The Reverse Sear
What if we told you there was a way to flip the script on everything you have ever learned about cooking a steak that both minimizes risk of overcooking and maximizes flavor?
The conventional method of cooking a steak is to sear it on a grill, finish it in the oven, rest, and serve. This method, even for the most accomplished grill master, often results in a large ring of well-done meat around a pink interior.
However, if you reverse that process and slow it down just a notch, you gain better control of the internal temperature of the meat and vastly increase your chances of edge-to-edge medium-rare steak perfection.
Trust us, we have successfully employed this technique at many a dinner party and love basking in the oohs and ahhs as dinner is served.
The Reverse Sear
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Season your steak 3-4 hours in advance to allow the salt to evenly penetrate the meat.
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Pre-heat your oven to 275 degrees.
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Place the steak on a sheet pan with a baking rack to elevate the steak and set it on the center rack in your oven.
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Cooking times will vary depending on the size of the steak. We strongly recommend using a probe thermometer to check the internal temperature at regular intervals.
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While your steak is cooking, bring your grill or cast iron pan to a medium high temperature.
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When your steak has reached an internal temperature of 110 to 115 degrees (on its way to medium-rare), remove it from the oven and set it close by to rest for 5 minutes.
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Using tongs on your hot surface, sear the steak 1 to 2 minutes per side to develop a beautiful caramelized exterior crust. As an option, use garlic butter and rosemary or thyme to add flavor to your steak. The internal temperature should read 125 degrees on your thermometer.
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Remove the steaks from the heat surface, place them on a cutting board, and rest for 5 minutes. Slice against the grain, and serve.
One final note: You may use the reverse sear technique to cook a steak of any size, but we find that it works exceptionally well on our filet cuts.
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