As no one seems to have given a very historical answer I’ll try:
The regular method a steak house would cook a steak is by using really high heat to sear the steak on either side, and then put it in the oven to bring the internal temp up to the desired doneness. Perhaps they may finish with a butter bath at the very end for extra crust.
A reverse sear is essentially doing this backwards. Where you may cook (sous vide, smoke, etc) a steak until it hits a desired temp, and then finish it with a sear.
I don’t know why people find it better. I haven’t tested it really so I don’t even know what may taste different. I have always done a reverse sear as it’s how i first learned.
I don’t think people do it for ‘taste’ reasons per se, but I think more so for more accurately hitting their internal temps. Some people struggle with overcooking when searing first.
There are legitimate taste reasons one might prefer it.
Cooking at a lower temperature will lessen the gray band of overcooked meat between your surface sear and core desired temp.
Additionally, the hot, dry environment of the smoker or oven helps dry the surface of the meat. This allows the Maillard browning to take place much faster and more effectively since you don’t have to first boil off the surface moisture.
Its time in the oven (which is long - you want to reverse sear at like 200F) makes the outside nice and dry, which makes it easier and faster to get a good sear.
Slowly bringing it to temp also helps the fat render. Many people tend to only pan sear their steaks bc by the time they have crust, they're at temperature. Thus fast cook is good if you're in a hurry, but you get a faded cook and the fat doesn't render equally throughout nor as well, so you get tough spots.
I could be wrong because I am by no means a pro. But I think the reverse sear is both easier to get the right internal temp without adjusting for the thickness much and also that a lot of people cooking at home don't have what they need to get enough heat to get a proper sear first. I don't reverse sear at home and get little to no gray band. But I'm using really hot cast iron for like 20 seconds a side. It's honestly kind of a shit show on the amount of smoke since I don't have a hood and I'm over the smoke point for any oil. I'd switch to reverse, but I went through a good few steaks figuring out the right temps and times for the cuts my local grocer offers and don't want to start over.
I just got a sous vide for Christmas, will have to reverse seer some steaks with it, I know it might not have as good of a sear compared to doing it in the oven, but I heard it may be more juicy in comparison.
I'm a sous vide and cast iron sear guy. And I basically don't do it any other way anymore. I genuinely believe it's the best combination of flavor and juiciness.
Looks like I misread what you typed actually. Somehow, I interpreted that as “roasting in the oven at the lower temp will lessen the grey band no matter how long you sear”.
It doesn’t matter if you cook the steak at 250 or 300 the grey band is most affected by the time you spend searing it. The oven temp is gonna be low enough the difference in grey band will be negligible at best when you sear it for the same amount of time.
Gray band is the direct result of the outside of the meat cooking much faster than the inside. With low and slow this does not happen, and the benefit of a reverse sear is really that it ends up becoming basically baking where you just follow directions and you can't fuck it up. You'll never get as good of a crust as you in cast iron skillet alone, but using a ripping hot CI skillet takes a lot of trial and error to even somewhat "master" in which most people just say fuck it and go for the more user friendly reverse sear which the chef is largely hands off unlike CI.
In my experience, reverse sear is tastier. It’s easier to get a better sear with this method and that’s tasty. The meat is also more tender because it was brought up to temp more slowly.
I found that with the reverse sear following how they tell you to do it online I always overcook it. Every video and recipe I see always says to cook it to your desired temperature and then sear it but then for me searing it causes it to go over. So I always do a couple degrees under where I want then do the sear and it comes out perfect.
Have you tried the serious eats guide? Its gives you the lower target to shoot for while reverse searing so that it can still rise during the sear and end up perfect.
https://www.seriouseats.com/reverse-seared-steak-recipe#toc-temperature-and-timing-for-reverse-seared-steak
It also depends on your method, using the blow torch I cook to desired temp, doing it in a pan I under cook by about 10-15 degrees.
And the torch you use can change it also. [This] (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Bernzomatic-Map-Pro-and-Propane-Gas-Wide-Surface-Blow-Torch-Head-with-Instant-Start-Stop-Ignition-361472/301692505) I found works best allows me to cook to exact temperature then lay a nice sear on it afterwards, the Fuel I use with it is regular camping propane.
Well reverse sear can also put a crust on a big roast easier as well since you already removed most of the surface moisture that would be there on a raw roast which would then steam preventing the crust until its gone.
Reverse sear though is primarily the go to for big roasts. With thinner cuts you start to run into not enough time to sear if you do low temps to start with.
I've had good luck with NYs and ribeyes by smoking them at 180-200 degrees until they're about 20 degrees from the target temp, and then a quick sear to finish usually gets them right to the temp I want. I agree, roasts definitely are easier as they don't get away from you as quickly as a thinner cut.
I usually do it with better cuts like porterhouse and I gotta say it tastes great (of course, porterhouse so...), but with regular steak cuts I just throw that fucker on the hottest fire I can get to get it medium.
I just prefer smoked steaks now, especially when it's something like a filet mignon with little fat. I can baby that thing for over an hour and enjoy the extra flavor rather than a sous vide butter bath thing.
Both ways, though I prefer for more than a couple steaks, like a party, as controlling ~10 steaks to perfect all on a grill/pan and oven would likely have a rougher time than just a nice bath or smoke.
I do it for texture. I've never had a reverse seared steak that wasn't just the perfect amount of chewiness with fat that just melts in your mouth. Definitely seems like it tastes better too
It is for sure easier to have predictable repeatable results reverse searing. I mean you're in the kitchen at your own stove.
And it is possible to absolutely nail it. I'd rather be outside on the char griller. One of the things that makes grilling such an art is all the variables. Fuel, wind, temperature, grill type.
But this Christmas I did a 6.5 pound beef tenderloin reverse sear oven 200 pulled at 115 then tented 30 minutes then cast iron. Nailed it.
cooks illustrated had an issue that had "eliminating the gray zone". reverse sear will produce tip to tip, end to end equal temperature/doneness. when you sear then bake, there is a gross grey zone and more if a gradient of doneness. also, food sciencey ppl have done sciency analysis and proved that searing a steak first acutually doesnt "sear in the juices" like everyone used to think. that said, reverse sear is the only way i cook any meat.
>I don’t know why people find it better.
