches your desired eating temp.
- I like to add a little bit of butter after I flip the ribeye.
What Makes The Ribeye One Of The Best Cuts
The Ribeye is considered to be one of the most flavorful and tender cuts of steak available.
This cut comes from an area of the animal that gets little to no exercise, so it tends to have more marbling than other muscles that get used more often on the muscle.
The Ribeye steak is cut from the prime rib, or the standing rib roast.
More Traeger Beef Recipes here!
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How Long Should You Cook A Ribeye On Traeger
The answer isnt as straightforward as you may think. It depends on how you cook it, and what type of meat it is.
If you want to grill your ribeye steak, make sure that your grill is preheated before cooking the meat on high for about 4-5 minutes per side.
For a thick ribeye steak , cooking for about 5 minutes on each side over high heat will be sufficient to cook through the meat and still keep it tender.
A thin steak will take 6 minutes to cook, 3 minutes on each side. Its important to cook your meat with a grill thermometer and follow the color and dont worry about times.
Use a meat thermometer when cooking! Make sure the ribeye reaches 135 degrees Fahrenheit before you take it off the heat for medium-rare doneness.
How Long To Cook A Steak On A Pit Boss Pellet Grill
It usually takes around 4-5 minutes to cook a steak on a Pit Boss pellet grill. So, if youre using a Weber gas grill, it would take about 6-7 minutes to cook your steak. If youre using a PID Grill, it would take about 1.5 minutes to cook your steak. Thats right, only 1.5 minutes will be required to cook your steak through!
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What You Will Love About Smoking A Ribeye In Your Traeger
Ribeye is my absolute favorite cut of meat its juicy and meaty and the most tender cut and yes a little fatty! Its almost hard to screw up a ribeye its a very forgiving cut and is easy to cook.
Ive cooked a ribeye many different ways normally at a higher temp and get it done quickly but I wanted to smoke it and get a more flavor than a gas grill can give you. And it worked! VICTORY!
If youre not a fan of the fattiness of a ribeye, try a New York Strip just as tasty but a leaner cut of meat.
What Temperature Is Ribeye Done
I like my steak rare to medium rare so I remove it at 125 130 degrees Fahrenheit at the center. So once the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness, let it sit for a few minutes for the juices to redistribute and tent it with foil. Itll also keep cooking a little bit with that residual heat.
- Rare: 120-130 degrees F
- Medium Rare: 130-140 degrees F
- Medium: 140-150 degrees F
- Medium Well: 150-160 degrees F
- Well Done: 160 degrees F
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