How to Smoke a Ribeye and Reverse Sear (Easy Ribeye Steak)
This juicy smoked ribeye steak is the perfect meaty dish for a backyard BBQ summer dinner, a Memorial Day or 4th of July party food lineup, or Father’s Day dinner. It’s tender, smoky, and savory in the best way, and a go-to recipe you’ll want to make again and again.
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About Smoked Ribeye Steak
If you’re looking to take your backyard BBQ to the next level, this is it!
This recipe uses the reverse sear method to deliver a perfect medium rare steak with a professional flavorful crust and deep smoky undertones.
Whether you use a standard bone-in cut or a thick ribeye roast sliced into steaks, this technique is an absolute game changer.
This recipe teaches how cook ribeye steak on a Traeger pellet grill or any standard electric smoker for that signiture smoky flavor.
It’s one of our favorite ribeye steak recipes that even those with the most discerning palate will enjoy!
YOU’LL LOVE THIS RIBEYE STEAK RECIPE BECAUSE IT:
- Benefits from a simple smoking process. This cooking technique delivers steak that has flavor all the way through the meat.
- Uses a simple dry rub marinade. You’ll only need a handful of pantry staples for the best steak flavor.
- Tastes like a restaurant dish without the steakhouse price tag. This recipe lets you enjoy the ultimate steak dinner in the comfort of your own home!
Key Ingredients
The Meat & Binder
- Bone-In Thick-Cut Ribeye Steaks: Selecting steaks that are at least 1.5 to 2 inches thick is essential for smoking [4]. Thin steaks will cook through to the center instantly, leaving no time to absorb wood flavor. Leaving the bone in insulates the meat, conducts heat evenly, and yields an incredibly juicy result.
- High-Smoke Point Oil: A light coating of avocado or grapeseed oil acts as your “binder” to give the coarse spices a textured surface to stick to. Because you will finish these steaks with a hot sear, high-smoke point oils are required so the surface doesn’t burn or turn bitter.
The Smoke & Seasoning
- Wood Chips or Wood Pellets: Your choice of wood defines the background profile of the steak. Hickory provides a robust, classic southern BBQ punch, while oak offers a smooth, neutral woodfire profile that allows the natural beef flavor to shine.
- Coarse Ground Black Pepper & Kosher Salt: This duo forms the foundational crust of a great steak. Large, coarse pepper flakes create physical texture on the meat for smoke to cling to, while the large granules of kosher salt dissolve slowly to tenderize the thick cut without over-salting it.
- Smoked Paprika & Garlic Powder: This combination adds a rich, savory umami base and gives the crust an immediate head start on a beautiful, deep-red mahogany color before it even hits the grill.
- Dried Thyme & Ground Sage: These earthy, aromatic herbs add a high-end steakhouse complexity to the rub that pairs beautifully with the rich, marbled fat of a ribeye.
Step-by-Step Recipe Instructions
Prep and Dry Brine
- Prep the steaks: Pat your steaks completely dry with paper towels.
- Apply the rub: In a small bowl, mix together Kosher salt, coarse ground black pepper, garlic powder, dried thyme, ground sage, and smoked paprika. Coat the steaks generously on all sides, including the edges. Let the steaks sit at room temperature for at least 45 minutes, or overnight in the fridge for a deeper cure.
Fire Up the Smoker
- Preheat the smoker: Set smoker temp to 225°F. Add your wood chips or wood pellets to the tray or hopper. Once the smoker is producing clean blue smoke, place your steaks directly onto the smoker grates.
Cook Low and Slow Smoke
- Monitor the internal temperature: Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the steak, ensuring it is not touching the bone. Smoke at this lower temperature until the internal desired temp reaches 115°F to 120°F. This slow climb ensures edge-to-edge pink perfection.
Rest
- Rest the meat: Remove the steaks from the smoker and tent them loosely with foil. Let them rest for 15 to 20 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute so they don’t run out when you slice.
High Heat Flash Sear
- Crank the heat: While the meat rests, crank your hot grill to its highest setting (500°F+) or preheat a cast iron skillet over high heat with oil. Perform a flash sear for about 60 to 90 seconds per side.
Final Touch
- Slice and serve: Once you’ve achieved a dark, crispy crust and an internal desired temp of 135°F (for perfect medium rare), remove the steaks. Slice against the grain, carving around the bone as shown in the photo, and serve immediately.
How do I get those fancy grill marks?
It’s actually super easy! See the Recipe Tips and Variations for simple instructions.
Recipe Tips and Variations
Secrets for Success
- Cook to temperature, not time: An accurate meat thermometer is key—pull at 115–120°F before searing ensures perfect doneness.
- Rotate your steaks: To get those diamond grill marks seen in the image, sear at a 45-degree angle, then rotate 90 degrees halfway through the sear on each side.