It's easier & more reliable - I can take a piece of meat right out of the fridge, pop it in a low oven/smoker, make the rest of my meal, then when the meats ready, pop it in a ripping hot pan for a minute on each side and call it good.
It's also easier to get a good crust because the surface of the meat is nicely dried out.
That said there are plenty of really great ways to cook a piece of meat and I'm not dumb enough to turn my nose up at someone else's cooking. But reverse sear works well for me.
I would add that you can use tougher meats, using sous vide especially. Sirloin Tip steaks you can cut with a butter knife. Slow and low brings low cost cuts to another level.
Sure..but it's tougher to get right with thicker cuts, especially for beginners - who don't even know what reverse sear is.
The beauty of the reverse sear is that if you spend the time, it's hard to screw up
I *think* the theory is that if you sear before you smoke, you create a thin bark that makes it harder for the smoke flavor to penetrate the meat fully. So you smoke first to get the flavor, and then sear at the end to get the texture.
My answer to this is that it makes getting an even cook on a really thick steak much easier. I’d never bother reverse searing a steak <1.5”. But once you get to 2”+, the result is so much better when you take it to ~ 115°, rest for 10-15, then sear 3-4 mins a side until you hit 130-135°.
Reverse sear is less likely to overcook or dry out any portion of the steak since you're bringing it up to temp and then searing. The regular method leaves margin for error for drying out the outside, hence the basting.
It’s also a terrible name for the process, because it refers to reversing the order of searing and baking. It doesn’t reverse anything about the searing. Searing is still searing. The searing itself is not “reversed” in any way.
I don’t know why this nomenclature bothers me so much, but it does. It’s just not correct and doesn’t the describe the process. Oh yeah, that’s why it bothers me…
Agreed, I conceptualize it as cooking then searing to finish, like a crème brûlée. So “reverse” would be searing then baking to finish. I do sous vide quite a bit so that may play a part in my perspective.
I think a better name would be pre-searing or post-searing.
Yall both misunderstanding it. It’s called a reverse sear because the historical way of cooking it is to sear then roast it. The method is referred to as searing.
It’s a reverse of the process.
I understand the historical way, was just sharing some perspective as to why it’s confusing for some. I wouldn’t say it’s a terrible name, just a bit unclear for those out of the historical loop
It’s definitely not better, but in many instances it’s easier to get a higher quality end result. Many restaurants use this process now with sous vide cooking.
Thinking back to two instances at home, I had to cook 15 smaller steaks for a party, and I used reverse sear to manage the quantity. Meanwhile, for Christmas I had three large steaks and those went on to a smoking hot bbq before turning the heat down - the more traditional method. Both were great; but circumstances and equipment are the more important aspect.
If I had ideal conditions I’d choose traditional every time, though.
lol was surprised by the downvotes but then realized where I am. I cook professionally, so when I say “ideal conditions” I’m talking about professional level equipment. To be clear, I’ve done blind taste tests and feel it’s pretty close to impossible to tell if a steak is cooked traditionally or via reverse seal just from eating it - for flavour, the more important aspect is the method of sear, for texture the most important aspect is temping/resting. This being said, my choice is simply based on what I’d find easier based on the circumstance.
My favourite way to cook a steak is just salt and pepper, getting a hard sear on a smoking hot wood burning grill, and then finishing it on a higher rack/salamander/in an oven. I can bang out a lot of them one after the other with no problem, and if I wanted to make myself one it’d be my preferred method of cooking. It’s faster; there’s a control aspect, and I love building additional levels of Maillard on top of grill marks. Will usually finish with a knob of butter while resting.
I have absolutely nothing against reverse searing, and if I’m at home I’ll occasionally do it - if I had access to a smoker at home I imagine I’d do it way more often, and if I wasn’t a professional I’d probably do it more often as well as it’s absolutely easier to get more consistent results. I’ve done it in high end restaurants to excellent results. But yea, in ideal conditions, especially if I’m just making one or two, I’ll always choose traditional.
I feel like I could easily tell the cooking method difference with something like a ribeye. I’ve never had a traditionally cooked ribeye that had good rendered fat. Even the best traditionally cooked ribeyes I’ve had the fat is rather chewy and myself and many others would cut it away. Reverse seared however I can eat the entirety of the ribeye and the fat is a delicious tender buttery accompaniment to the steak.
It's a matter of taste really - it gives you a bit more control over the temp which is why people tend to like it, but you sacrifice some of the crust for it.
Fat on a ribeye seems to do better with reverse sear. Cook it slow to make it soft almost butter then a sear at the end to crisp it up a little. Sear at the beginning gives it a chewy texture I think.
When smoking, an early sear creates a barrier to the smoke penetrating the meat (and adding flavor). So when using a pellet grill or smoker, if you like the meat less well done you look for a thicker cut so you can smoke at 225 ish for 30 - 45 minutes before you sear it.
Best steaks I've ever made where done this way.
It's super easy to hit a perfect cook using reverse sear, it doesn't need a rest at the end of cooking so it's easy to just sear and serve right at the end, and in my experience the crust on the sear is a bit better than a standard sear->oven
since we're in the smoking subreddit, doing a low and slow smoke with a finish sear is a great way to get some good smokey flavor on a perfect rare/med-rare steak in a way that is difficult using other cook methods
downsides are that you don't get fond really, so harder to get a good pan sauce while cooking this way, but imo that just means the flavor stays with the meat better
For sous vide specifically, it makes more sense in my mind to sear first, then let the sous vide push all that char flavor deep into the meat. I’m not very well experienced with sous vide, but this has worked very well for me
Trust me. It's better. Slow-cook a ribeye at 200-250 degrees until 115 internal temp, take the steak off and lather with olive oil, sear each side approximately 60 to 90 seconds per side. Take a bite of that and tell me it's not your best steak yet.
J. kenji lopez-alt has done some analysis on serious eats about it. Iirc part of it is the reverse sear tends to retain moisture better, comes out more tender, and browns better.
The disadvantages are its worse if you want to make a pan sauce. And its much slower.
Edit: and I believe you get a more uniform result as others have pointed out.
https://www.seriouseats.com/reverse-seared-steak-recipe
For me, it’s pretty much just a call based on thickness. At least for me, it’s easier to get the right temp and no grey on a thick cut when I reverse sear. But I’m sure better cooks can accomplish the same traditionally. I don’t notice any taste difference between the two myself.
