How to Reverse Sear Steak

Reverse-seared steak is the process of slow-cooking steak in the oven followed by pan-searing in a scorching hot pan. Reverse-searing steak is the inverse of my typical steak cooking process but it offers some excellent benefits and phenomenal results. Depending on the thickness of your steak, reverse searing just may be the preferred method over traditional searing first and then baking at higher temps.

The outline in the article can apply to any steak that is roughly 1½-2 inches thick. The recipe at the bottom features a 2-inch thick bone-in (frenched) cowboy steak that was roughly 2 pounds. The cowboy steak was roasted in the oven for 1 hour and seared for 90 seconds per side in a hot skillet for a perfect medium rare. It’s one of the best steaks I’ve ever had!

Why Reverse Sear Steak?

If you’re looking for a perfect wall-to-wall medium-rare steak with a phenomenal crust, then reverse searing is the answer you’ve been searching for. I prepare my reverse-seared steaks by slow cooking at 250°F in the oven before transferring them to a very hot skillet for flash searing.

The low and slow cooking process makes for an evenly cooked steak and also greatly reduces the risk of overcooking. The perfect window for medium rare is much wider than cooking at higher temps. Because the steak’s exterior will be much drier from the extended oven duration, the steak will also develop a far superior crust to steaks that are seared first.

The reverse sear method is best suited for thicker cuts of beef, ideally 2+ inches thick. I would not attempt with anything less than 1½ inches thick because the tail end searing will likely overcook the steak, rendering your extended time and efforts useless.

Keep in mind that reverse searing is a much slower process. While this does come with more predictability, a 2-inch thick steak will take around 50-55 minutes to reach the target oven temp for medium rare. Searing will add an additional 10°F to the final temperature.

1. Prep and Season The Steak

Remove the steak from the fridge 1 hour prior to cooking to bring it closer to room temp. This is going to ensure even cooking and more accurate cook times. Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel and place on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet and season generously with coarse sea salt or kosher salt and pepper.

It’s important to keep the steak elevated off the pan so it cooks uniformly and has room to breathe. Otherwise, the hot pan will transfer more heat to the bottom of the skillet. The wire rack will also help to dry out the entire exterior of the steak.

Dry Brining Steak

You can elevate your steak experience one step further with dry brining. Dry brining is the process of drying out the exterior of the steak prior to cooking with salt, locking in the juices and enhancing the flavor. To dry brine steak, place the steaks on a wire rack set on a baking sheet and season liberally with coarse sea salt or kosher salt, and pepper. Place the steaks in the fridge uncovered for at least one hour or preferably overnight. The drier steak surface will make for even better crusting.

Steak should still rest on the counter for at least 30-45 minutes prior to cooking to climatize. No additional salt or seasoning is required.

2. Roast the Steak in the Oven

Preheat your oven to 250°F and place the steak on the middle rack. Cook the steak until the center of the thickest part is roughly 10°F below your final desired serving temp. The searing process will continue to cook the steak and raise the final temp.

The oven portion of this recipe requires an accurate digital thermometer for the best results. A heat-safe wireless thermometer that can be left in the meat as it cooks eliminates any guesswork and ensures perfect results every time.

Once the steak has been removed from the oven, it will appear darkened, slightly grey, dry, and a little unappealing. Fear not, a good sear will turn this steak into a work of art.

Temperature and Timing for Reverse-Seared Steak

The following chart is a rough guide for a 2-inch thick steak in a 250°F oven. Timing will vary depending on the actual steak thickness. How did I arrive at these results? I monitored a steak in the oven with a bluetooth thermometer up to 140°F and recorded every temperature to the nearest minute.

Doneness	Target Oven Temp	Final Target Temp	Oven Duration
Very Rare/rare	105°F-110°F	115°F-120°F	40-45 minutes
Medium rare	115°F-120°F	125°F-130°F	50-55 minutes
Medium	125°F-130°F	135°F-140°F	60-65 minutes
Medium well	135°F-140°F	145°F-150°F	70-75 minutes

3. Sear the Steak

Remove the steak from the oven and place it on the counter to rest. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat until the pan is scorching hot. Once the oil starts to smoke, transfer the steak to the skillet and press down to ensure good contact. Sear for 60-90 seconds per side. One optional final step is to quickly sear the side edges for 15-20 seconds to ensure browning all the way around.

Once my steak is on its final 60-second sear, I like to add fresh herbs, butter, and garlic to the pan. As the butter melts it will infuse with the herbs and garlic and produce a flavorful sauce that can be spooned over the steak just before it’s served. Once the steak is finished searing it can be served immediately without the need for additional resting. Thanks to the slow-cooked nature of the steak, the juices don’t go haywire like traditionally cooked beef.

SMOKE WARNING: Cooking steaks at high temps in a skillet tends to get smokey. Open a kitchen window and turn on your kitchen’s overhead vent fan before you start to help with ventilation. You’ve been warned.

More Steak Recipes

• Filet with blueberry glaze
• Steak frites with chimichurri
• Pan-seared ribeye with blue cheese butter
• Coffee rubbed steak
• Filet with red wine and balsamic reduction
• Bacon-wrapped filet mignon
• How to grill filet mignon
• Everything you need to know about sous vide steak

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