If you love nice, tender steak, then you must learn how to reverse sear a steak! Reverse searing is an easy method of cooking steak that gives you restaurant-quality results. With this method, you cook your reverse sear steak in oven before finishing it off at a high temperature - which results in a gorgeous browned crust and a juicy steak!
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To start, you need to select your cut of steak. Generally, you'll want to use cuts of meat around 1 inch in thickness when reverse searing steak. This is because the method of reverse searing steak comprises two different cooking techniques - low and slow, followed by high and fast.
I have opted for new york steak, but it's your choice! If you choose a thinner or thicker cut, just adjust the cooking time accordingly.
When learning this method, you need to forget everything you already know about cooking steak! Most people typically cook steak over high heat, flipping it several times.
However, when reverse searing steak, you will do the opposite! The most important part of reverse searing steak is the pre-cooking stage in the oven. Then once you have completed the reverse sear steak in oven, you'll finish it off in a pan!
Reverse Sear Steak Time Chart
With the reverse seared steak method, you can have better control over the doneness of your meat. So when reverse searing steak, it does help to have a meat thermometer so you can check the internal temperature of the steak in the oven.
You'll want to remove the steak from the oven when it is 10 degrees less than your desired doneness. This is so the steak can continue to cook in the pan and reach the right temperature without overcooking it.
Here are the suggested internal temperatures for reverse searing steak when you use a meat thermometer:
- Rare: 115ºF
- Medium Rare: 125ºF
- Medium: 135ºF
- Medium well: 145ºF
- Well done: 155ºF
If you don't own a meat thermometer, here is a reverse sear steak time chart! You can use this as a guide when reverse searing steak in oven.
- Rare: 20 minutes
- Medium Rare: 25 minutes
- Medium: 30 minutes
- Medium Well: 35 minutes
- Well done: 40 minutes
Why You'll Love Reverse Seared Steak
- Beautifully cooked meat. Reverse searing steak is an excellent way to get a perfectly cooked steak with a yummy, browned crust!
- Super juicy steak. With reverse searing steak, you can create a softer and more tender piece of meat because you are cooking it at lower temperatures for longer.
- Consistent results. By using the same reverse sear steak time chart, you can ensure that you will cook your steak the same each time!
Ingredients For Reverse Searing Steak
- New York steaks
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic
- Rosemary
- Butter
For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.
How to Reverse Sear a Steak
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF.
- Season the steaks thoroughly with the salt and pepper.
- Line a sheet pan with foil and has an oven-safe cooling rack set inside of it.
- Place the steaks on the prepared cooling rack/ sheet pan combo.
- Place in the oven for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature is 10 degrees lower than you want the finished temperature of your steak to be. For example, if you want a medium-rare steak (135ºF), remove it from the oven at 125ºF.
- Heat the butter, garlic, and herbs in a cast iron skillet over high heat.
- Sear the steak on both sides, basting with the butter periodically. This should take about 2 minutes per side.
- Let sit 5-10 minutes before cutting.
Usually, steak needs to rest after cooking so that the juices can redistribute throughout the steak. But with reverse searing steak, you don't need to rest the steak at all! This is because we cook the steak at a lower temperature for longer periods, which stops the steak's juices from settling in the middle. So once you've reverse seared steak, it's ready to enjoy!
Once the reverse sear steak is cooked, it should be served immediately. If you have leftovers, you can store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Alternatively, you can slice and freeze the cooked steak for up to 6 months.
That's a matter of personal preference! Reverse searing steak results in a more tender and juicy piece of meat, while the traditional method produces a crustier and chewier outside. Both methods make delicious steaks that can be enjoyed in their own way. But, when working with a thicker cut of meat - knowing how to reverse sear a steak is the best way to go.
Sous vide is a french term for "under vacuum." It is a cooking technique where food is sealed in an airtight bag and then cooked at a constant temperature in a water bath. You then finish the sous vide method in a pan - much like a reverse seared steak.
Reverse sear steak is actually a great way to mimic the tenderness of sous vide without the need to invest in special equipment! With reverse searing steak, the steak is pre-cooked in the oven before finishing with a quick sear on the stovetop. Both methods do result in perfectly cooked steak, but you end up with a much better crust when you reverse sear steak.
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Reverse Seared Steak
Equipment
- Thermoworks MK4 Thermapen
Ingredients
- 2 new york steaks (see note)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 3 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF.
- Season the steaks thoroughly with the salt and pepper.
- Line a sheet pan with foil and has an oven-safe cooling rack set inside of it.
- Place the steaks on the prepared cooling rack/ sheet pan combo.
- Place in the oven for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature is 10 degrees lower than you want the finished temperature of your steak to be. For example, if you want a medium-rare steak (135ºF), remove it from the oven at 125ºF.
- Heat the butter, garlic, and herbs in a cast iron skillet over high heat.
- Sear the steak on both sides, basting with the butter periodically. This should take about 2 minutes per side.
- Let sit 5-10 minutes before cutting.
Notes
Nutrition
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Alli
My favorite way to make steak!