Smoked Cowboy Steak Recipe

Close-up of slices of medium-rare cowboy steak on a cutting board, garnished with herbs.

5 from 2 votes

Smoked Cowboy Steak Recipe

Turn your backyard into a top-notch steakhouse with our smoked cowboy steak recipe. Enjoy the rich, smoky flavors of a perfectly smoked cowboy steak with our easy recipe. Expect bold flavors, a perfect medium-rare center, and tender meat. Be warned—once people get a taste, they might start asking for dinner reservations!

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Resting Time5

Total Time1 15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 740kcal

Author: Kita Roberts

Ingredients

For the cowboy steak

1 tbsp Kosher Salt
2 1/2 - 3 lbs Bone-In Cowboy Ribeye Steak
6 tbsp Butter

For garnish

Black pepper to taste
2 tbsp compound butter try our herb compound butter for an added pop of fresh bright flavors.

Instructions

Prep the steak:

Remove the steak from the package and pat dry.
Season it liberally on all sides, including the edges, with the kosher salt.
Place it on a wire rack and set it over a baking sheet in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours.

Prep the smoker:

Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees F.
Place the steak on the grill grates, close the lid and allow the steak to smoke until it reaches 10 to 15 degrees below your desired finish internal temperature with a digital meat thermomter. For us, that is medium-rare (130 degrees F) so we pull the steak from the smoker at 115 degrees F.

Sear the steak

Heat a large cast iron skillet or carbon steel skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the smoked cowboy steak to the skillet and sear on side, about 60 seconds, until a good crust forms.
Flip the steak and add the butter to the top.
As the butter melts, continuously baste the steak in it, spooning it back over top of the meat.
Sear the steak for another 60 seconds, to get a good sear on this side too.
Using long tongs, hold the steak up, to sear the edges as well.

Rest and serve:

Remove the cowboy ribeye from the skillet and place on a clean cutting board with a rim for resting.
Add 2 more tablespoons of butter over the top of the steak (we prefer our herb compound butter) and let the steak rest for 5 to 7 minutes.
To slice the steak, carefully cut the meat from the bone and then slice the ribeye into thin strips against the grain.
Arrange the steak on a platter, using the bone as a garnish and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper to serve.

Notes

Cooking time:

A 2 to 3 inch cowboy steak smoked on a grill set to 250 degrees F takes about 25-30 minutes to reach an internal temperature of 115-120 degrees F.
For the most accurate results, use a digital meat thermometer. Make sure the probe is inserted into the center of the meat but not touching the bone.
The steak will rise another 5 to 10 degrees while searing and then another 5 while resting, so use this to help you determine the desired steak temperature.

For a Gas Grill:

Prep the steak as directed.
Preheat your grill by lighting all burners. Clean and oil the grates.
Create a two-zone fire by turning off 1 of the 3 or 2 of the 4 burners. Close the lid and let the temperature get to around 250°F.
Use a smoker box filled with hickory wood chips to get added smoky flavor.
Place the steak over the indirect heat (the cool side of the grill) and smoke it as directed.
To sear, you can omit the cast iron skillet and transfer the steak directly to the hot side of the grill, however we prefer the edge-to-edge crust you can only get from a skillet.

For a Charcoal Grill:

Arrange lit charcoal for a two-zone fire by piling it on one side of the grill.
We recommend Cowboy Brand Hardwood Lump or Briquets because they give great flavor and one or two hickory wood chunks.
Nestle the grill grate back in place and clean and oil it.
Cover with the lid and adjust the air vents to allow the grill to preheat to around 250 degrees F.
Smoke the steak by placing it on the cooler side of the grill until it reaches your desired internal temp.
To sear it, uncover the grill and allow the charcoal to get ripping hot.
You can use a skillet, as directed, or sear the steak directly over hot coals.

For a Pellet Grill:

Prep the steak as directed.
Preheat your pellet smoker to 250 degrees F.
We recommend Jack Daniel's Charcoal Pellets or Cowboy Brand Charcoal and Hickory pellets for added grilled flavor.
Smoke the steak as directed.
If your pellet smoker has a sear setting, you can preheat a skillet on the grill to sear it. Alternatively, sear the steak on a preheated skillet on the range for the best sear.

For the GEProfile Indoor Smoker:

This recipe works great in the GE Indoor Smoker. Be sure to use hickory wood pellets, as charcoal pellets are not recommended.
To finish, sear the steak in a cast iron or carbon steel pan on the range.

The pans we love for a great sear:

Helpful Info fom the Girl Carnivore Meat Labs:

Nutrition