Dry Brined Reverse Seared Ribeye
The short version. Season a 1.5 to 2 inch ribeye with salt, pepper and garlic, then leave it uncovered on a wire rack in the fridge overnight. Cook it on the cool side of the grill or smoker at 225 to 250°F until the center reads 115 to 120°F, mist it with beef tallow, and sear it hard for about a minute a side. Rest it five minutes, uncovered, and it lands at a medium rare 130 to 135°F from edge to edge.
A thick ribeye is the steak that rewards the reverse sear more than any other. It has the fat to stay juicy through a slow first stage, the thickness to hold an even pink center, and a cap of rich spinalis that crisps up beautifully in the final sear. Cook it hot the whole way and you get a grey band under the crust. Cook it this way and the inside is the same color from the crust to the center.
The dry brine is what takes it from good to steakhouse. A night on the rack seasons the meat all the way through and dries the surface, so the sear builds a deep, crackly crust in about a minute instead of steaming.
At a glance
- Serves: 2 to 4
- Steak: 2 ribeyes, 1.5 to 2 inches thick, bone-in or boneless
- Dry brine: 12 to 24 hours, uncovered, on a rack in the fridge
- Low stage: 225 to 250°F indirect, about 40 to 70 minutes
- Pull for medium rare: 115 to 120°F
- Sear: 60 to 90 seconds per side over high heat, plus the fat edge
- Rest: 5 minutes, uncovered
Pick the right ribeye
Thickness matters more than grade. An inch and a half is the minimum for a reverse sear and two inches is better. A thin ribeye hits its target before a crust can form, so save those for a hot grate and four minutes a side.
Bone-in or boneless both work. A bone-in ribeye takes a little longer on the low side because the bone slows the meat next to it, so probe away from the bone. Look for even marbling all the way through and a thick cap on top. That cap is the best bite on the steak.
Season in three layers
Each seasoning in this cook has one job, and the order matters.
- The night before: salt. Livia's Salt Pepper Garlic is the dry brine. Season every side, including the edges, with about a teaspoon per pound, and set the steaks on a wire rack over a sheet pan in the fridge.
- Before the cook: crust. A light dusting of The Rocks All Red Meat Rub by Whiskey Bent BBQ adds pepper, garlic, onion and chili for a darker, more savory crust. It contains salt too, so keep it light on a steak you have already brined.
- Off the sear: garlic butter. Shake Heath Riles Garlic Butter Rub over the steak the moment it comes off the heat. Added after the sear, the garlic blooms instead of burning.
Pitmaster tip: Do not rinse the steak after the dry brine and do not add more salt before the cook. The surface will look dry and a little darker after a night on the rack. That is exactly what you want, because a dry surface browns in seconds.
The cook
Set up two zones on a grill, or run a smoker at 225°F. Put the steaks on the cool side with a thermometer in the thickest part, close the lid and leave them alone. There is nothing to do until the center reads 115 to 120°F for medium rare.
Pull the steaks, get the hot side as hot as it will go, then pat the surface dry and give it a light mist of wagyu beef tallow spray. Beef fat browns harder than oil and adds more beef flavor to the crust. Sear about a minute a side with the lid open, then stand each steak on its fat edge for 30 seconds to render it.
Rest five minutes, uncovered, so steam does not soften the crust you just built. Slice against the grain and serve with Rufus Teague Steak Sauce on the side for anyone who wants it.
Pull temperatures for every doneness level, from rare to well done, are in our reverse sear guide. The full recipe card is below.
Everything in this cook, in one box.
The Upper Crust Steak Box has the thermometer, the brining rack, the wagyu tallow spray, Livia's SPG, The Rocks, Heath Riles Garlic Butter Rub and Rufus Teague Steak Sauce, plus a card with this cook and every temperature written out. Free US shipping.
Get the Upper Crust Steak BoxWant new rubs and sauces to try every delivery? See the Grill Masters Club subscription.
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