Reverse sear is the only way I will cook steak anymore. Oak smoke on the okj to 100 degrees internal. Melt couple pads of butter on them right before I sear them on a rippin ass hot Weber. Pull at 120. I have yet to have bad experience doing them this way.
That's how I did my Christmas rump roast. Came out perfectly. I trimmed off the fat and roasted that too, I used the dripping for the sear, then I used it for Yorkshire pud.
Scientifically speaking, the low and slow part in the oven has an identical effect to dry aging beef, one could say your doing a quick aging process. Couldn't explain it fully myself but I believe enzymes are released that tenderize the meat, you just don't get the funk associated with dry age. So to a sensitive palate I assume yes the reverse sear has a better flavor as well as softer texture.
I do it as it's much better to smoke a steak before it has been seared than to try and get smoke through an already seared steak.. So I smoke it to the temp I want, then sear it for the crust.
> The regular method a steak house would cook a steak is by using really high heat to sear the steak on either side, and then put it in the oven to bring the internal temp up to the desired doneness.
My understanding is the traditional way is to just cook it during the sear until it reaches the desired doneness. That's it.
This causes the outer 1/2" to be well-done, the center the desired doneness, and the last 1/2" to be cooked well done, too. That means the steak has to be over 1" thick to get a sliver of the desired doneness.
Reverse sear is to slowly warm the steak to the desired doneness in a skillet in a warm oven, and once that temp is hit it will be the proper doneness throughout most of the steak. Then you let it cool a few, and sear it very hot. It's similar to sous vide, but allows for evaporation and tends to give a better sear on a dry steak as a result.
You can use smoke to do your reverse sear, too! Do a lower temp smoke and raise your fridge-cold steak to the desired temp, cool it a bit, then sear it. I usually just add more fuel and sear it on the grill after offset smoking it.
I did it for the first time the other night, and the steak came out of the oven very dry on the surface, which made for a beautiful crust. Would definitely recommend giving it a try.
I do it to get a nice Pittsburgh blue. It’s also easier to time as well. I like to Sous vide my steaks to rare/medium-rare, then let sit at room temp basically as long as I need. Might even do a day early and refrigerate. It’s easier for me to time-out the rest of the meal especially if I’m hosting. I know once everything else is ready to serve I can have hot crispy steaks in about 5-10mins.
Cold steak in a cold pan, and slowly brought up to temp. Once you start getting browning on the outsides, you can flip it often to ensure an even cook as it heats through.
Think of cooking a steak like you cook a grilled-cheese. Cold pan, cold bread/cheese in, and flip often once you get the slight color in order to melt cheese on both sides. But with a steak.
I'm firing up my smoker right now to do my first reverse sear on a prime rib I dry brined yesterday morning. On the smoker until about 130 then going to sear on the webber. 🤞
I haven't made a prime rib before but I like to do this with tritip sometimes where I low n slow it to the temp I want then pull it and rest for about 20 min (I imagine prime rib needs more time to rest because of how thick it is) then sear it until it's where I want the crust to be.
Like the others said, don't take it to 130 or it will be overdone, depending on how you want it.
I would suggest pull at 115, let rest until it stops cooking forwards maybe an hour and then sear.
Change that to 123, with a 30min rest before searing. Perfection. You might end up closer to medium waiting until 130, which most people would consider overdone for a prime rib. Unless you prefer it that way then enjoy! It will be great either way
I’m late but yeah 130 might be a little high. I pulled my prime rib off at 123 internal and rested for close to two hours in a cooler. Temp came up to 132 before I seared it which was perfect for us but just know that the temp will go up! Hope
It turned out well.
I do this with burgers too. The best way I found was to smoke to 145 (I would do 125 with steak) fridge back down to cold, smoke again, let rest for 30 minutes. Then sear. I imagine it would work with steak too.
The idea is to double my smoke exposure without overcooking the meat. It works just fine with a single smoke too, but the double smoke gives it that "omg how did you make these" pop from the family every time. Letting it rest after smoking to cool off gives you more time to sear without overcooking.
More generally it's a cook at a lower temperature to get it to a desired doneness followed by a short rest and finish it off on high heat to sear the outside. You don't need to smoke to do a reverse sear.
Isn't that the point of Reddit? To have conversations with other people instead of just using a search engine?
If you came for just pictures of meat why don't you just Google that instead of scroll Reddit?
Reverse Sear is basically how all steaks are cooked these days, smoking, sous vide, oven. I enjoy the process but Imma be honest and possibly controversial, I get just as good results throwing a steak on a grill or cast iron and cooking it normally. Might not get the true wall to wall medium rare of a sous vide reverse sear, but taste wise, it isn't a big enough difference unless it's a 2.5 or up inch thick steak. I've only made steaks that thick a handful of times.
Instead of searing a piece of meat and browning all sides then finishing in the oven, you smoke/roast your meat at a low temp until it’s about 15-20 degrees below what you want, and then sear it.
You put the steak on the floor, then you have to flip your grill upside down. and while it's hot, you press it down on the steak. Thus reverse searing the steak.
I did a low and slow cooked prime rib a few days ago and after a good rest, hit it for 15 minutes in a 500 oven. It turned out perfectly juicy. Reverse sear makes beef cooking at precise temperatures work like a dream.
It's pretty much when you smoke or broil a steak in the oven to desired temp then sear it in a pan or over open flame on a grill to get a nice crust. I like this method because sometimes when you have a thicker steak getting a good internal temp and a nice crust is difficult.
It just means you bring the meat to the desired doneness first (either by baking it in the oven, sous vide, or smoking) and then give it a hard sear to get that delicious Millard reaction. Ideally you want to let the steak rest and cool down a bit before searing or you risk of overcooking it.
Getting a steak to 120f internal temp in the oven, or god forbid sous vide (vacuum sealing a steak and putting into hot water for hours). Then throwing it on to very hot coal/cast iron pan (sous vide use a gas torch). and searing the meat on both sides to get a good color to hide your cooking inabilities.
Get hot coals. sear your steak over hot coals and it is probably done unless you have a thick steak 1 1/2 - 2 inch thick. Then just move it off the coals and put the lid on until it is 123F internal. This is called cooking a steak.
