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NFT: Cooking steak: reverse sear

Pete in VA : 3/24/2019 11:38 am
I tried this last night and it was a revelation. Cooked the ribeyes in a preheated 250 degree oven until they reached 115 degrees (took about 20 minutes), then seared them for about a minute on each side and a few seconds on the edges in a very hot cast iron pan. They were a perfect medium-rare all the way through, with a nice crust(as opposed to the very rare in the center/medium near the surface that I usually get in a pan).

I suspect that many of you were already doing this, but if you're not doing it this way I highly recommend giving it a try.
Reverse sear - ( New Window )
Absolutely best way to cook a steak!  
Jim in Fairfax : 3/24/2019 11:42 am : link
.
Thanks Pe  
Shecky : 3/24/2019 12:02 pm : link
Great article. I usually souse vide then sear. But agree with the end of the article, souse vide comes out of the bag way to soggy before searing. Next steaks, I will try your way. Thanks again
works really well - just be careful not to dry them out in the oven  
Eric on Li : 3/24/2019 12:08 pm : link
especially with thicker steaks it can be tough to judge the cook time without thermometer (especially grass fed since those tend to cook quicker).
Can't beat sous vide  
Bill in UT : 3/24/2019 12:21 pm : link
As to coming out of the bag wet, I just blot them well with paper towels and give them a good sprinkle of salt and pepper.
Definitely the best way to cook a steak  
Mayhap : 3/24/2019 12:26 pm : link
I actually tried it out with some pork loin chops last night for the first time (except the first part of the cook was in the smoker instead of in the oven). Came out great, just like the steaks do. The little pat of butter added during the searing process makes a huge difference.
Let me amend my comments  
Bill in UT : 3/24/2019 12:32 pm : link
For a less fatty steak, like a filet, sous vide is definitely the way to go. For something fattier, like a ribeye, I'm still up in the air a bit as to whether of not a traditional method at a higher temp might do a better job of liquefying the internal fat. I only do ribeyes a couple of times a year, so my learning curve may take a while :)
RE: works really well - just be careful not to dry them out in the oven  
sb from NYT Forum : 3/24/2019 1:18 pm : link
In comment 14355029 Eric on Li said:
Quote:
especially with thicker steaks it can be tough to judge the cook time without thermometer (especially grass fed since those tend to cook quicker).


Thanks for posting, this has been my problem. I haven't used a thermometer and relied on the touch method to determine doneness. I take out the steak when it feels rare, but when I sear the steaks always turn out medium.


Touch test for doneness - ( New Window )
RS  
GF1080 : 3/24/2019 1:28 pm : link
This is the best way. Make sure you have a really good meat thermometer though.
for the average person  
Bill in UT : 3/24/2019 1:43 pm : link
give me a thermometer vs the touch method every time. Funny, though, I had dinner at a friend's last night who considers himself a griller, and he made filets on the grill. Mine had about 4 slice marks where he cut into it to check the doneness.
love the  
Peter from NH (formerly CT) : 3/24/2019 3:19 pm : link
sous vide (thanks to whoever started the thread that turned me on to that!). But there is a learning curve in terms of the caramelization at the end.
I like to do the first part  
smshmth8690 : 3/24/2019 5:11 pm : link
of the reverse sear on the smoker - if I already have something cooking low, and slow. Then I turn on the gas grill to get a sear.
I tried reverse sear 2 years ago  
mavric : 3/25/2019 9:59 am : link
and have never cooked a steak any other way since. Always comes out perfect.

I use a little different temperature combo though. I cook the steak at 275 degrees until the center temperature is 125, then sear about 45 seconds on each side of the steak on my very hot cast iron pan. I usually use tongs to sear the edges as well.

I heavily salt and pepper the steak and let it sit for 20 minutes or so before sticking it in the oven. I also cook the steak in the oven on a wire rack on a cookie sheet so that the steak is evenly cooked from bottom to top before I sear it.

Always comes out fantastic and everyone I have ever made a steak for raves and raves about how perfect it is. Will never cook a steak another way.
RE: I tried reverse sear 2 years ago  
Zeke's Alibi : 3/25/2019 10:02 am : link
In comment 14355851 mavric said:
Quote:
and have never cooked a steak any other way since. Always comes out perfect.

