For my birthday yesterday, I bought two thick (1.5, inch or so, 20oz) New York strips from Costco, USDA Prime grade. I’ve always heard great things about reverse searing so I’m going to give it a try when I cook them tonight.
I was going to use this guide for it since it’s my first time (https://www.jessicagavin.com/how-to-reverse-sear-a-steak/) and have a couple of questions for some of my more experienced chefs in here.
1) when I grill or skillet-cook ribeyes, I’ve been seasoning them (salt and pepper) when I set them out. I was told the salt works to break down the outer protein layers during the time the steak is tempering and can lead to a better crust. This guide says to season them right before putting them in the oven. Thoughts?
2) this guide makes no mention of letting the steaks sit out before cooking. I’ve let some thicker steaks sit out for hours before to ensure they are thoroughly coming tempered before cooking. Should I still do that with these steaks, or is that not a thing with reverse searing?
Any other tips would be appreciated. I usually do pretty well with the ribeyes I make but I have a bad history of overcooking NY Strips, though I’ve never cooked any this thick before. Sorry for the dumb questions.
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May our caskets be made of hundred-year oak, and may we plant those trees tomorrow.
March 28, 2020, 10:39 AM
FishOn
For any thick steak or roast, a good fast-read thermometer is your best friend. You will never overcook again. Check out Thermapen. Buy direct. There are fakes on the internet.
Ive heard that it doesn't make any difference if you cook them at fridge Temps vs room temp. As for seasoning when you salt them it draws moisture out of the meat and dissolves the salt. The juices then get drawn back into the steaks so the insides are actually being seasoned as well. I've read that the best method for this is to salt them and leave them uncovered on a rack in the fridge for 8-12 hours prior to cooking. Now I'm getting hungry for some steak.
March 28, 2020, 10:58 AM
Excam_Man
I use a Thermoworks Dot for reverse sear, this way you have a constant temp without opening the grill/oven.
I season them when pulled from the frig to warm up. They seem to cook better after letting them sit to warm up.
March 28, 2020, 10:58 AM
konata88
I don’t reverse sear but have tried sous vide and then seared.
I would do as you’ve always done and I always do. I would season hours ahead of time on the counter. Paper towels top and bottom to wick away moisture.
Reverse sear may not require as perhaps it’s effectively doing the same thing albeit at a higher temp.
But I like to ensure seasoning penetrates deeply and the surface is dry to better ensure a maillard crust.
"Wrong does not cease to be wrong because the majority share in it." L.Tolstoy "A government is just a body of people, usually, notably, ungoverned." Shepherd Book
March 28, 2020, 11:01 AM
Revolution37
quote:
Originally posted by FishOn: For any thick steak or roast, a good fast-read thermometer is your best friend. You will never overcook again. Check out Thermapen. Buy direct. There are fakes on the internet.
I use a probe thermometer that I can leave in the meat while it cooks if need be. I’ve had good luck with it but have seen people using the Thermapen and have considered it.
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May our caskets be made of hundred-year oak, and may we plant those trees tomorrow.
March 28, 2020, 11:05 AM
Excam_Man
^^^^ Thermopen works great.
But every time you poke the steak, you let the juices out. Probe (dot) is the way to go.
March 28, 2020, 11:05 AM
Ryanp225
If you guys have Hulu there's a new Good Eats show out with Alton Brown. The very first episode is all about reverse searing a steak and what he's learned about it in the last 20 years or so. The steak he cooks looks amazing and there were a few tips I've never heard of before. Worth watching.
March 28, 2020, 11:08 AM
smithnsig
I have tried reverse sear, sous vide, grilling etc. I like dry patting the steak and putting kosher salt on it for 8 hours in the fridge on some paper towels. Pat dry again and put in a hot cast iron skillet with butter oil for 2 minutes a side. If it’s really thick I sear the sides for about a minute. You can finish in the oven depending or how well you want it cooked. I like rare so mine doesn’t go in the oven.
Finish with a pat of butter on them.
----------------------------------------------------------- TCB all the time...
March 28, 2020, 11:21 AM
smschulz
quote:
Originally posted by Revolution37: Brain trust,
For my birthday yesterday, I bought two thick (1.5, inch or so, 20oz) New York strips from Costco, USDA Prime grade. I’ve always heard great things about reverse searing so I’m going to give it a try when I cook them tonight.