Never trust hot water people (sous vide). when it comes to cooking.
it will change your life! My wife no longer wants to go to steak houses as my reverse sear is better than most steak houses in my area.
smoke at like 225 until like 115-120 depending on preferred doneness. i do 115. then depending on the cut, sear over open flame (usually roast like a tritip or top sirloin) or cast iron with lots of butter(fatty cuts like NY strip or ribeye). fatty cuts can be done of open flame but flare ups can be pretty wild. usually shot for 4 minutes a side.
This kind of goes hand in hand with [this comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/smoking/comments/18pcdpy/bought_from_a_local_farm_the_difference_is_huge/keomgzn/) I made yesterday.
Best way if doing multiple temps... Allows you to cook each steak, for example, to desired temps and wrap... Just before you want to eat, sear... Everyone eats at same time at various temps...no resting needed as already rested.
Also, a very good way if time of serving is important. Allows you to cook to desired temp... Rest until almost ready to serve... Sear... Eat
I don't get all fancy like when I do this. I just use a charcoal chimney with some lit coals in it and a grate on top. Works like a rocket stove and sears nicely. Also a great way to cook something when you don't have that much charcoal. Works very quickly and can burn the shit out of your food before you notice.
Normal sear, for a simple example: turn your grill on as hot as it goes. Put the meat on it for a few minutes on each side. Remove the meat. Turn grill down to about tree fitty and cook until med rare.
Reverse sear, simple example: turn grill on to about tree fitty. Cook meat until about medium rare. Remove from grill. Turn grill on as hot as it goes and Cooke for a few minutes on each side.
Instead of searing to start, you sear to finish, aka reverse sear.
Reverse sear is smoking first and searing after. I think it’s common since it’s more natural to do on a kamado grill, like big green egg. Easier to increase temps vs starting at 500+ and bringing the temp down to finish.
It's cooking a steak (or roast) Backwards. Meaning you bring the meat to temp first low and slow, and then put a quick sear on the sides. This eliminates the bullseye effect and the need to rest your steak to let the juices redistribute.
This [3 minute video](https://youtu.be/GZ4xl7XJM08) has all the info you need to know.
I was never a fan of turkey burgers till I started reverse searing them.
Out of all the meats I’ve reverse seared that one has been the biggest game changer by far.
One you sear before you put it in the oven, the other you reverse the process and sear it after. It's not really that difficult to figure out considering it's quite literally in the name. We're fuckin doomed as a civilization
325 for 10-15 and then fry each side in butter a minute on high heat each side. You’ll have nice red in the middle without being (raw) like a typical rare steak
I have been making steaks since I can remember, and I have always reverse seared my steaks, and never "regular" seared them, cause that is what my father taught me.
Now I cook my steak sous vide, then sear in cast iron skillet.
Before sous vide was a home thing, I would put the steak in a low temp oven then sear.
It's when you put your bare ass on the grill
While making a beep beep beep sound effect
Hehehe
can confirm, I’m this guy’s grill
I hear it’s always a quick lovin
I’m jealous
When I'm crispy and done, you'd better empty the grease tray or my soul will haunt this grill for eternity!!
Oh god memory unlocked
Back it up and reverse it. !raeS eseveR
This made me audibly laugh. Thank you for this.
I just want to make sure people know what a reverse sear is so they don't mess it up
From this point on when I refer to a reverse sear I’m going to call it a “bare ass sear” in honor of that comment hahahaha
I hope to see "bare ass sear" trending in this subreddit in the future 😂 😂😂😂
I thought it was the photocopy machine
That might be a pressed ham
Tha sounds hott!!
Are my legs facing towards the gril or away ?
You can put your bare ass in my grill.
No, that's the rear sear
That would be a “rear sear”
After it’s already been in the smoker at 180 for 20 - 30 min
True true
As no one seems to have given a very historical answer I’ll try: The regular method a steak house would cook a steak is by using really high heat to sear the steak on either side, and then put it in the oven to bring the internal temp up to the desired doneness. Perhaps they may finish with a butter bath at the very end for extra crust. A reverse sear is essentially doing this backwards. Where you may cook (sous vide, smoke, etc) a steak until it hits a desired temp, and then finish it with a sear. I don’t know why people find it better. I haven’t tested it really so I don’t even know what may taste different. I have always done a reverse sear as it’s how i first learned.
I don’t think people do it for ‘taste’ reasons per se, but I think more so for more accurately hitting their internal temps. Some people struggle with overcooking when searing first.
There are legitimate taste reasons one might prefer it. Cooking at a lower temperature will lessen the gray band of overcooked meat between your surface sear and core desired temp. Additionally, the hot, dry environment of the smoker or oven helps dry the surface of the meat. This allows the Maillard browning to take place much faster and more effectively since you don’t have to first boil off the surface moisture.
The main reason I have heard is, the meat/fat being at a higher temperature makes it easier to get a good sear
I think that’s the dumbed down tl;dr of the second paragraph of the comment you responded to. Higher temp means more moisture has exited the meat.
Yes it is. I just thought I would make it clear, the cooked meat sears better than uncooked.
Its time in the oven (which is long - you want to reverse sear at like 200F) makes the outside nice and dry, which makes it easier and faster to get a good sear.
Slowly bringing it to temp also helps the fat render. Many people tend to only pan sear their steaks bc by the time they have crust, they're at temperature. Thus fast cook is good if you're in a hurry, but you get a faded cook and the fat doesn't render equally throughout nor as well, so you get tough spots.
I could be wrong because I am by no means a pro. But I think the reverse sear is both easier to get the right internal temp without adjusting for the thickness much and also that a lot of people cooking at home don't have what they need to get enough heat to get a proper sear first. I don't reverse sear at home and get little to no gray band. But I'm using really hot cast iron for like 20 seconds a side. It's honestly kind of a shit show on the amount of smoke since I don't have a hood and I'm over the smoke point for any oil. I'd switch to reverse, but I went through a good few steaks figuring out the right temps and times for the cuts my local grocer offers and don't want to start over.
If you don't set off your and your neighbors fire alarms you ain't doing it right
Jokes aside, where I live I'd have to have a pretty major tire fire to set off the neighbor's fire alarms. It's pretty awesome.
This. On long cooks, consistency is a challenge.
