Reverse-Seared Ribeye Steak
Thick bone-in ribeyes roasted low and slow, then seared in a ripping-hot skillet and basted with garlic herb butter for edge-to-edge pink.
By Marisol Vance, Founder & Head of Recipe Development
Published November 4, 2025
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 1 hr
- Total
- 1 hr 10 min
- Servings
- 4
- Level
- Medium
The reverse sear flips the usual steakhouse method. Instead of searing first, you gently bring a thick ribeye up to temperature in a low oven, then finish it with a short, blazing-hot sear. The result is even pink from edge to edge, with almost no gray band and a crust that shatters.
A dry brine makes a big difference. Salting the steaks and leaving them uncovered on a rack seasons the meat deeply and dries the surface, which is exactly what you want for fast browning.
Basting with butter, garlic and herbs in the final minute adds nutty richness. Serve with roasted potatoes and a crisp salad, or crumble a little blue cheese over the top if you want to lean into indulgence.
- Edge-to-edge pink doneness
- Deep crackling crust
- Garlic herb butter baste
Ingredients
Directions
Pat the steaks dry and season all over, including the edges, with the kosher salt. Set them on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
Heat the oven to 250 degrees F. Season the steaks with the pepper and leave them on the rack.
Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into the center reads 115 degrees F for medium-rare, 40 to 60 minutes depending on thickness. Start checking at 35 minutes.
Remove the steaks from the oven and let them sit on the rack while you heat the pan, up to 10 minutes.
Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat until it is smoking hot, about 5 minutes. Add the oil and swirl to coat.
Pat the steaks dry again and lay them in the skillet. Sear without moving until a dark crust forms, about 1 minute, then flip and sear the second side for 1 minute.
Reduce the heat to medium, add the butter, garlic, thyme and rosemary, and tilt the pan so the butter pools.
Spoon the foaming butter over the steaks continuously for 30 to 45 seconds, turning once.
Use tongs to hold each steak on its fat-cap edge in the pan for about 30 seconds to render and crisp the fat.
Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and rest for 5 minutes. Cut the meat away from the bone, slice against the grain, and finish with flaky salt and a spoonful of the garlic butter.
Test-kitchen tips
- Leftover steak keeps for 3 days. Slice it cold and warm it very briefly in a hot skillet, or serve it cold over a salad so it stays pink.
- Pull the steaks from the oven at 105 degrees F for rare, 115 degrees F for medium-rare and 125 degrees F for medium; the sear adds about 10 degrees.
- This method works for any steak at least 1 1/2 inches thick, including strip, porterhouse and thick-cut sirloin.
