Low oven, then screaming hot pan
Yes, that’s pretty much the whole trick.
The reverse sear is the only way to go for a thick ribeye (1.5 inches or thicker). You want the inside cooked evenly without burning the outside. Here’s how:
- Pat the steak dry and salt it heavily at least 40 minutes before cooking (overnight is better, uncovered in the fridge).
- Set your oven to 225°F. Put the steak on a wire rack over a baking sheet.
- Cook until the internal temp hits 115-120°F for rare, 120-125°F for medium-rare. This takes 30-50 minutes depending on thickness. Use a probe thermometer.
- Rest the steak for 5-10 minutes (or do the sear immediately if you’re impatient — I won’t judge).
- Get a cast iron skillet or heavy pan smoking hot with a high-smoke-point oil (avocado, grapeseed, not olive).
- Sear each side for 45-90 seconds until deep brown crust forms. Add a knob of butter, garlic, and thyme for the last 30 seconds and baste.
- Rest again for 5 minutes. Slice against the grain.
That’s it. No flipping every 30 seconds. No guessing. The oven does the hard part.
This is steak cooking for people who like predictable results.