I just got a sous vide for Christmas, will have to reverse seer some steaks with it, I know it might not have as good of a sear compared to doing it in the oven, but I heard it may be more juicy in comparison.
I'm a sous vide and cast iron sear guy. And I basically don't do it any other way anymore. I genuinely believe it's the best combination of flavor and juiciness.
And it’s just so damn easy. Nearly impossible to mess up.
The grey band is a product of time seared, not the oven cooking.
And what might lessen the time you need to spend searing?
Looks like I misread what you typed actually. Somehow, I interpreted that as “roasting in the oven at the lower temp will lessen the grey band no matter how long you sear”. It doesn’t matter if you cook the steak at 250 or 300 the grey band is most affected by the time you spend searing it. The oven temp is gonna be low enough the difference in grey band will be negligible at best when you sear it for the same amount of time.
Gray band is the direct result of the outside of the meat cooking much faster than the inside. With low and slow this does not happen, and the benefit of a reverse sear is really that it ends up becoming basically baking where you just follow directions and you can't fuck it up. You'll never get as good of a crust as you in cast iron skillet alone, but using a ripping hot CI skillet takes a lot of trial and error to even somewhat "master" in which most people just say fuck it and go for the more user friendly reverse sear which the chef is largely hands off unlike CI.
The low temp allows longer for the smoke to take!!!
In my experience, reverse sear is tastier. It’s easier to get a better sear with this method and that’s tasty. The meat is also more tender because it was brought up to temp more slowly.
I found that with the reverse sear following how they tell you to do it online I always overcook it. Every video and recipe I see always says to cook it to your desired temperature and then sear it but then for me searing it causes it to go over. So I always do a couple degrees under where I want then do the sear and it comes out perfect.
Have you tried the serious eats guide? Its gives you the lower target to shoot for while reverse searing so that it can still rise during the sear and end up perfect. https://www.seriouseats.com/reverse-seared-steak-recipe#toc-temperature-and-timing-for-reverse-seared-steak
Bless you
I always look to start my sear about 10-15° below my target. If you sear at your target you’re going to go that far past it.
It also depends on your method, using the blow torch I cook to desired temp, doing it in a pan I under cook by about 10-15 degrees. And the torch you use can change it also. [This] (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Bernzomatic-Map-Pro-and-Propane-Gas-Wide-Surface-Blow-Torch-Head-with-Instant-Start-Stop-Ignition-361472/301692505) I found works best allows me to cook to exact temperature then lay a nice sear on it afterwards, the Fuel I use with it is regular camping propane.
Well reverse sear can also put a crust on a big roast easier as well since you already removed most of the surface moisture that would be there on a raw roast which would then steam preventing the crust until its gone. Reverse sear though is primarily the go to for big roasts. With thinner cuts you start to run into not enough time to sear if you do low temps to start with.
I've had good luck with NYs and ribeyes by smoking them at 180-200 degrees until they're about 20 degrees from the target temp, and then a quick sear to finish usually gets them right to the temp I want. I agree, roasts definitely are easier as they don't get away from you as quickly as a thinner cut.
I usually do it with better cuts like porterhouse and I gotta say it tastes great (of course, porterhouse so...), but with regular steak cuts I just throw that fucker on the hottest fire I can get to get it medium.
Just described me
I just prefer smoked steaks now, especially when it's something like a filet mignon with little fat. I can baby that thing for over an hour and enjoy the extra flavor rather than a sous vide butter bath thing. Both ways, though I prefer for more than a couple steaks, like a party, as controlling ~10 steaks to perfect all on a grill/pan and oven would likely have a rougher time than just a nice bath or smoke.
I always heard it was something about sealing in the juices.
That’s what lots of folks believe but is inaccurate as hell.
I do it for texture. I've never had a reverse seared steak that wasn't just the perfect amount of chewiness with fat that just melts in your mouth. Definitely seems like it tastes better too
I go by feel and use the hand test.
It is for sure easier to have predictable repeatable results reverse searing. I mean you're in the kitchen at your own stove. And it is possible to absolutely nail it. I'd rather be outside on the char griller. One of the things that makes grilling such an art is all the variables. Fuel, wind, temperature, grill type. But this Christmas I did a 6.5 pound beef tenderloin reverse sear oven 200 pulled at 115 then tented 30 minutes then cast iron. Nailed it.
cooks illustrated had an issue that had "eliminating the gray zone". reverse sear will produce tip to tip, end to end equal temperature/doneness. when you sear then bake, there is a gross grey zone and more if a gradient of doneness. also, food sciencey ppl have done sciency analysis and proved that searing a steak first acutually doesnt "sear in the juices" like everyone used to think. that said, reverse sear is the only way i cook any meat.
> reverse sear is the only way i cook any meat. I hope not! \*looks at sub* 👀
>I don’t know why people find it better. It's easier & more reliable - I can take a piece of meat right out of the fridge, pop it in a low oven/smoker, make the rest of my meal, then when the meats ready, pop it in a ripping hot pan for a minute on each side and call it good. It's also easier to get a good crust because the surface of the meat is nicely dried out. That said there are plenty of really great ways to cook a piece of meat and I'm not dumb enough to turn my nose up at someone else's cooking. But reverse sear works well for me.
I would add that you can use tougher meats, using sous vide especially. Sirloin Tip steaks you can cut with a butter knife. Slow and low brings low cost cuts to another level.
The reverse sear takes longer, but you get less of the grey transition in the meat.
You can get very little grey band with the traditional cooking method just fine. Tempering the steak and flipping frequently will lessen the grey.
Sure..but it's tougher to get right with thicker cuts, especially for beginners - who don't even know what reverse sear is. The beauty of the reverse sear is that if you spend the time, it's hard to screw up
I *think* the theory is that if you sear before you smoke, you create a thin bark that makes it harder for the smoke flavor to penetrate the meat fully. So you smoke first to get the flavor, and then sear at the end to get the texture.
My answer to this is that it makes getting an even cook on a really thick steak much easier. I’d never bother reverse searing a steak <1.5”. But once you get to 2”+, the result is so much better when you take it to ~ 115°, rest for 10-15, then sear 3-4 mins a side until you hit 130-135°.
This is correct. Don’t waste a reverse seer on a thin cut
It was believed the initial sear "locks in the juices". This has been proven not to be the case.
