Bone in ribeye steak, reverse sear

You have seen it, at the butcher’s counter, that thick, bone in ribeye steak, big enough to feed two (or one very hungry cowboy/girl). It is the legendary cowboy cut steak, and while it might look intimidating, cooking it is easier than you’d think. So, how do you tackle this beast of a steak? Let’s break it down.

this recipe

What is a reverse sear?

Reverse searing is a cooking method that slowly brings your steak’s internal temperature up to just below your desired doneness. Then, the steak rests for a few minutes, while the BBQ or griddle comes to the reverse sear temperature. The sear is the finishing touch that gives the bone in ribeye steak a golden crust. Here is why I choose to reverse sear:

• Even cooking – The reverse sear’s low and slow cooking temperature lets that thick bone in ribeye steak’s internal temperature come up slowly and cook evenly.
• Tenderness – The low and slow cook gives the steak a remarkable tenderness.
• Option to smoke – I added a hunk of maple wood to add sweetness to the cowboy cut steak while it was cooking on the BBQ.
• Control of doneness – The low temperature cook gradually increases the steak’s internal temperature. So, there is no rush to pull the ribeye once it is close to your level of doneness.
• Sear and serve – Once the bone in ribeye has rested, put the steak back on the grill grate to sear. The best part is you can take it right off the grill and serve immediately.

Homemade sweet & tangy dry rub

We used 7 everyday spices for the homemade sweet & tangy dry rub that complements the star of the show, the Angus ribeye steak. The dry rub starts with brown sugar for its sweetness and caramelization during the sear. The combination of onion and garlic powder brings their own unique addition to the sweetness as well. Now for the tanginess, the lemon pepper, paprika, and ground mustard bring balance to the sweetness. The salt blends everything together and is key to the dry brining for a more tender bone in ribeye steak.

How to reverse sear a bone in ribeye steak

The reverse sear is simple: prepare the bone in ribeye steak, cook low & slow on the BBQ or smoker, rest, sear, and enjoy.
The only hard part of this recipe is deciding whether you dry brine or not. I have done it both ways, and yes, I think dry brining is worth it. I do it overnight in the fridge. However, don’t let that stop you. You will still be in steak heaven by simply adding our sweet & tangy dry rub on while you get the BBQ or smoker ready.

Season the bone in ribeye steak.

Cook low and slow.

Rest then sear.

Serve and enjoy.

Head down to the recipe card for detailed step-by-step instructions and ingredient amounts.

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Bone in ribeye steak, reverse sear

Sean

Restaurant style steak has never been easier by cooking low and slow, resting, searing, and enjoying. The Kitchen Bucket List loves sharing this convenient reverse sear recipe with you.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Dry Brine (Optional) 4 hours hrs

Total Time 5 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, BBQ

Servings 3 People

Equipment

• Charcoal BBQ grill and smoker
• Remote thermometer
• BBQ spatula
• BBQ tongs
• Skillet (Optional)
• Butcher's twine (Optional)
• Smoking wood (Optional)

Ingredients

  

• 1 Angus bone in ribeye steak (Cowboy cut, 2 ¼ pounds)

Homemade Sweet & Tangy Dry Rub

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard

Instructions

 

Preparing the bone in ribeye steak

• Make the homemade sweet & tangy dry rub. In a bowl, add the brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, lemon pepper, paprika, and ground mustard, then mix until combined.
• Unpack the bone in ribeye steak and place it on a tray. Trim any excess fat.

  (Optional) Tie the bone in ribeye with the butcher's twine. I find that it helps hold the ribeye's shape while cooking and rubbing the seasoning on.
• Coat the steak with the dry rub and rub it in. Place it back in the refrigerator to dry brine. For this recipe, I did 4 hours. You can go longer if you want. I have done 12+ hours.

  NOTE: You can put the dry rub on before cooking with the reverse sear method.

Cooking low and slow

• After 4 hours or longer, prepare the BBQ for indirect cooking or a smoker at 250℉.

  NOTE: If you are using a charcoal BBQ grill and smoker, add your smoking wood once the temperature is stable.
• Bring the bone in ribeye steak out to the BBQ and insert a remote thermometer sensor.

  (Optional) If you want to have more indirect heating, place an oiled cast iron skillet in the BBQ while it is preheating, then place the steak on it.
• Place the steak on the BBQ grill grate or smoker. Close the lid and cook low and slow for approximately 1 hour. Your time may vary by the size of your steak or steaks, see notes.

Rest

• Pull the Angus ribeye steak before it reaches your level of doneness and rest for 10 minutes. As the steak rests, it will continue rising in temperature by as much as 10℉.
• Set up the BBQ for direct cooking, 450℉. The fire box should have a good, even layer of burning natural charcoal across it.

Sear

• Once the BBQ is at the reverse sear temperature, place the cowboy cut steak on the grill and sear for 2 minutes on each side, then check for doneness.

  (Optional) You can leave the remote thermometer in to ensure your level of doneness.

Serve, share, and enjoy

• Remove the bone in ribeye and serve. Okay, you can enjoy it yourself if you are really hungry🤠.
• Sharing the ribeye: I cut the bone off with a good bit of meat still on it, dino rib, and divided the rest for my 2 daughters to enjoy.

Notes

• BBQing more than one, as you add more bone in ribeyes, the initial low and slow cook time can increase.
• Doneness. For this recipe, I wanted medium rare. I pulled the steak when it reached 115℉.  During the rest, the ribeye increased to 125℉, and after searing, it was at 128℉. I prefer my medium rare steak temperature between 125℉ to 135℉. If you prefer a different internal temperature (doneness), just adjust it to your liking.
  
• Regular thermometer user tip. If you are a little under the internal temperature you want for doneness after the initial cook, don’t worry. You can still rest the bone in ribeye. A trick I have found that works is to decrease the searing temperature and go longer. I’d suggest 3 minutes on each side.
• If you need a little extra heat diffusion for the indirect cooking, you can use a skillet.

Keyword Angus ribeye steak, bone in ribeye steak, low and slow, reverse sear temperature, reverse seared cowboy steak

Food safety

You will be working with raw beef and may need to do some trimming, so please be careful. Take all the standard precautions, like washing your hands and avoiding cross-contamination. We prefer our steak medium rare. If this is not your preferred doneness, just increase the temperature to your preference. As always, USDA has more food safety information if you need it.

HAPPY BBQING!!!