I was going to use this guide for it since it’s my first time (https://www.jessicagavin.com/how-to-reverse-sear-a-steak/) and have a couple of questions for some of my more experienced chefs in here.
1) when I grill or skillet-cook ribeyes, I’ve been seasoning them (salt and pepper) when I set them out. I was told the salt works to break down the outer protein layers during the time the steak is tempering and can lead to a better crust. This guide says to season them right before putting them in the oven. Thoughts? SALT them first, let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour then pull out and put on Pepper and any other seasoning you may desire. The salt needs time to penetrate, any other seasoning will not penetrate ~ only salt will. 2) this guide makes no mention of letting the steaks sit out before cooking. I’ve let some thicker steaks sit out for hours before to ensure they are thoroughly coming tempered before cooking. Should I still do that with these steaks, or is that not a thing with reverse searing? After you do #1 above let them set out for an hour or two if you can, bring up to room temp will help speed up the cook. Any other tips would be appreciated. I usually do pretty well with the ribeyes I make but I have a bad history of overcooking NY Strips, though I’ve never cooked any this thick before. Sorry for the dumb questions. THEN simply indirect cook (or oven) until it hits 115 degrees then pull off and sear, rest for a few minutes then ENJOY!.
Don't forget to use a Thermapen.
March 28, 2020, 11:23 AM
Skins2881
1). Seasoning steaks should be done either immediately before cooking or left for a while to draw water out and reabsorb into the meat. Think brining.
2). Leaving steaks out to come to room temp. It helps steaks cook evenly, but no need to do with this method, if you do, use common sense and don't leave on the counter for 5hours to exactly match room temp, follow safe food handling rules and it's going to help, even if it's only 45-50°F vs fridge or room temp.
3) Tips. Final sear temp will determine temp to pull from oven. I sear on 650°F grill and allow some flare up. If I pulled from oven at @ 95° I'd end up with an extremely rare steak. I pull at around 115ish.
You really don't need to rest but enough time to assemble the sides on your plate. This is due to slow cooking in oven, I also may have it sitting on counter for a bit before grilling (pan searing) it, so that's my rest and temp is more equalized.
ETA That smschulz fellow seems pretty smart. Disregard everything I wrote and follow what he said instead.
Jesse
Sic Semper Tyrannis
March 28, 2020, 12:32 PM
corsair
quote:
Originally posted by Revolution37: 1) when I grill or skillet-cook ribeyes, I’ve been seasoning them (salt and pepper) when I set them out. I was told the salt works to break down the outer protein layers during the time the steak is tempering and can lead to a better crust. This guide says to season them right before putting them in the oven. Thoughts? Important to salt meat well, not only does it draw surface moisture out but, also promotes a crusting that helps promote flavor and helps retain moisture inside.
2) this guide makes no mention of letting the steaks sit out before cooking. I’ve let some thicker steaks sit out for hours before to ensure they are thoroughly coming tempered before cooking. Should I still do that with these steaks, or is that not a thing with reverse searing? I pull my steaks out an hour before cooking, letting them sit on the cutting board, and not the plate or, package it was in the fridge.
Any other tips would be appreciated. I usually do pretty well with the ribeyes I make but I have a bad history of overcooking NY Strips, though I’ve never cooked any this thick before. Sorry for the dumb questions. Pull your steak out 10-degrees before the target temp, use probe thermometer. Butter baste your steak during searing, use lots of butter, thyme and a crushed garlic. Let it sit about 10-minutes afterwards to allow the muscle tissue to relax and settle
Below videos and channels are rock-solid for this technique and other recipes.
More old-school method, he properly seasons the steak, basting method is on-point.
March 28, 2020, 12:38 PM
Sportshooter
I use jallen’s simple method. Let the steak warm up to room temperature while seasoned only with salt. Then bake it in the oven at 275 F until the probe thermometer inserted in the center of it alarms at 125 F internal temperature. Then sear the heck out of that steak in a screaming hot cast iron skillet.