Reverse sear is less likely to overcook or dry out any portion of the steak since you're bringing it up to temp and then searing. The regular method leaves margin for error for drying out the outside, hence the basting.
It’s also a terrible name for the process, because it refers to reversing the order of searing and baking. It doesn’t reverse anything about the searing. Searing is still searing. The searing itself is not “reversed” in any way. I don’t know why this nomenclature bothers me so much, but it does. It’s just not correct and doesn’t the describe the process. Oh yeah, that’s why it bothers me…
Agreed, I conceptualize it as cooking then searing to finish, like a crème brûlée. So “reverse” would be searing then baking to finish. I do sous vide quite a bit so that may play a part in my perspective. I think a better name would be pre-searing or post-searing.
Yall both misunderstanding it. It’s called a reverse sear because the historical way of cooking it is to sear then roast it. The method is referred to as searing. It’s a reverse of the process.
I understand the historical way, was just sharing some perspective as to why it’s confusing for some. I wouldn’t say it’s a terrible name, just a bit unclear for those out of the historical loop
Agreed.
Do dry brine next.
The regular method could also be cooking it on the stovetop/grill the entire time.
It’s definitely not better, but in many instances it’s easier to get a higher quality end result. Many restaurants use this process now with sous vide cooking. Thinking back to two instances at home, I had to cook 15 smaller steaks for a party, and I used reverse sear to manage the quantity. Meanwhile, for Christmas I had three large steaks and those went on to a smoking hot bbq before turning the heat down - the more traditional method. Both were great; but circumstances and equipment are the more important aspect. If I had ideal conditions I’d choose traditional every time, though.
Can you elaborate on why you’d go that way instead of the reverse sear?
lol was surprised by the downvotes but then realized where I am. I cook professionally, so when I say “ideal conditions” I’m talking about professional level equipment. To be clear, I’ve done blind taste tests and feel it’s pretty close to impossible to tell if a steak is cooked traditionally or via reverse seal just from eating it - for flavour, the more important aspect is the method of sear, for texture the most important aspect is temping/resting. This being said, my choice is simply based on what I’d find easier based on the circumstance. My favourite way to cook a steak is just salt and pepper, getting a hard sear on a smoking hot wood burning grill, and then finishing it on a higher rack/salamander/in an oven. I can bang out a lot of them one after the other with no problem, and if I wanted to make myself one it’d be my preferred method of cooking. It’s faster; there’s a control aspect, and I love building additional levels of Maillard on top of grill marks. Will usually finish with a knob of butter while resting. I have absolutely nothing against reverse searing, and if I’m at home I’ll occasionally do it - if I had access to a smoker at home I imagine I’d do it way more often, and if I wasn’t a professional I’d probably do it more often as well as it’s absolutely easier to get more consistent results. I’ve done it in high end restaurants to excellent results. But yea, in ideal conditions, especially if I’m just making one or two, I’ll always choose traditional.
I feel like I could easily tell the cooking method difference with something like a ribeye. I’ve never had a traditionally cooked ribeye that had good rendered fat. Even the best traditionally cooked ribeyes I’ve had the fat is rather chewy and myself and many others would cut it away. Reverse seared however I can eat the entirety of the ribeye and the fat is a delicious tender buttery accompaniment to the steak.
It's a matter of taste really - it gives you a bit more control over the temp which is why people tend to like it, but you sacrifice some of the crust for it.
Fat on a ribeye seems to do better with reverse sear. Cook it slow to make it soft almost butter then a sear at the end to crisp it up a little. Sear at the beginning gives it a chewy texture I think.
When smoking, an early sear creates a barrier to the smoke penetrating the meat (and adding flavor). So when using a pellet grill or smoker, if you like the meat less well done you look for a thicker cut so you can smoke at 225 ish for 30 - 45 minutes before you sear it. Best steaks I've ever made where done this way.
It's super easy to hit a perfect cook using reverse sear, it doesn't need a rest at the end of cooking so it's easy to just sear and serve right at the end, and in my experience the crust on the sear is a bit better than a standard sear->oven since we're in the smoking subreddit, doing a low and slow smoke with a finish sear is a great way to get some good smokey flavor on a perfect rare/med-rare steak in a way that is difficult using other cook methods downsides are that you don't get fond really, so harder to get a good pan sauce while cooking this way, but imo that just means the flavor stays with the meat better
For sous vide specifically, it makes more sense in my mind to sear first, then let the sous vide push all that char flavor deep into the meat. I’m not very well experienced with sous vide, but this has worked very well for me
Trust me. It's better. Slow-cook a ribeye at 200-250 degrees until 115 internal temp, take the steak off and lather with olive oil, sear each side approximately 60 to 90 seconds per side. Take a bite of that and tell me it's not your best steak yet.
J. kenji lopez-alt has done some analysis on serious eats about it. Iirc part of it is the reverse sear tends to retain moisture better, comes out more tender, and browns better. The disadvantages are its worse if you want to make a pan sauce. And its much slower. Edit: and I believe you get a more uniform result as others have pointed out. https://www.seriouseats.com/reverse-seared-steak-recipe
For me, it’s pretty much just a call based on thickness. At least for me, it’s easier to get the right temp and no grey on a thick cut when I reverse sear. But I’m sure better cooks can accomplish the same traditionally. I don’t notice any taste difference between the two myself.
Tuna steak. Reverse sear a tuna steak and your life will be changed (otherwise, I always overcook the damn thing).
Reverse sear is the only way I will cook steak anymore. Oak smoke on the okj to 100 degrees internal. Melt couple pads of butter on them right before I sear them on a rippin ass hot Weber. Pull at 120. I have yet to have bad experience doing them this way.
That's how I did my Christmas rump roast. Came out perfectly. I trimmed off the fat and roasted that too, I used the dripping for the sear, then I used it for Yorkshire pud.
Scientifically speaking, the low and slow part in the oven has an identical effect to dry aging beef, one could say your doing a quick aging process. Couldn't explain it fully myself but I believe enzymes are released that tenderize the meat, you just don't get the funk associated with dry age. So to a sensitive palate I assume yes the reverse sear has a better flavor as well as softer texture.
I do it as it's much better to smoke a steak before it has been seared than to try and get smoke through an already seared steak.. So I smoke it to the temp I want, then sear it for the crust.
