Reverse Sear Ribeye - Stoking the Coals

Reverse-Seared Ribeye

By Cole Burnitt — Stoking the Coals

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Quick Facts

• Yield: 2 thick steaks (1½–2 in / 38–50 mm), serves 2–4
• Time: Prep 10 min · Cook 45–75 min · Rest 10–15 min · Total ~1–2 hrs
• Target Grill Temp: Indirect 225–250°F (107–121°C) → Sear 550–700°F (288–371°C)
• Target Internal: Pull from indirect at 115–120°F (46–49°C); finish 128–135°F (53–57°C) for medium-rare/medium
• Cooking Technique: Reverse Sear (low indirect → blazing hot sear)

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The Meat Hook

Ribeye’s a cut that don’t play small ball. It’s rich, marbled, and unapologetic. Treat it wrong and you wasted good money; treat it right and you’ll swear you heard angels hummin’. Reverse sear is how I show a ribeye respect—let gentle heat relax the muscle, then crown it with fire for a crust you can knock on. On steak night I like the radio set to American standards: a little Haggard for grit, some CCR for stride. When that bark goes from brown to church-pew mahogany and fat kisses flame, neighbor—mercy—set the table.

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Ingredients

• 2 ribeye steaks, 16–24 oz (450–680 g) each, 1½–2 in thick
• Kosher salt (Morton: ~¼–½ tsp per lb / 0.5–0.75% by weight; Diamond Crystal: ~1–1¼ tsp per lb)
• 16-mesh freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• Optional: ½ tsp garlic powder per steak
• Neutral oil (high smoke point) for searing (or butter for basting)
• Optional finish: 2 Tbsp butter, smashed garlic clove, thyme sprig, flaky salt

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Tools

Instant-read thermometer, charcoal grill (or any two-zone cooker), chimney starter, tongs, wire rack; optional cast-iron skillet for sear.

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Fuel & Fire Notes

Run a true two-zone setup: a bed of lit charcoal on one side for heat, the other side empty for indirect. Add a small chunk of oak or hickory if you want a light smoke kiss—keep it thin and blue, not billowing white.

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Smoke Signals

• Dry brine wins: Salt 1–24 hours ahead on a rack, uncovered in the fridge. Moisture pulls out, dissolves the salt, and heads back in like it paid rent.
• Surface matters: Pat dry before the cook; a dry exterior browns faster and better.
• Mesh your pepper: 16-mesh or coarsely cracked gives bite without burning.
• Aim low before the blaze: Pull at 115–120°F from the indirect phase; carryover + sear will land you on target.
• Sear hot & fast: Two short sear bursts beat one long scorch. Flip often to avoid a gray band.
• Protect the crust: Rest after the sear, not between phases.

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Steak Seasoning

• Simple House Mix (per steak): 1–1¼ tsp kosher salt (per lb rules above), ¾–1 tsp coarse black pepper, pinch garlic powder (optional). Mix and apply evenly.

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Steps

1) Dry-Brine & Stage the Steaks

Cole’s Way: Salt is how you start telling the steak who’s boss, but do it kind. I treat ribeye like a good handshake—firm, not crushing. A light, even rain of salt, then I let time do the heavy lifting in the fridge. That rack and airflow dry the surface so it’ll brown on command later. If you only have an hour, fine—do it. If you’ve got overnight, better. When it’s go-time, I add pepper just before the cook so it stays fragrant and doesn’t burn in the hot finale.

What to Do: Salt steaks (per Smoke Signals). Refrigerate on a rack 1–24 hrs, uncovered. Pat dry. Pepper just before they hit the grill.

 

2) Build a Two-Zone Fire

Cole’s Way: Reverse sear ain’t complicated—it’s controlled. I stack the deck with a hot side and a safe side so I can cruise first, then sprint. One chimney of lit coals mounded to one half of the grill gives me a steady 225–250°F on the indirect side. I’ll toss in a thumb-sized oak or hickory chunk if I want that porch-swing perfume. Keep vents adjusted so smoke’s a whisper, not a fog machine.

What to Do: Light chimney; bank coals to one side. Set top/bottom vents for ~225–250°F on the cool side. Add a small wood chunk if desired.

 

3) Slow the Meat, Not the Night

Cole’s Way: Indirect heat is the porch conversation before the party—unhurried, important. I lay the steaks on the cool side, lid down, and let the heat sneak in edge-to-center. That steady climb keeps juices calm and the crust potential high. I rotate and turn once or twice so both sides see the warm breeze. When the thickest spot reads 115–120°F, we’re not done—we’re positioned.

What to Do: Place steaks on the indirect side. Cook, lid closed, turning/rotating occasionally, to 115–120°F internal.

 

4) Stoke for the Sear

Cole’s Way: Now we trade manners for muscle. I open the vents, shake the grate, and feed a little fresh charcoal if the fire needs teeth. If I’m using cast iron, I set it over the coals ’til it sings. We’re hunting 550–700°F heat—not forever, just long enough to paint that bark. Keep tongs ready and your thermometer handy.

What to Do: Open vents; get the hot side ripping. Preheat grate (and skillet if using) until blazing.

 

5) Crown with Fire & Finish

Cole’s Way: Searing’s a dance, not a stare-down. I go short bursts—30–60 seconds a side—flipping and moving to dodge flare-ups and build even color. If I’m feeling fancy, a pat of butter, smashed garlic, and thyme get a quick baste in cast iron. Pull when you hit your number—128–135°F for most folks—and don’t let pride ruin patience: give it a 10-minute rest so juices settle and the crust stays proud.

What to Do: Sear over the hot side (grate or skillet), flipping often, to target temp. Rest 10 minutes on a rack. Finish with flaky salt; slice or serve whole.

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Rookie ✦ Backyard Pro ✦ Pit Legend

 

Rookie

✦ Buy steaks 1½–2 in thick so you have time to nail the center.

✦ Trust the instant-read—don’t guess.

✦ Keep smoke thin/blue; close the lid during the indirect phase.

✦ Pull at 115–120°F before sear; finish 128–135°F.

Backyard Pro

✦ Overnight dry-brine for deeper seasoning and drier surface.

✦ Try a cast-iron sear with a small butter baste (garlic + thyme).

✦ Flip often during the sear to minimize gray banding.

✦ Finish with a few drops of beef tallow or compound butter.

Pit Legend

✦ Edge-render the fat cap first; hold it over the fire to glass it up.

✦ Play with cold-grate or cross-hatch timing without overcooking.

✦ Use 16-mesh pepper + a pinch of MSG for a steakhouse pop.

✦ Rest on a wire rack so the crust stays crisp; sprinkle flaky salt just before slicing.

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From the Fire

Some nights the steak is just dinner. Other nights it’s a peace treaty—kids quiet, phones face-down, and the dog parked like a bouncer under the table. Reverse sear buys you that calm: slow build, hot finish, everybody wins. If you do it right, the only argument left is who gets the bone—and that’s a problem I’m proud to start.