My first reverse sear…just meh..

[bgaviator]

My first time reverse searing ribeyes. Picked up these ginormous steaks for $10.99/lb at Kroger. I figured the only way to cook steaks this thick was to do reverse sear. Unfortunately despite looking good, the taste was very disappointing. First, we normally use KC Masterpiece Classic Steakhouse marinade on our steaks. It’s a flavor my family really likes. The marinade seemed to not penetrate these thick steaks at all so you couldn’t taste it. I also decided to add a couple chunks of Oak wood during the low temp phase. Basically all you could taste on the steaks was the wood smoke. My wife didn’t care for this at all. I don’t mind wood smoke but she’s more sensitive to it and doesn’t particularly like it on her steaks. I feel like a dry seasoning would have been better than a wet marinade for this reverse sear application. I took the steaks to 115° internal and pulled them off and wrapped them in foil while I waited for the Joe to get screaming hot. 600°. I then seared them for only like a minute on each side and the internal temp was hitting 125-130. I pulled them and rested them while we were waiting for the sweet corn to get done. I noticed when I probe checked them just before we ate the internal temps in some spots were now reading 140-145°. Despite the meat being evenly cooked throughout I feel like the steaks came out more medium than medium rare. Was there really that much carryover cooking? I thought that was a myth? I did wrap them in foil after they were done to keep them warm while we were waiting on our corn. Could wrapping them have kept the temp creeping up too high? Look forward to your tips for doing this better next time.

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

I did the same thing last week. I had about the same steak as you did. I meant to take off at 115 but was 125 time I got it off. Let rest while fire came up. Did not wrap. Did 30 seconds each side then tented with foil. It was medium at best. Looked like a really nice Ribeye to start but disappointed with it also.

 

[civilsmoker]

Just a couple thoughts. On the rest. Yes the covering them with foil for the rest carried them over....once to temp they should rest on a elevated rack to stop them from cooking.

since your wife is sensitive to smoke flavor there is something you can try.....

use an indirect method for smoke and make sure the coals are 100% engaged and then use cherry wood vs oak. Cherry is a sweet velvet flavor and smother than oak. Put the chucks on the fully engaged coals and let them engage. It will help to pre/heat them while the coals are engaging...once the wood is fully engaged and burning cleanly then put on your streaks. Yes use dry spices. Reverse sear to about 105 then pull and don’t cover them....ie it’s ok if them cool a bit....as they cool finish the corn & other sides while grill gets hot. Then once the corn or other sides are just a few min from done sear off the steaks. FYI many high end places pre sear steaks and set them a side and just finish in a pan with butter when ordered.

but here is the flavor added component..put your marinade in a pan with some beef stock and simmer it to make a sauce. Play with the amounts of marinade to beef stock and thicken with some starch. You can add pre seared seasoned shrooms to the sauce to help balance it if like shrooms.

 

[edmonds]

Marinades don't penetrate the meat much at all, so the marinade flavor per bite will be much less for a thick steak. Instead make a sauce as suggested by CivilSmoker and put on steak after cooking.

Yes, the steaks continued to cook when wrapped tightly in foil so let them rest after the indirect cook either uncovered or loosely tented. Then reverse sear just before eating (no need to rest again).

You may be using too much wood. And another lightly smoking wood is apple.

The steak looks pretty good though. Did you dry brine the steaks? Liberally applying kosher salt 1 hour prior (or up to overnight) should help retain juices.

And sometimes it can be the cut of beef.

 

[smokerjim]

They look good from here!

 

[sandyut]

I think they look great! I never use liquid marinade. for steak, I have a steak rub, or just S&P.

 

[bgaviator]

Yeah I was debating between cherry and oak. I have both on hand. I don’t think I’ll add smoke next time I do steaks like this though. My wife had made it clear she doesn’t like a smoke wood taste on her steaks. I didn’t mind it, but since the marinade didn’t penetrate all you tasted on these steaks for flavoring was the smoke. I even added a pat of butter to the top of mine to give it a little more flavor.

Just a couple thoughts. On the rest. Yes the covering them with foil for the rest carried them over....once to temp they should rest on a elevated rack to stop them from cooking.

since your wife is sensitive to smoke flavor there is something you can try.....

use an indirect method for smoke and make sure the coals are 100% engaged and then use cherry wood vs oak. Cherry is a sweet velvet flavor and smother than oak. Put the chucks on the fully engaged coals and let them engage. It will help to pre/heat them while the coals are engaging...once the wood is fully engaged and burning cleanly then put on your streaks. Yes use dry spices. Reverse sear to about 105 then pull and don’t cover them....ie it’s ok if them cool a bit....as they cool finish the corn & other sides while grill gets hot. Then once the corn or other sides are just a few min from done sear off the steaks. FYI many high end places pre sear steaks and set them a side and just finish in a pan with butter when ordered.

but here is the flavor added component..put your marinade in a pan with some beef stock and simmer it to make a sauce. Play with the amounts of marinade to beef stock and thicken with some starch. You can add pre seared seasoned shrooms to the sauce to help balance it if like shrooms.

 

[bgaviator]

I think they look great! I never use liquid marinade. for steak, I have a steak rub, or just S&P.

We really like the KC masterpiece classic Steakhouse. I also like McCormicks Bourbon Brown Sugar marinade. But I do have a bottle of Longhorn Steakhouse seasoning on hand too that I also enjoy. The first time my son tried steak, it was done with that KC marinade and that’s how he’s eaten it ever since. So I just stick with that usually.

 

[chopsaw]

Here's my take if you're interested . Your experience and knowledge show in the look of the steak . Really good looking cook . Inside and out .
Could be a subpar piece of meat ?
I like steak over Oak , but I cook it all the way down to coals , and don't add any while the meat is on . Even when I do them indirect . I start the wood chunks with the charcoal .
Unsalted beef stock reduced by half on the stove makes a great base for a sauce .
Use any adds you like , just reduce it all by half . Tab of butter at the finish .
Good idea to stay with what they like though .