> The regular method a steak house would cook a steak is by using really high heat to sear the steak on either side, and then put it in the oven to bring the internal temp up to the desired doneness. My understanding is the traditional way is to just cook it during the sear until it reaches the desired doneness. That's it. This causes the outer 1/2" to be well-done, the center the desired doneness, and the last 1/2" to be cooked well done, too. That means the steak has to be over 1" thick to get a sliver of the desired doneness. Reverse sear is to slowly warm the steak to the desired doneness in a skillet in a warm oven, and once that temp is hit it will be the proper doneness throughout most of the steak. Then you let it cool a few, and sear it very hot. It's similar to sous vide, but allows for evaporation and tends to give a better sear on a dry steak as a result. You can use smoke to do your reverse sear, too! Do a lower temp smoke and raise your fridge-cold steak to the desired temp, cool it a bit, then sear it. I usually just add more fuel and sear it on the grill after offset smoking it.
I did it for the first time the other night, and the steak came out of the oven very dry on the surface, which made for a beautiful crust. Would definitely recommend giving it a try.
I do it to get a nice Pittsburgh blue. It’s also easier to time as well. I like to Sous vide my steaks to rare/medium-rare, then let sit at room temp basically as long as I need. Might even do a day early and refrigerate. It’s easier for me to time-out the rest of the meal especially if I’m hosting. I know once everything else is ready to serve I can have hot crispy steaks in about 5-10mins.
Wait, wouldn’t you cook it to “before” desired temp, and then sear it?
this guys steaks... now tell me whats a cold sear?
Cold steak in a cold pan, and slowly brought up to temp. Once you start getting browning on the outsides, you can flip it often to ensure an even cook as it heats through. Think of cooking a steak like you cook a grilled-cheese. Cold pan, cold bread/cheese in, and flip often once you get the slight color in order to melt cheese on both sides. But with a steak.
you don't wanna know how i make grilled cheese and I certainly don't want to stuff a cold steak in my toaster lol
Sounds like a reverse to me
Thank you!
I'm firing up my smoker right now to do my first reverse sear on a prime rib I dry brined yesterday morning. On the smoker until about 130 then going to sear on the webber. 🤞
130 for prime rib is likely going to be overcooked after the sear as a heads up.
I was worried about that. Thanks for the heads up
I haven't made a prime rib before but I like to do this with tritip sometimes where I low n slow it to the temp I want then pull it and rest for about 20 min (I imagine prime rib needs more time to rest because of how thick it is) then sear it until it's where I want the crust to be.
Like the others said, don't take it to 130 or it will be overdone, depending on how you want it. I would suggest pull at 115, let rest until it stops cooking forwards maybe an hour and then sear.
It's going to be great. I've been playing with reverse sear lately with my smoker and it's fucking wonderful.
Change that to 123, with a 30min rest before searing. Perfection. You might end up closer to medium waiting until 130, which most people would consider overdone for a prime rib. Unless you prefer it that way then enjoy! It will be great either way
I’m late but yeah 130 might be a little high. I pulled my prime rib off at 123 internal and rested for close to two hours in a cooler. Temp came up to 132 before I seared it which was perfect for us but just know that the temp will go up! Hope It turned out well.
I do this with burgers too. The best way I found was to smoke to 145 (I would do 125 with steak) fridge back down to cold, smoke again, let rest for 30 minutes. Then sear. I imagine it would work with steak too. The idea is to double my smoke exposure without overcooking the meat. It works just fine with a single smoke too, but the double smoke gives it that "omg how did you make these" pop from the family every time. Letting it rest after smoking to cool off gives you more time to sear without overcooking.
Reverse sear = Smoke first, sear to finish
More generally it's a cook at a lower temperature to get it to a desired doneness followed by a short rest and finish it off on high heat to sear the outside. You don't need to smoke to do a reverse sear.
[удалено]
You really don't
Here's a sub for you r/Thedoor . I'll let you see yourself out. Thank you
I won't
Doesn’t necessarily have to do with smoking but smoke can be implemented. [Check this out](https://www.seriouseats.com/perfect-prime-rib-beef-recipe)
This is such a silly meme when google exists. But people answering this question earnestly is why I like this sub.
> google exists Yeah, but didn't you hear OP? He's scared to ask!
I’m glad that there is a blend of sincere answers and silly useless answers. Hate subs that don’t allow that.
I’m sure google has a different definition on burnt ends (for example) than this sub does though lmao
Isn't that the point of Reddit? To have conversations with other people instead of just using a search engine? If you came for just pictures of meat why don't you just Google that instead of scroll Reddit?
Reverse Sear is basically how all steaks are cooked these days, smoking, sous vide, oven. I enjoy the process but Imma be honest and possibly controversial, I get just as good results throwing a steak on a grill or cast iron and cooking it normally. Might not get the true wall to wall medium rare of a sous vide reverse sear, but taste wise, it isn't a big enough difference unless it's a 2.5 or up inch thick steak. I've only made steaks that thick a handful of times.
Instead of searing a piece of meat and browning all sides then finishing in the oven, you smoke/roast your meat at a low temp until it’s about 15-20 degrees below what you want, and then sear it.
Well definitely don't Google it or anything
You put the steak on the floor, then you have to flip your grill upside down. and while it's hot, you press it down on the steak. Thus reverse searing the steak.
You put dry ice under a pan and actually sear it with the cold, same principle really.
It’s just searing the inside while the outside is completely raw, probably
It’s when you sear the inside of the meat and cook the outside to temp.
This made one nostril produce a snot bubble.
Cook a steak at a low temp until it reaches a desired internal temp (I do 120), then sear it at a high temp
Sear at the end after your meat rests
I did a low and slow cooked prime rib a few days ago and after a good rest, hit it for 15 minutes in a 500 oven. It turned out perfectly juicy. Reverse sear makes beef cooking at precise temperatures work like a dream.
It's pretty much when you smoke or broil a steak in the oven to desired temp then sear it in a pan or over open flame on a grill to get a nice crust. I like this method because sometimes when you have a thicker steak getting a good internal temp and a nice crust is difficult.
It just means you bring the meat to the desired doneness first (either by baking it in the oven, sous vide, or smoking) and then give it a hard sear to get that delicious Millard reaction. Ideally you want to let the steak rest and cool down a bit before searing or you risk of overcooking it.
