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reverse seared ribeye steak partly sliced on cutting board.
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5 from 3 votes

Ribeye Steak (Reverse Sear)

When you savor your juicy, tender bone-in ribeye steak made with the reverse sear method, you may just get hooked. The simple two-step process delivers fabulous results.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings (change as needed): 2 -3
Author: Cheryl Avrich
US Measures - Metric

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds bone-in ribeye steak, at room temperature, Note 1 1 steak 1.5-2 inches thick (3.8-5 cm)
  • kosher salt and black pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, cut in slivers (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon oil with low smoke point for searing avocado oil, vegetable or canola oil (not olive oil)

Butter-herb-garlic baste (optional)

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 garlic cloves cut into chunks or lightly smashed
  • fresh rosemary and/or thyme sprigs (pinch of dried will work too)
US Measures - Metric

Instructions

  • Timing will depend on thickness of steak. It also assumes steak is at room temperature (45-60 minutes) and brining is complete if using (2- 24 hours).
  • DRY BRINE STEAK (OPTIONAL): Note 2.
  • HEAT OVEN TO 250F/121C. Note 3. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and place a wire rack on top.
  • SEASON STEAK: Generously season steak with kosher salt and pepper. If you like, slip a few slivers of garlic between the fat and muscle in several places (optional).
  • SLOW COOK IN OVEN (stage 1): If you have a temperature probe, insert it from the side of the steak to the middle, not touching any bone. Place steak on prepared pan and put it in oven to cook. Check it with a meat thermometer after 20 minutes. Keep checking every 5-8 minutes until you reach your desired temperature for the first stage (it will finish cooking in stage 2). Remove from oven at:
    (final temperature after stage 2 is shown in brackets)
    ° 105F/41C - for rare, ~20-25 minutes (final temp: 120F/49C)
    ° 115F/46C - for medium rare, ~25-30 minutes (final temp: 130F/54C)
    ° 125F/51C - for medium, ~30-35 minutes (final temp: 140F/60C)
    ° 135F/57C - for medium well, ~35-40 minutes (final temp: 150F/65C)
    ** times are approximate and depend on thickness of steak - best to use a thermometer!
  • PAN SEAR (stage 2): Heat oil in a cast iron skillet (or any skillet that can handle high heat) to VERY HOT - shimmering, almost smoking. Pan sear steak for 45-90 seconds per side (and edge) until a deep brown crust forms. Don't sear it too long or the steak will overcook. Note 4.
    Optional: If you want to get a more flavorful crust with a butter-herb baste, turn down the heat on the skillet to medium, add the butter, crushed garlic and fresh herbs. Butter will foam. Spoon it over the top of the steak several times for 30 seconds, then remove the pan from the heat. Done! Transfer to a cutting board, remove garlic slivers if you used them and slice steak against (perpendicular to) the grain.

Notes

  1. Type of steak: For best results, look for USDA prime cut or Certified Angus Beef. Choice cut (AAA in Canada) is next best. Try to find a well marbled steak (fat running through) for maximum flavor and juiciness. Instead of a bone-in ribeye, try: boneless ribeye, filet mignon, Tomahawk, New York strip. The steak must be at least 1.5-2.0 inches thick (3.8-5 cm). It will serve  2-3 people. Set it on the counter for 45-60 minutes to bring it to room temperature. 
  2. To dry brine steak (optional): This will increase the juiciness, tenderness and flavor. Generously salt steak with kosher salt all over, place on rack over a pan in fridge, uncovered, for 2 hours or up to 24 hours. The salt gets absorbed an only adds a very minimal amount to the sodium content of the steak. No need to rinse it after. The process also dries the steak for a better crust with searing.
  3. Oven cooking temperature: With a lower temperature, there is more time for the meat fibers to break down for increased tenderness. You can lower the temperature to e.g. 200F/93C but the steak will take longer to cook. You can also increase the temperature to 275F/135C for a thicker steak which will take less time. 
  4. To grill steak instead of pan searing: After steak is cooked in the oven, finish it on the grill for 60-90 seconds per side and edges. Instead of a butter paste, add a pad of herbed butter on top of the steak when you remove it from the grill.
  5. Condiments for steak: Instead of the butter baste, try chimichurri, herb sauce (5 minutes), sriracha aioli (2 minutes), horseradish sauce, and bearnaise sauce (I use Knorr).
  6. Make ahead:
    • You can finish the oven portion and let the steak rest for up to 30 minutes, loosely covered, before doing the pan sear.
    • You can also freeze cooked ribeye well wrapped and placed in a ziploc, but you will lose some taste and texture when reheated.
    • To reheat leftovers: Place in a sous vide water bath at 130F/54C for 20 minutes. Or heat, covered in the microwave on 50% power for 2-3 minutes. Never use high microwave heat for reheating meat as it will become rubbery and chewy.
 
Nutrition values are estimated for a ribeye steak including the butter-herb garlic baste.  
Calories: 901kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 73g | Fat: 67g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 31g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 244mg | Sodium: 839mg | Potassium: 999mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 317IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 6mg