Reverse Sear on a Pellet Grill

What Is a Reverse Sear

The reverse sear flips the traditional steak method on its head. Instead of searing first and then finishing in the oven, you cook the steak low and slow until it is almost at your target internal temp, then hit it with high heat for a quick sear at the end.

The result is a steak with an even, edge to edge pink interior and a dark, crispy crust. No gray band of overcooked meat between the crust and the center. Just perfectly rendered fat and consistent doneness from top to bottom.

I reverse sear almost every thick steak I cook now. Once you try it, the old method feels clumsy by comparison.

Why Pellet Grills Are Perfect for This

The reverse sear has two phases: a low and slow phase and a high heat searing phase. Pellet grills handle the first phase better than almost any other cooking method.

Set your pellet grill to 180 to 200 degrees and the controller holds it there precisely. No fiddling with oven temps or worrying about hot spots. Meanwhile, the steak picks up actual wood smoke during the low phase. A reverse seared steak off a pellet grill has a subtle smokiness that you simply cannot get from an oven. It is the best of both worlds: steakhouse quality sear with a campfire whisper underneath.

The only challenge is the searing step. Not all pellet grills hit the 500 to 600 degree range needed for a proper sear. I will cover your options for that below.

What You Need

Before you start, gather these:

• A thick cut steak. At least 1.25 inches thick, ideally 1.5 to 2 inches. Thin steaks overcook before you can get a good sear. This method is wasted on anything under an inch.
• An instant read thermometer. Non-negotiable. You need to know the exact internal temperature. A ThermoWorks Thermapen is what I use, but any fast and accurate instant read works. See my accessories guide for recommendations.
• Salt. Season the steak with coarse salt at least 45 minutes before cooking, or the night before. This dry brines the meat and helps form a better crust. Add pepper and any other seasoning right before cooking.
• A searing surface (if your grill does not have direct flame access). Cast iron skillet, GrillGrates, or a separate gas burner. More on this in the searing section.

Step by Step Method

Here is the exact process I follow. This works for any thick cut steak: ribeye, NY strip, filet, porterhouse, tomahawk.

1. Season and temper. Pull the steak from the fridge 45 minutes to an hour before cooking. Season generously with coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper. Let it come closer to room temperature. (It will not actually reach room temp in 45 minutes, but the surface dries out, which helps the sear.)
2. Set the pellet grill to 180 to 200 degrees. Use whatever wood pellets you prefer. I like hickory or oak for beef. Cherry works too and gives a nice color to the crust.
3. Place the steak on the grate and close the lid. Position it away from the fire pot if possible for the most indirect heat. Insert a leave in probe if you have one, or plan to check with an instant read every 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Smoke until internal temp hits 10 to 15 degrees below your target. For medium-rare (130 to 135 final), pull the steak off at 115 to 120. The sear will add the remaining degrees. This takes 45 minutes to an hour for a 1.5-inch steak, sometimes longer. Do not rush it.
5. Rest briefly while you preheat your searing surface. Pull the steak and let it rest on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes. During this time, crank your searing method to maximum heat.
6. Sear for 45 to 90 seconds per side. You want a dark, almost black crust. Do not move the steak during each sear. Let it sit and develop the Maillard reaction. Flip once.
7. Rest again for 5 minutes. Then slice and serve.

Target Temperatures

Pull the steak from the smoker at these temps (the sear adds 10 to 15 degrees):

• Rare (120 to 125 final): Pull at 105 to 110
• Medium-rare (130 to 135 final): Pull at 115 to 120
• Medium (135 to 145 final): Pull at 120 to 130
• Medium well and beyond: Please reconsider. But if you must, pull at 135 to 140.

Medium-rare is the sweet spot for most cuts. The fat renders properly and the meat stays juicy. Leaner cuts like filet can go slightly rarer.

Best Cuts for Reverse Searing

Not every cut benefits equally from this method. Here are my favorites, ranked:

Ribeye (bone-in or boneless). The best cut for reverse searing. Period. The heavy marbling needs time to render, and the low and slow phase does that beautifully. A 2-inch bone-in ribeye, reverse seared on a pellet grill, is the best steak I have ever cooked at home.

Tomahawk. Same as a bone-in ribeye but thicker and more dramatic. The extra thickness actually makes it easier to reverse sear because you have more margin for error on timing.

NY strip. Slightly leaner than ribeye but still excellent. The fat cap along the edge renders and crisps during the sear.

Filet mignon. Lean and thick, which makes it ideal for this method. The smoke phase adds flavor that filet sometimes lacks on its own. Wrap the sides in bacon if you want extra richness.

Tri-tip. A whole tri-tip is thick enough to reverse sear and the results are outstanding. Smoke it to 115 internal, then sear over high heat. Slice against the grain (tri-tip has two grain directions, so pay attention).

Searing Options

This is where pellet grill owners need to plan ahead. Not every pellet grill gets hot enough for a proper sear. Here are your options, from best to good enough.

Direct flame access. Some pellet grills have a slide away or removable plate that exposes the fire pot for direct flame grilling. The Camp Chef Woodwind 36 has this feature, and it makes reverse searing dead simple. Smoke on the main grate, then slide the plate and sear right over the flame. If your grill has this, use it. Check our best pellet grills for searing roundup for models with this feature.

GrillGrates. These aftermarket grate inserts amplify heat and create sear marks. They work on any pellet grill cranked to max temp. Not quite as good as open flame, but a big improvement over standard grates at high heat.

Cast iron skillet. Preheat a cast iron skillet on your pellet grill at max temp, on a side burner, or on your kitchen stove. Ripping hot cast iron with a little avocado oil gives a fantastic sear. This is my backup method when I am using a pellet grill without direct flame access.

Separate gas grill or burner. If you have a gas grill on your patio, crank it to max while the steak finishes the smoke phase. Transfer the steak to the gas grill for the sear. Two grills, one steak, zero shame. A lot of pellet grill owners do this.

Common Mistakes

I have made all of these so you do not have to.

• Steak too thin. Anything under 1.25 inches cooks through too fast during the smoke phase and overcooks during the sear. Buy thick or skip this method.
• Not drying the surface. A wet steak surface steams instead of searing. Pat it dry with paper towels before and after the smoke phase. The drier the surface, the better the crust.
• Searing too long. You only need 45 to 90 seconds per side. Longer than that and you overcook the outer layer, creating the gray band you were trying to avoid.
• Skipping the rest. The brief rest between smoking and searing lets the surface cool slightly, which means the sear penetrates less deeply into the meat. Do not skip it.
• No thermometer. Guessing internal temps with this method is a recipe for disappointment. You need to know the exact number. An instant read thermometer is the single most important tool in outdoor cooking.
• Overthinking the wood choice. Hickory, oak, cherry, pecan. They all work. The smoke phase is relatively short so the wood flavor is subtle regardless. Use whatever you have.

Why This Method Wins

I have cooked steaks every way imaginable: pan sear, traditional grill, sous vide, broiler, and reverse sear. The pellet grill reverse sear is my favorite because it combines the precision of sous vide with actual smoke flavor and a real fire sear. No plastic bags, no water bath, no pretending that a torch gives you a good crust.

Try it once with a good ribeye. You will not go back.