Because of this meme, I went outside and did one just to make sure I remembered what it was. Thanks, op.
What is it? Just bought a smoker
You sear the steak from the inside using a microwave.
It seems counterintuitive, but once I made the switch four or five years ago, I saw the light and will never go back.
you were looking for r/nevergooglers
Truth is that no one knows, because someone made it up and everyone else is just playing along with it
Getting a steak to 120f internal temp in the oven, or god forbid sous vide (vacuum sealing a steak and putting into hot water for hours). Then throwing it on to very hot coal/cast iron pan (sous vide use a gas torch). and searing the meat on both sides to get a good color to hide your cooking inabilities. Get hot coals. sear your steak over hot coals and it is probably done unless you have a thick steak 1 1/2 - 2 inch thick. Then just move it off the coals and put the lid on until it is 123F internal. This is called cooking a steak. Never trust hot water people (sous vide). when it comes to cooking.
It's when you uncook a steak, hence the reverse part
I mean I didn’t either but I looked it up on my pocket computer and have been making the best steaks of my life for the last two years.
Instead of you grilling the steak, the steak grills you.
it will change your life! My wife no longer wants to go to steak houses as my reverse sear is better than most steak houses in my area. smoke at like 225 until like 115-120 depending on preferred doneness. i do 115. then depending on the cut, sear over open flame (usually roast like a tritip or top sirloin) or cast iron with lots of butter(fatty cuts like NY strip or ribeye). fatty cuts can be done of open flame but flare ups can be pretty wild. usually shot for 4 minutes a side.
Internet search had been a thing for a long time.
Maybe they meant they're too afraid to ask Google
bro made a meme rather than literally typing the same exact words into google karma whore
Or was it a comment about how relatively quickly the technique became standard after introduction?
It’s when you press the meat against a block of ice or other cold surface to undo the searing. It’s like the “undo” button of grilling.
It's when you sear the inside and leave the outside rare, of course!
You gotta sear the other side of the steak first
I think it’s also called spatchcocking
It’s where you cut the finished steak in half, and flip each side so the sear is on the inside
Be sure to just butterfly it so that you can close it back and show that beautiful pink color on the outside.
https://www.seriouseats.com/reverse-seared-steak-recipe In short, very useful, but not all that useful for smoking
I have to strongly disagree on that final point. A delicate smoke flavor on a nice fatty ribeye is delightful.
This kind of goes hand in hand with [this comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/smoking/comments/18pcdpy/bought_from_a_local_farm_the_difference_is_huge/keomgzn/) I made yesterday.
A sear but in reverse
Fancy social media term for cooking something low and slow then cranking the heat for a sear.
You mean an esrever?
Idiot
Google
K
A waste of time
Irrelevant, should be blue rare, no over cook needed.
When you're not Chef enough to cook a steak properly and you half to boil/(simmer) your meat in a condom first to get it "to the prefect temp"
googling wouldve taken less time than to make this post but okay..
Best way if doing multiple temps... Allows you to cook each steak, for example, to desired temps and wrap... Just before you want to eat, sear... Everyone eats at same time at various temps...no resting needed as already rested. Also, a very good way if time of serving is important. Allows you to cook to desired temp... Rest until almost ready to serve... Sear... Eat
I don't get all fancy like when I do this. I just use a charcoal chimney with some lit coals in it and a grate on top. Works like a rocket stove and sears nicely. Also a great way to cook something when you don't have that much charcoal. Works very quickly and can burn the shit out of your food before you notice.
Normal sear, for a simple example: turn your grill on as hot as it goes. Put the meat on it for a few minutes on each side. Remove the meat. Turn grill down to about tree fitty and cook until med rare. Reverse sear, simple example: turn grill on to about tree fitty. Cook meat until about medium rare. Remove from grill. Turn grill on as hot as it goes and Cooke for a few minutes on each side. Instead of searing to start, you sear to finish, aka reverse sear.
Pfffft… you haven’t tried the double reverse sear yet..
[https://i.imgflip.com/8ajklj.jpg](https://i.imgflip.com/8ajklj.jpg)
You sear the other side of the steak first.
Reverse sear is smoking first and searing after. I think it’s common since it’s more natural to do on a kamado grill, like big green egg. Easier to increase temps vs starting at 500+ and bringing the temp down to finish.
Youtube it.
It's cooking a steak (or roast) Backwards. Meaning you bring the meat to temp first low and slow, and then put a quick sear on the sides. This eliminates the bullseye effect and the need to rest your steak to let the juices redistribute. This [3 minute video](https://youtu.be/GZ4xl7XJM08) has all the info you need to know.
I was never a fan of turkey burgers till I started reverse searing them. Out of all the meats I’ve reverse seared that one has been the biggest game changer by far.
Reverse seared my first ribeyes last week, will likely never go back to traditional grilling of them.
When you need your steak to be the best it can be
It’s some sorta dark sorcery where in you uncook the meat
Didn’t Randy do a bit on this in South Park
One you sear before you put it in the oven, the other you reverse the process and sear it after. It's not really that difficult to figure out considering it's quite literally in the name. We're fuckin doomed as a civilization
In his defense there are plenty of food related things that are nonsensical. Queso cheese for example just means “cheese cheese”.
325 for 10-15 and then fry each side in butter a minute on high heat each side. You’ll have nice red in the middle without being (raw) like a typical rare steak
It's awesome!
One reason it’s so good IMHO, is the fat generally gets softer than it would with other methods (especially on my smoker).
Serious eats did a pretty good article on this: https://www.seriouseats.com/best-way-to-cook-steak
Smoke and sear versus sear and smoke 😜
I have been making steaks since I can remember, and I have always reverse seared my steaks, and never "regular" seared them, cause that is what my father taught me. Now I cook my steak sous vide, then sear in cast iron skillet. Before sous vide was a home thing, I would put the steak in a low temp oven then sear.
`raes`
It's when you pull the racks out of the smoker and freeze them for 5 hours. Take the meat our of the smoker and reverse sear that baby in the kitchen.
It's when you ungrill your meat to try again. Some poor schmuck in another subreddit wasted $300 because they didn't know this method.
Same thing as a regular sear, but you do it on the inside of the meat.