March 28, 2020, 12:47 PM
joatmonv
I did a 26oz. bone in ribeye on the 14th of March. Steak sat out for about 2 hours on the counter which is fine because muscle meat is not prone to ecoli. Season with whatever you want. S&P, steak seasoning, a homemade rub, etc. I let it sit at least 30 minutes with whatever I put on. Preheat oven or grill to 275° and an oven thermometer is valuable. Steak goes on a cookie sheet with a raised rack in it. I use a Maverick digital probe thermometer and it's been perfect. Depending on how you want your steak cooked is what you'll be shooting for in regards to internal temperature. I cook to 120° and then pull it out. It rests for 15 minutes and then I'll sear it in a hot cast iron skillet or the grill. Choice is yours and both are great. 1 - 1 1/2 minutes per side usually is good. Again, more time if you want a more medium to well done steak.
I'd rather be hated for who I am than loved for who I'm not.
March 28, 2020, 12:59 PM
BigSwede
Has anybody used a pellet smoker for the first slow cook? It is what I plan on doing for my first ever reverse sear
March 28, 2020, 01:06 PM
SPWAMike0317
I take the steak out of the fridge and season it and let is sit out on plate about an hour before cooking. I use a Thermapen Smoke so the probe can go in the oven. (But once, cry once, Thermapen is the best I have used). I set the oven to 250, put the steak in and pull it when it hits 120 on the probe. I have a Weber with a sear burner, I crank that puppy up on all burners at least 10 minutes before I need it. Sear the steak on each side for 3-4 minutes. I leave it rest long enough to put the other food on the plate then to the table. Results in rare - medium rare. The "doneness" is regulated by the temp that you pull it from the oven. Lower temp, more rare. One caveat - it can take a while to come up to temp in the oven. Though it is dependent on the steak I figure about 45 seconds to 1 minute for every degree. Starting temp is usually about 60 so it's near an 45 min to an hour in the oven. Worth the effort. I like it, my wife likes it. nuf said
Let me help you out. Which way did you come in?
March 28, 2020, 01:10 PM
tatortodd
The bringing up to room temperature myth has been busted on Amazingribs.com. I've posted it numerous times and will not be looking it up yet again today. On top of it being a busted myth, if someone takes it literally (i.e. sticks a temp probe in a large cut of meat and lets it sit out until it reaches room temp) it's frankly unsafe.
If you're reverse searing on a charcoal grill, you'll actually get less smoke on it by letting it sit out first. If you like less smoke, set out while you're warming up your charcoal grill/smoker (i.e. 30 minutes or less). If you like the smoke (like me), minimize the time from the fridge to the grill.
My preferred way is to:
Use 1/2 tsp of salt per pound of boneless meat and 1/4 tsp per pound of bone-in meat.
Use 1/4 tsp of black pepper per pound of boneless meat and 1/8 tsp per pound of bone-in meat.
Let sit in the fridge an hour or two.
Heat up the BGE to 225
Pull the steak from the fridge
Brush steak with high smoke point oil (I use 500F smoke point avocado oil)
Stick my ThermoWorks Smoke probe in it
Put on BGE
Put oven safe skillet in my oven and preheat to 400F
Pull steak from BGE when internal temp is 115 to 120 F.
Pull preheated skillet from oven and put on range over a medium-high flame
Remove my ThermoWorks Smoke probe
Put steak in skillet and turn every 30 to 60 seconds
Monitor steak temperature with my ThermoWorks ThermaPen
Stop cooking when internal temp reaches 131F
Eat and enjoy
PS Don't fall for the busted myth of letting the juices redistribute by wrapping in foil and letting sit a few minutes.
Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity
DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.
March 28, 2020, 01:24 PM
K0ZZZ
As many things as I could always do right all the time, for some reasons cooking steaks I never could. Either raw in the middle or overcooked. Just could never consistently nail what I wanted.
I recently got a sous vide and tried it with a steak. Damned if it wasn't the best I've ever done. Cooked perfectly throughout and then a minute on a side in butter in cast iron for that sear.
One thing I did learn! Let's say you're doing marinade, add that in the vacuseal bag first, then put it in the freezer till pretty well frozen. Take the bag out, add the steak and other stuff, then vacuseal. The marinade will melt quickly enough, but you don't get liquids all up in the vacuum sealer.
Coat with coarse salt, put on a rack and let sit in the overnight at least overnight.
March 28, 2020, 06:46 PM
berto
Tried the reverse sear for the first time last weekend. Dried then salted the rib eye. Put on rack in oven and heated to 115. Seared about 60 seconds on each side. Good results. Pretty close to ideal medium rare.
