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    Home » Kitchen Laughter Recipes Blog » Beef

    How to Grill a Reverse Sear Cowboy Ribeye {60 Minutes}

    Published: Apr 16, 2021 by Jason C · This post may contain affiliate links ·

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    What better way to celebrate a special day than by grilling a super nice Reverse Sear Cowboy Ribeye? There are a few steps involved, and the end result will be totally worth it!

    cowboy ribeye on the big green egg grill over direct heat with flames under the steak.
    How to Make the Perfect Reverse Sear Cowboy Ribeye
    Contents hide
    1 🍽️ Why This Recipe Works
    2 🥩 Ingredients
    3 🔥 Instructions
    4 📌 Expert Tips
    5 🌡️ Temperature
    6 Recipe FAQs
    7 Reverse Sear Cowboy Ribeye

    I am a huge fan of supporting our local farmers and found Long Stone Farm up in Lovettsville, Virginia that had an adorable self-serve farm stand. I dragged my son up there and found a great selection of super thick ribeyes.

    We made the mistake to feed our son good cuts of meat when he was younger.  It proved to be costly, as he really does prefer a good filet or premium cut of meat.  Heck, when I was a kid, it was a big deal when it was my dad’s payday as we got to buy some red meat.  Yeah, it’s another “when I was a kid…” story.  I’m not sure why, but my son didn’t appreciate it! 😀

    🍽️ Why This Recipe Works

    • One of the best steaks you’ll sink your teeth into.
    • It can be prepped in just five minutes.
    • You only need three ingredients.
    • Will impress even the toughest crowds.

    🥩 Ingredients

    You only need three ingredients to make these incredible reverse sear cowboy ribeye’s.

    ingredient photo showing the ribeye with salt and pepper on the grill grate with labels.
    Just Three Ingredients!
    • Ribeye – You’ll need to be looking for a cowboy ribeye that is thick cut. It’s going to be super flavorful and juicy.
    • Salt & Pepper – Yep, that is all you need! A little bit of sea salt and coarse black pepper and it will be perfection.

    🔥 Instructions

    The reverse sear method slowly cooks a thick steak first over indirect heat, and then finishes the cook with a direct flame sear.  

    process photos showing the trimmed ribeye, adding salt and pepper, and then grilling from indirect to direct heat.
    Simple Instructions for Starting with Indirect and Finishing with Direct Heat

    Step One: Season the steak with a little bit of salt and pepper. You want the flavor of the ribeye to be the star of the show, not the rub.

    Step Two: On the Big Green Egg, I added the plate setter to create an indirect heat cook.  For a gas grill, turn off the center burners. Set the temperature to about 250 degrees and added a nice, thick ribeye to the grill to slowly come up to temperature.

    The goal here is to evenly cook the steak to about 10 degrees cooler than your final desired temperature.  I like my steaks medium rare (~130 degrees), so I slowly grilled the steak until the temperature was 120 degrees.  

    This is not the time to skimp on using a wireless meat thermometer. I wrote a review post on my favorite wireless thermometer.  I spent a lot of money on this Cowboy Ribeye, and the last thing I wanted to do was to overcook it.  (Let’s not tell my wife how much it cost, ok?)

    Step Three: Now, set up the grill for direct heat at 350-400 degrees. It is time to create that flavorful sear. Grill each side of the ribeye for four minutes and you will have a perfectly grilled reverse sear ribeye.

    📌 Expert Tips

    Normally, for thinner cuts of meat, there is no problem with throwing it on a hot grill and sear the steak immediately.  Because the cut is thinner, by the time the outside has the nice sear, the inside will be cooked to your desired temperature.

    That direct heat technique won’t work on thicker cuts of meat, though.  If you put it on direct heat, the outside will cook much faster than the inside, resulting in an overcooked outside and an undercooked inside.  Blech!

    So, any time you plan to grill a thicker cut to grill, think about using the reverse searing method.  When you close the lid of the grill it will cook the steak evenly throughout and then you can get that nice sear at the end, after the inside is near the desired temperature.

    The term “cowboy ribeye” refers to a much thicker (up to 2”) cut that is not separated from the rib.  It is also called a bone-in prime ribeye or a Tomahawk Steak.  You may find this at a higher end grocery store’s meat department, but I have had the best luck ordering from the butcher.  Make sure that it is cut thick.

