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Reverse Sear a Steak Recipe

 
Ready to eat!

I have had a few people ask me lately how to reverse sear a steak…

Here is my method.

-These directions are available as a PDF to download at the end of the post-

  • Thick steaks
  • Smoked Sea Salt (Optional)
  • Sea Salt (If you don’t have smoked sea salt)
  • Mesquite Liquid Smoke (Optional – Should be used if you don’t have smoked sea salt)
  • Real Butter (Not Optional – I prefer Kerrygold)
  • Montreal Seasoning (Optional)

Directions:

  • Preheat your oven to 220°F
  • Place your steaks on a wire rack on a baking sheet or into a grill pan. Add liquid smoke at this point to the tops of the steak if you want, but don’t go crazy, A teaspoon or so is enough. Add Montreal Seasoning if you want to at this time as well. (I usually don’t because I like the flavor of the beef more but it is a pretty good and popular option…)
  • Place the steaks into your oven and cook until they are about 10-15 degrees lower internal temperature than your desired doneness
  • Before you remove the steaks from the oven, you want to pre-heat your pan on the stovetop with just a small amount of oil if you want (less than a tablespoon)Peanut oil is best, followed by coconut oil, but vegetable oil will work too. You want something that can take high heat without smoking at too low of a temperature. I actually prefer to use a dry pan most of the time
  • When the pan begins to smoke slightly then you add the steaks
  • This is where it is very helpful to have cast iron; it can take the high heat and retains the heat very well when you put the meat in
  • You should get a nice crust on the meat in about 1 minute, flip the steak and let it go another minute. Then, using tongs, hold the steaks on their edges and sear the edges
  • Remove from the pan to a plate
  • Top with good butter and smoked sea salt. If you don’t have smoked sea salt use regular, coarse sea salt.
  • With traditional cooking methods you have to rest the steak after cooking so that the juices don’t all run out when you cut into the steak but that isn’t required with this method

Disclaimer: The product links on this page are Amazon affiliate links.
If, by some amazing happenstance you find yourself motivated to buy the item, I will receive a few cents from Amazon.
The facts expressed here belong to everybody, the opinions to me. The distinction is yours to draw…

Reverse Searing in a grill pan with some rosemary

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My Backyard Steakout Presents Interview on Reverse Searing a Steak (Updated)

I was asked to do an interview with Backyard Steakout Presents on Reverse Searing Steaks. It was great fun. It actually became two interviews on the same topic because we ran over on time.

The podcast is currently inactive so I have the media files to share with you here.

Continue reading My Backyard Steakout Presents Interview on Reverse Searing a Steak (Updated)
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How to Strip Cast Iron with Lye

Two Freshly Stripped Wagners right out of the Lye Tank

How to Strip Cast Iron with Lye (Sodium Hydroxide)

This can also be done with Easy-Off Max Strength Oven Cleaner (The one with the yellow lid) and trash bags but it is much more expensive, especially long term.

  • The lye product being used absolutely needs to be 100% sodium hydroxide crystals. Rooto and Roebic are sold at Amazon, Tractor Supply, Ace Hardware and Lowe’s and are 100% lye
  • One pound of lye crystals per five gallons of water is the formula/ratio. Always add the lye to the water, never the reverse— it will create an exothermic reaction, which can boil up and splash on you. Even when mixing and using lye properly, always use skin and eye protection, and protect clothing or wear clothes that it won’t matter if some might drip on them
  • Any sturdy plastic container capable of holding its volume in water, with a secure cover to keep out inquisitive children or pets will work. I use hinged, lidded totes that I purchased at Lowe’s. If they are used outside they will typically only last a couple of years before they get brittle and crack
  • Depending on how thick the build-up on the piece is, it will take from a few to several days for the lye to soften and dissolve the crud. Be sure to rinse the piece well before proceeding with initial seasoning
  • Other things about the lye:
    • The warmer the lye solution is, the faster it works, so in a sunny spot is best
    • Keep another container filled with fresh water or a hose nearby to rinse the item being processed so you can handle it without fear of skin irritation
    • I keep vinegar handy in case there is ever any issue, it neutralizes the lye immediately
    • Even after rinsing, residual lye solution will make the piece slippery, so handle carefully
    • You can leave a cast iron pan in the lye bath virtually indefinitely without concern
    • Even when the solution over time becomes black as coffee from removed crud, it will still be quite effective
    • Rubber gloves are your friend
  • Since lye will not remove rust, the usual protocol when using lye is to de-crud with lye first, then finish with 50/50 vinegar and water soaking in 20-30 minute intervals and scrubbing with 0000 Steel Wool
    to take all the rust right off. Don’t leave the iron in the vinegar and water too long at a time because it will pit the iron
  • It may flash rust as soon as it dries, have your oven pre-heated to around 250 degrees, pull it out of the water, towel dry it and put it straight into the oven to finish drying
  • I have had great luck for some time now actually wiping the piece down with shortening or lard before it is dry. I never have any flash rust when I do that
  • If there is a little flash rust, put a little shortening on it and wipe it all back off immediately and start the seasoning process

Two Wagners Before Stripping

Disclaimer: The product links on this page are Amazon affiliate links.
If, by some amazing happenstance you find yourself motivated to buy the item, I will receive a few cents from Amazon.
The facts expressed here belong to everybody, the opinions to me. The distinction is yours to draw…

 

CI Lye Tank

If you are interested in more food posts you can visit my Facebook page Jason J Morgan – The Cast Iron Ronin