If you're a steak lover, you're likely always on the lookout for an interesting new take on a delicious steak meal. Going out to a nice restaurant is a sure way to find some finely cooked steak, but what if you could make a restaurant-quality piece of meat right at home?
One popular way to prepare steak at home is with a reverse sear. Like the classic searing technique, reverse searing steak creates a delicious crust while keeping the meat tender and juicy inside.
What Does Reverse Searing Mean?
Reverse searing a steak takes two steps. The first involves slowly cooking the steak to a safe internal temperature, and the second involves searing the exterior for that delicious crusty finish.
Reverse searing is easy for anyone — from beginners to seasoned chefs — to make a delicious steak at home.
How to Reverse Sear a Steak Step-by-Step
Make sure to follow these steps closely as you reverse-sear your steak. You can use a variety of steak types with this method, including New York strip steak, ribeye, and wagyu cuts. For optimal success, keep your steak's thickness and fat content in mind as you prepare it.
Equipment:
- Sheet Pan
- Cast Iron Skillet
Time Required: 1 hr. 15 minutes
Servings: 2
Ingredients:
- 2 1½” - 2” thick strip steaks (approximately 1¾- 2 lbs.)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons high-smoke point cooking oil, such as canola or grapeseed
Preparation:
1. Thaw Your Steak
Before you begin, thaw your steak thoroughly. If it is a thinner cut, you should be fine with a quick thaw using cold water. If your steak was only refrigerated and not frozen, you'll need to leave it on the counter for a little while to reach room temperature. Thicker steaks may require up to 72 hours to thaw completely.
Pat your steaks with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Place the steaks onto a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat.
2. Season Thoroughly
After you remove the extra moisture from the surface of your steak, add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and other meat seasonings to both sides. Let the steaks rest on the countertop for 30 minutes prior to cooking.
3. Slowly Cook Your Steak on Low Heat
Preheat the oven to around 250 degrees and place the oven rack in the center position. Place the steaks in the oven.
After 20 minutes, check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer. Check the internal temperature every 5 minutes and remove your steak from the oven when it reaches about 120 degrees.
For a medium-rare steak, the goal at this point is to reach 120F.
When the steaks reach 120F, remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the steaks to a large, rimmed plate. Cover with foil and rest for 10 minutes. (The steaks will continue to cook while resting).
4. Sear Your Steak
After the steaks have rested, add the high point cooking oil to a large cast-iron skillet set over high heat. Turn your ventilation fan to the highest setting (things might get a little smokey!). Uncover and pat the steaks completely dry with paper towels and season with additional garlic powder, salt, and black pepper, as desired.
Once the skillet is hot, add the seasoned steaks and sear on one side for 90 to 120 seconds. Turn and repeat on the other side for 90 seconds, then sear each edge for 10-20 seconds each.
Remove from heat and eat immediately.
5. Let Your Steak Rest
Once your steak is seared to perfection, let it rest for roughly five minutes for optimal juiciness and flavor.
Bonus Tip:
The process of baking the steaks in the oven can be time-consuming but well worth the wait! For medium-rare steaks, it could take up to one hour for the steaks to reach 120F. Just keep a close eye on the steaks during this process - and check their internal temperature every 5 minutes.
Leftover steak will keep for up to 3 days.
Reverse Sear a Steak to Perfection at Home with Miesfeld's High-Quality Steaks
To create the perfect reverse-seared steak, you need to start with a great cut of meat. That's where we come in! Visit us in-store or give us a call to order your steak, so you can try this method at home.