- Use mild woods for the best smoking experience: Use mild woods like oak, hickory, or fruitwoods (apple or cherry). Strong woods like mesquite can overpower ribeye.
How to Store and Freeze
- Refrigerator: Store leftover steak in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. For best results, slice only what you plan to eat and store the rest whole to help retain moisture.
- Freezer: Wrap the cooled steak tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 2–3 months.
- To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge and warm gently in a skillet or low oven to avoid drying it out.
Variations
- Bold BBQ Spice Rub: For a more traditional smoked flavor, mix 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, and ½ teaspoon chili powder.
- Sweet & Spicy Beef Rub: To get a darker, more caramelized bark, use 2 ½ tablespoons packed brown sugar, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon each of black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder, and ½ teaspoon each of cumin and dried thyme.
Serve This With
Here are some delicious sides that pair perfectly with smoked ribeye steak!
- 13 Unique Summer Coleslaw Recipes
- Easy Jalapeno Cheddar Mexican Cornbread
- Easy “Grilled” Mexican Street Corn
- Classic Ambrosia Salad
FAQs
The reverse sear method is a total game changer for steak because it flips the traditional cooking process—and the results are dramatically better.
Instead of starting with a hot sear and hoping the inside cooks evenly, you cook the steak low and slow first, then finish with a quick, high-heat sear. That one switch solves almost every common steak problem.
First, you get edge-to-edge doneness. Because the steak slowly comes up to temperature, you don’t end up with that gray, overcooked band around the outside. The inside stays perfectly pink and consistent from edge to center.
Second, it gives you way more control. When you cook low and slow, it’s much harder to accidentally overcook your steak. You can pull it at a precise internal temperature, rest it, and then finish it exactly how you want.
Third, the crust is better. Since the surface of the steak has time to dry out during the low-temp cook, it sears faster and forms that deep, golden-brown crust without overcooking the inside.
Fourth, it locks in juiciness. Letting the steak rest before the sear helps redistribute the juices, so when you cut into it, they stay in the meat instead of running all over the plate.
And finally, it’s incredibly consistent. Whether you’re using a smoker, grill, or oven, the reverse sear method delivers steakhouse-quality results almost every time—especially for thicker cuts like ribeye.
In short, it’s the difference between a good steak and a “how did you make this?” steak.
Pull from the smoker at 115–120°F, then sear to finish around 130–135°F for medium-rare.
You can, but you’ll miss that signature crust. The reverse sear method gives you both smoky flavor and a steakhouse-quality finish.
Yes—this helps it cook more evenly, especially during the smoking stage.
Oak and hickory are great for bold flavor, while apple or cherry give a milder, slightly sweet smoke.
Absolutely—this method works great on both. Just maintain a steady 225°F and monitor internal temp.
Use a digital meat thermometer. It’s the most reliable way to avoid overcooking.
Recipe Card
How to Smoke a Ribeye and Reverse Sear (Easy Ribeye Steak)
Equipment
- Meat thermometer
Ingredients
Steaks
- 2 bone-in ribeye steaks at least 1.5 to 2 inches thick
- High-smoke point oil avocado or grapeseed oil
- Wood chips or wood pellets hickory or oak for a unique flavor
Dry Brine
- 2 Tablespoons Kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
- 3 Tablespoons coarse ground black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 Tablespoon ground sage
Instructions
Prep and Dry Brine
- Pat your steaks completely dry with paper towels.
- In a small bowl, mix together 2 Tablespoons Kosher salt, 3 Tablespoons coarse ground black pepper, 1 Tablespoon garlic powder, 1 Tablespoon dried thyme, 1 Tablespoon ground sage, 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika. Coat the steaks generously on all sides, including the edges.Let the steaks sit at room temperature for at least 45 minutes, or overnight in the fridge for a deeper cure.
Fire Up the Smoker
- Set smoker temp to 225 degrees F. Add your wood chips or wood pellets to the tray or hopper. Once the smoker is producing clean blue smoke, place your steaks directly onto the smoker grates.
Cook Low and Slow Smoke
- Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the steak, ensuring it is not touching the bone. Smoke at this lower temperature until the internal desired temp reaches 115–120 degrees F. This slow climb ensures edge-to-edge pink perfection.
Rest
- Remove the steaks from the smoker and tent them loosely with foil. Let them rest for 15-20 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute so they don't run out when you slice.
High Heat Flash Sear
- While the meat rests, crank your hot grill to its highest setting (500°F+) or preheat a cast iron skillet over high heat with a tablespoon of oil. Perform a flash sear for about 60–90 seconds per side.
Final Touch
- Once you’ve achieved a dark, crispy crust and an internal desired temp of 135 degrees F (for perfect medium rare), remove the steaks. Slice against the grain, carving around the bone as shown in the photo, and serve immediately.
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