I use a little different temperature combo though. I cook the steak at 275 degrees until the center temperature is 125, then sear about 45 seconds on each side of the steak on my very hot cast iron pan. I usually use tongs to sear the edges as well.

I heavily salt and pepper the steak and let it sit for 20 minutes or so before sticking it in the oven. I also cook the steak in the oven on a wire rack on a cookie sheet so that the steak is evenly cooked from bottom to top before I sear it.

Always comes out fantastic and everyone I have ever made a steak for raves and raves about how perfect it is. Will never cook a steak another way.


Just a heads up, if you salt meat you should let it sit for at least 50 minutes so it reabsorbs the water.
Been on SeriousEats.com  
I Love Clams Casino : 3/25/2019 2:31 pm : link
for a while. The reverse sear was the 1st article I read.

Yes it's fantastic and really the only way to do it. Echoes of Souds Vie. (sp?)

Everything I have tried from them is outstanding
also  
I Love Clams Casino : 3/25/2019 2:35 pm : link
a Flank steak on a real charcoal grill is fantastic using reverse sear...I highly recommend this using very high flames for the searing part...pile up charcoal on one side of the grill only
I might try this  
pjcas18 : 3/25/2019 3:28 pm : link
I have been cooking steaks for 30 years and while I feel like I cook a good steak and people are always complimentary (usually cast iron skillet in the oven) I am convinced steaks are the one food I will never truly make restaurant quality.

Every time I cook a steak and I think wow that's great, I soon after eat at Sparks or Barclay Prime in Philly or even places like Ruth's Chris or Capital Grill and I realize I'm not close.

I might give this a shot.
I do this with pork chops and pork tenderloin - which usually  
Brown Recluse : 3/25/2019 3:31 pm : link
tend dry out very quickly. But when I do it this way, the meat is tender and juicy every time.
RE: I do this with pork chops and pork tenderloin - which usually  
Bill L : 3/25/2019 3:48 pm : link
In comment 14356376 Brown Recluse said:
Quote:
tend dry out very quickly. But when I do it this way, the meat is tender and juicy every time.


I think you can have a debate between RS and SV with steak. I prefer SV but both come out very good. I haven't tried RS with pork, but omg if you have the opportunity to cook pork SV, it's such a new and great experience. You can get your pork so juicy and flavorful that way and cook it to a variety of temps and experiment with taste and texture. At the lower temps you might have to convince your guests that pink(ish) pork is as safe as white pork (and it totally is) but the juicyness is so worth it.
RE: RE: I do this with pork chops and pork tenderloin - which usually  
Brown Recluse : 3/25/2019 3:53 pm : link
In comment 14356402 Bill L said:
Quote:
In comment 14356376 Brown Recluse said:


Quote:


tend dry out very quickly. But when I do it this way, the meat is tender and juicy every time.



I think you can have a debate between RS and SV with steak. I prefer SV but both come out very good. I haven't tried RS with pork, but omg if you have the opportunity to cook pork SV, it's such a new and great experience. You can get your pork so juicy and flavorful that way and cook it to a variety of temps and experiment with taste and texture. At the lower temps you might have to convince your guests that pink(ish) pork is as safe as white pork (and it totally is) but the juicyness is so worth it.


You sold me, haha. I'll have to give that a try.
done this  
giantfan2000 : 3/25/2019 4:33 pm : link
it definitely works
you definitely need a thermometer
you need to follow what thermometer reads

the steak WILL not look done -
but if internal temp is correct then it will be perfect when you sear
RE: I might try this  
Bill in UT : 3/25/2019 7:01 pm : link
In comment 14356373 pjcas18 said:
Quote:
I have been cooking steaks for 30 years and while I feel like I cook a good steak and people are always complimentary (usually cast iron skillet in the oven) I am convinced steaks are the one food I will never truly make restaurant quality.

Every time I cook a steak and I think wow that's great, I soon after eat at Sparks or Barclay Prime in Philly or even places like Ruth's Chris or Capital Grill and I realize I'm not close.

I might give this a shot.


Don't feel too bad about that. Some of these places can cook at 900 degrees or so. Also, many are using prime, aged steaks and most of us aren't
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