    Alternatively, to change the flavor a bit on this cowboy, make a batch of Bourbon Salt and use that instead of regular salt to add just a tad bit of sweetness.

    thick and lightly seasoned ribeye on the grill over indirect heat.
    Lightly Season to Keep the Flavor of the Steak as the Highlight

    🌡️ Temperature

    I set my grill for indirect heat at 250 degrees.  It took the steak about 45 minutes to reach the desired temperature.  Don’t worry about the time as much as the temperature. 

    The key to a great reverse sear is getting the internal temperature to about 10 degrees below the desired final temperature during the indirect heating.

    Recipe FAQs

    What is the difference between ribeye and cowboy ribeye?

    Cowboy ribeyes are larger, juicier, and have a large bone sticking out of the meat. They are really good-looking and are more impressive than traditional ribeyes. Other than that, there isn’t much difference as far as the flavor.

    How do you save leftover steak?

    While these ribeyes are better when they are first cooked, you can save them as leftovers. They will actually last in the refrigerator for up to four days. Keep them airtight and reheat before eating.

    How do you reheat leftover steak?

    You can actually reheat steak in the oven and have decent results. You’ll need to turn the oven to 250 degrees F. Then, place the steaks on a baking sheet that has been covered with foil. Warm for 15-20 minutes or until they reach the desired temperature. Let them rest for a few minutes, then dig in.

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    Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with me through social media by following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!

    cowboy ribeye on the big green egg grill over direct heat with flames under the steak.

    Reverse Sear Cowboy Ribeye

    Learn the easy steps to grill your own reverse sear ribeye steaks for a phenomenal meal!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour 8 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 13 minutes
    Servings: 3 people
    Calories: 158kcal
    Author: Jason

    Ingredients

    • 1 Ribeye Cowboy, Thick Cut
    • 1 pinch Salt Sea
    • 1 pinch Pepper Coarse Ground

    Instructions

    • Pat the cowboy ribeye dry and bring it up to room temperature.  Apply a sprinkling of sea salt and coarse ground black pepper on both sides.  I highly recommend staying away from other ingredients and this ribeye is one of the most flavorful cuts of beef, and you will want that flavor to be the star of the show.  
    • Set up your grill or smoker to indirect heat and dial in the temperature to 250 degrees.  For the Big Green Egg, I installed the plate setter.  Your grill may require a different set up.
    • Add the ribeye to the center of the grate and insert your wireless meat thermometer.  Let it cook until it is 10 degrees lower than your desired cooking temperature. 
    • When the steak is at your target temperature, remove it and set up the grill for direct heat.  Now is the time to add the tasty and gorgeous sear marks. Set the grill temperature to 350 degrees and add the steaks back to the grill.
    • Grill each side of the ribeye for four minutes.  That will give it enough time to caramelize and develop that sear.  The internal temperature should be just below your final desired temp, and it is time to remove.  After you remove it, it will continue to rise in temperature slightly.
    • This is the hardest part.  Wait.  Seriously.  Let the ribeye rest for 10-15 minutes before diving in.  The resting allows the juices to settle in and will result in a super juicy and flavorful cowboy ribeye that will knock your socks off!

    Notes

    No Flipping: Don’t worry about flipping the steak over during the indirect cooking phase.  Since the lid is closed, and it is on indirect heat, the grill is serving more as an oven to bring the steak up to temperature without overcooking the outside.
    Storage: While these cowboy ribeyes are better when they are first cooked, you can save them as leftovers. They will actually last in the refrigerator for up to four days. Keep them airtight and reheat before eating.
    Reheating: You can actually reheat steak in the oven and have decent results. You’ll need to turn the oven to 250 degrees F. Then, place the steaks on a baking sheet that has been covered with foil. Warm for 15-20 minutes or until they reach the desired temperature. Let them rest for a few minutes, then dig in. 
    Don’t Over Season: This is the steak that allows you to not over season it as the taste is fantastic all on its own. Allow yourself the joy of not worrying about what seasoning to use, salt and pepper are great or add a bit of garlic salt/powder if you like. The key here is to get a tender, juicy THICK steak. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 158kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 63mg | Potassium: 207mg | Fiber: 1g | Vitamin A: 12IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @kitchenlaughter or tag #kitchenlaughter!
    How to Grill a Reverse Sear Cowboy Ribeye {60 Minutes}How to Grill a Reverse Sear Cowboy Ribeye {60 Minutes}
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