Indulge in the juicy tenderness of a reverse-seared cowboy steak. Slowly cooked to perfection, this flavorful cut of beef will satisfy even the most discerning meat lovers. With a beautifully seared crust and a perfectly pink center, this steak is a true culinary masterpiece.
Set it on a wire rack above a baking sheet. Place it in the fridge and let it dry brine for at least 8 hours.
Before cooking cook, let the steak sit at room temperature for 45 minutes to an hour.
PREP THE GRILL
Preheat your gas grill by igniting all of the burners and then cleaning and oiling the grill grates. Then, turn off two of the four burners or one of the three burners, depending on how many burners your grill has.
Add woodchips in a smoker box or foil packet if using, and close the grill lid allowing the grill to preheat to 225 -250 degrees F.
SMOKE THE STEAK
Place the steak on the cooler side of the grill, with the bone facing towards the hot side.
Close the lid and allow the steak to smoke until the internal temperature of the beef reaches 110 to 115 degrees F. This will depend on the thickness of your steak, from 30 to 45 minutes for a 24 to 38-ounce steak.
SEAR THE STEAK
Preheat a large cast iron pan on the hot side of the grill.
Add the butter and swirl to coat.
Carefully place the steak in the hot skillet and let it sear for two to three minutes.
Using long tongs, flip the steak to sear the other side. Add the garlic and rosemary to the pan and start spooning the melted butter over the steak.
Once both sides have seared, use the tongs to carefully pick the steak up and sear the thick edge, rotating as needed to get all of the edges.
REST
Carefully transfer the perfectly seared steak to a cutting board.
Place the compound butter over the steak and tent it with foil.
Allow the steak to rest for 10-15 minutes.
SERVE
To serve, cut the steak from the bone and then slice it into thick strips against the grain, about 1/2″ thick.
For beautiful plating, nestle the meat back along the edge of the bone, pour the reserved juices over top, and season with flaky salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Notes
FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL:
Set up your charcoal grill for a two-zone fire by building a hot side and a cool side with the coals stacked to one side. Then cook the cowboy steak as directed above.
Add a wood chunk or smoking wood chips to the charcoal to add a deeper flavor. We love Cowboy Lump Charcoal when grilling a perfect steak.
FOR A PELLET SMOKER:
Because most pellet grills don’t have the option for indirect heat, you’ll simply have to heat your smoker in two steps for this recipe. Start by prepping your smoker for 225-250F, as shown in the recipe card, and smoke the steak.
Then when you’re ready to sear the steak, remove it from the grill and bump the pellet grill to its sear setting. Preheat your cast iron skillet and sear as directed.
We love Jack Daniel’s charcoal pellets for our Traeger grill. For added smoky flavor, we place two large wood chunks in the hot back corner on the grill grates.