This Chef-Inspired Steak Hack Delivers Accurate Results Every Time

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a day ago

Is there anything more heartbreaking -- in the kitchen at least -- than shelling out for a gorgeous, thick-cut steak and then accidentally overcooking it? Even if you think you've mastered checking for doneness by touch, it can be a gamble when you're relying on multiple variables with the stovetop or grill to deliver a perfect medium rare to a thick-cut piece of meat.
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Some methods call for starting a steak on the stovetop or grill for a beautifully caramelized exterior crust and then finishing in the oven for more even cooking. But a simple, chef-inspired hack says the opposite: literally, reverse that. Reverse searing is a method frequently used by chefs that delivers consistent results when it comes to cooking thick steaks to perfect doneness, no matter how you prefer them. I tried it, and now I'll never do it any other way again.
What is reverse searing?
Reverse searing involves cooking meat at a low temperature for even, gentle cooking and then finishing on the stovetop or grill for a caramelized crust. Low-and-slow cooking is often favored to deliver tenderness to tough cuts. Imagine what it can do when you start with something that is already tender.
"By cooking at a lower temperature, you let the marbling and collagen of the beef break down slowly, resulting in something that's extra meaty and juicy," says Danny Ganem, Culinary Director of Gioia Hospitality Group, which includes the newly-opened Daniel's Steakhouse in Miami. "It's great for melding flavors and adding even more tenderness to a thick cut of steak."
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High heat is reserved for the end of the process after the meat is perfectly relaxed, "to achieve that beautiful mahogany crust," says Ganem, without it seizing up due to the sudden temperature difference when you put a cold steak on a hot pan. This also keeps the natural moisture content of the meat -- its juices -- more evenly distributed during the cooking process.
What do you need for a reverse sear?
Chefs will often apply a sous vide technique for a reverse sear, but you don't have to get that technical to accomplish it at home. "The best tools are a temperature-controlled oven that can achieve consistent temperatures of under 180 degrees Fahrenheit, a sheet pan with a wire rack, and a good cast iron (or heavy-duty stainless steel) pan where you can finish your steak at a high temperature," says Ganem. (Food writer hack: If you don't think you already have the necessary wire rack -- check your toaster oven.)
An oven-safe thermometer with a temperature alert is also helpful for tracking the internal temperature of the meat in the thickest part while it cooks. I highly recommend this over an instant-read thermometer, which requires you to repeatedly open the oven to check. If you're relying on timing or other cues rather than precise temperature tracking, you're potentially losing the accuracy that this method can ensure.
What cuts are best for reverse searing?
Reverse searing works best with thick cuts of steak. Anything under an inch and you don't have enough thickness to get an accurate temperature reading in the center of the steak, so look for grocery store steaks that are cut to at least 1.5" to 2" thick, or ask your butcher for those dimensions, or even thicker. This method can even apply to thick cuts from pork or lamb.
Certain steak cuts are naturally limited in their thickness, so this method doesn't apply to every cut. "My personal preferences for reverse searing are big and thick cuts like a Porterhouse, Côte de Boeuf, (bone-in ribeye) or a beautiful Prime Rib," says Ganem. I tried it with a 1.5-inch thick ribeye from the grocery store. (Spoiler alert: Never has a grocery store cut seen a better outcome.)
Reverse searing method
You will need:
Thick cut steaks (at least 1.5-inch thick)
Salt and pepper
High-heat cooking oil and butter (optional)
Sheet tray with wire rack
Oven-safe thermometer
Cast iron or heavy-duty stainless steel pan (nonstick not recommended for this)
Directions:
Assemble equipment and preheat oven to 180 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit
Season steaks liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Place steaks on wire racks over a sheet tray, and insert an oven-safe thermometer into the thickest part of the steak, as centered as possible.
Cook until temperature reaches desired doneness. This may take 30 to 40 minutes or more, depending on the consistency of your oven temp and the desired temperature:
If you're watching the temperature increase with an oven-safe thermometer, you'll have a sense of when your steaks are about to come out of the oven. In the last minute or two, heat oil (with optional butter) in pan until nearly smoking.
Once out of the oven, sear steaks on both sides for about 1 minute per side, making sure the entire surface of the steak is in contact with the pan.
You may choose to rest the steaks momentarily when done cooking, but with the reverse sear method, this is less important, as the consistency of the lower temperature early in the cooking process helps with the even distribution of juices.
Benefits and drawbacks for reverse searing
Because the reverse sear method takes much more time than simply searing on the stovetop or grill, "the biggest drawback is time consumption and planning," says Ganem. "You can't simply pull a steak out of the fridge and cook it fast."
I found this to be a bonus, however, in terms of preparing the whole meal. While the steak was in the oven I was able to use the stovetop to prepare other components without having to keep a close eye on the meat, which were then ready to go when the steak came out for its last couple minutes of searing and I could give it my full attention.
Not having to rest the meat also means that you get to enjoy it hotter, a bonus which cannot be understated. Regardless of effective "tenting" during the rest period that other methods require, your steak is going to lose some of its heat while it waits to be cut.
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