The Reverse Sear

My family—especially my father—has long complimented me on my grilling skills. But to be honest, I really had no idea what I was doing. I threw the meat on the grill, stayed close by to watch for flareups and flipped the meat periodically until it hit the appropriate temperature. But there's a science behind grilling, and I've enjoyed reading up on it in recent weeks. Yesterday, I deployed some of my new knowledge. The result? Some pretty amazing strip steaks.

I grilled the steaks using what's called the reverse sear technique. Essentially, it calls for slow cooking the steaks over indirect heat before searing them for a few minutes to finish them off. I won't bore you with the details, but this method does something with the meat's enzymes to maximize tenderness. If you'd like to read more, visit Amazingribs.com for a complete breakdown.


Here's how I grilled mine:

1) A few hours before you throw them on the grill, lightly drizzle some olive oil over your steaks and use your fingers to make sure the entire surface is coated. Then rub in your favorite steak seasoning. I like Montreal (perhaps because of my affinity for Canadians), but my brother was raving about Chicago yesterday. Refrigerate.

2) Take the steaks out of the refrigerator an hour before cooking to allow the meat to reach room temperature.

3) Pre-heat your grill.

4) Turn off half of your grill's burners and place the steaks over those burners. Close the lid to seal in the heat.

5) Using a meat thermometer, check the temperature every 5 minutes or so. Once the steaks reach 95 degrees, flip them.

6) Continue cooking over indirect heat until the steaks reach approximately 115-120 degrees.

7) Slide the steaks to the other side of the grill to apply direct heat. Sear the steaks for about three minutes on each side until they reach 130 degrees for medium rare (meat will continue to cook for a few minutes during the next step).

8) Place steaks on a platter under a "tented" piece of aluminum foil and allow them to rest for 5-10 minutes before eating, this allows the steaks' juices to properly redistribute.