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Smoked steak is tender, juicy, and has a perfect smoke flavor when done correctly. I'll show you how to make the perfect smoked steak. Let's roll some smoke and get started on how to smoke a steak.
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Video - Smoked steak
Smoking is better
I'm using thick cut ribeye steaks, but any steak will work when smoked the way I'm going to show you. But in my opinion, ribeye is the best steak to smoke. Hitting the steak with a some smoke low and slow gives it a great flavor, but then kicking the temp up at the end is what keeps it juicy!
Once you smoke a steak, you will never go back to simply grilling or pan frying them again. I've smoked countless steaks with many different smoker, the smoke flavor really MAKE these steaks the best!
Smoked Steak at a glance
| Questions | Answers |
| Smoker Temp | 180° F |
| Smoking Time | 20 minutes |
| Final Sear Temp | 450° F |
| Time Needed | 40 minutes |
| Best Thickness | 1.25-2 inches |
The steak
I'm using thick cut Ribeyes I purchased from Sam's Club. Local butchers will also have a great selection.
Don't have ribeye? Not to worry, this technique will work with any steak. Some of my favorites are:
- Flank
- NY Strip
- Flat iron
- Filet mignon
The smoker
I'm smoking these steaks on my pellet smoker, just like the Camp Chef 36 smoker. Pellet smokers are an easy and great way to impart fantastic smoke flavor on your steaks and other meats without having to babysit a firebox all day.
A traditional offset smoker, like this Oklahoma Joe's Smoker can also be used when making smoked steaks. Grab your favorite wood and get your smoke fired up.
My favorite wood to use when smoking steaks is oak, hickory, or fruit wood. Mesquite can be a little overpowering when cooking steak. When making steak on a pellet grill, competition blend pellets are also a great choice because they use several different types of wood.
Seasoning
When it comes to steaks, I tend to keep it simple with the ingredients. A seasoning of salt and pepper gives them a great flavor. If you have a steak seasoning you really like, feel free to sprinkle that stuff all over the steak. Allow the steak to rest for 30 minutes before smoking.
Smoking the steak
Pre-heat your smoker to 180°F, place the steaks directly on the smokers rack and smoke without flipping for 20 minutes. Smoking too long at low temps will dry out the steak and make it tough, 20 minutes will impart a nice smoky flavor and won't dry it out.
After 20 minutes, pull the steaks OFF the smoker and put to the side. Tent loosely with aluminum foil and turn the smokers heat up to 450°F.
If you have searing racks, place them in the smoker now.
Reverse searing explained
A lot of time you sear steaks first and then slowly cook. But when smoking steak, you want to let that smoke permeate the meat first and then reverse sear (searing after smoking) to lock in those juices and get a nice crust on the outside.
Searing racks
Place searing racks on the smoker with the ridge side facing UP. These will get hotter than the grill racks in the smoker and will give grill marks to the steak. I love these and use them ALL the time. What we will be doing is reverse searing these ribeyes.
No searing racks
That's fine, simply smoke directly on the smokers rack. If you want sear marks, you can either sear at the end on a gas grill, charcoal grill, or use the open flame option on your smoker (If equipped, like this Camp Chef 36 MODEL)
Reverse searing the steaks
Once the smoker reaches 450°F, place the steaks back on the smokers rack or searing rack and grill on high heat for 5-9 minutes a side. Cooking time will vary depending on steak thickness; always cook to temperature, NOT time.
I like to reverse sear ribeyes for about 5 minutes on one side, flip and cook 5 minutes on the other side. I then check the internal temperature with a instant read thermometer and keep cooking until my desired smoked steak temp is reached.
Note: The temperature will continue to rise several degrees after removing the steak from the smoker/grill, so it's a good idea to pull them 3-5° before your desired temp.
Cooking time
In general, smoked steaks will take about 35 minutes to cook. Not all of this time is smoking though. If you smoke them too long they will not turn out tender, and no one wants a tough steak.
Use this smoked steak temp chart to cook your steak to perfection. Not sure how you like your steak? No worries, you can't go wrong cooking it to medium. That's my favorite way to have beef prepared.
Since I used the searing racks, my steak is already seared and ready to slice and eat. If you didn't use searing racks, cook your steak to about 10°F BELOW your desired internal temperature and sear on both sides over an open flame.
As mentioned before, either use a gas grill on high, charcoal grill, or the open flame option on your pellet smoker.
Rest
Allow your smoked ribeye steak to rest for 10 minutes before slicing/eating to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. This will help the steak stay nice and juicy!
Common smoked steak mistakes
- Steak to thin - Cooks too fast where you can't sear it without overcooking.
- Smoker to hot - If the smoker is too hot you won't get a good smoke flavor to penetrate the meat.
- Skipping the sear - Searing locks in the juices and gives a nice crust on the outside of the steak. Don't skip this step.
- Over-smoking - If you smoke at a low temperature too long the steak will become dried out and have too much smoke flavor. Using mild woods as I've mentioned is important to not overpower with smoke flavor.
Perfect side dishes
Pairing this perfectly smoked steak recipe with some great side dishes will just round out your meal. Here are some sides I recommend you try with your smoked steak. After letting them rest, you will have a nice juicy and tender smoked steak.
Try these other smoked/grilled steaks!
FAQ
Prime steak will have more fat within the meat and is more expensive. It will be more tender and flavorful than choice steak.
Always cook steak to a certain internal temperature, not time. With that said, it should take 6-9 minutes a side at 425°F to cook a steak.
Yes, you want to make sure you have the lid closed when cooking.
Ingredients
- 3 lb Ribeye Steaks (About 1lb each)
Dry Rub Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Pre-heat smoker to 180°F.
- Season steaks with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Place steak directly on smoker and smoke for 20 minutes at 180°F. After 20 minutes, remove from the smoker and put on plate. Tent with aluminum foil.
- Place grill grates on smoker and increase temperature to 450°F. Once heated, place steak on grill grates and cook until desired internal temperature, test with thermometer. Always cook to temperature and not time. However, It should take about 6-9 minutes a side for medium.
- When steak reaches desired temperature, remove from smoker and allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing.
Video
Pro Tips
- Add butter to the top of the steak after cooking and allow to melt, this will give the smoked steak a really good flavor.
- Sear over open flame to get the best crust on the steak. I love a good char on my steak.
- Pull the steak from the grill 5°F before your desired internal temperature, it will finish cooking while it rests.
Jeff Moody
I grilled New York Strips and the flavor was very good. If you smoke a one inch thick steak , I would recommend that you check the temperature at two minute intervals when at 450 degrees. Eight minutes is too long per side if you like a medium well or medium steak.
Anna
Do I smoke the same amount of time and cook the same amount of time if my steaks are only 1-1.5 lbs and not 3 lbs?
Will
The steaks I used were about 1lb each. So your time would be about the same. But cooking time is really dependant on how thick the steaks are, not how much they weigh. But if your steaks are 1 - 1.5" thick, these cooking times will be about right. Always cook to internal temperature and not time however, it's more accurate.
Guy Dent
I must disagree. I generally "cold" smoke my steaks for 30-60 minutes before turning up the heat (in my smoker) and then smoking more before co9king. They are never.dry. pick a nicelt marbled steak and you cant dry it out unless yoy overcook it.
Greg Esres
Those steaks would be 2x better if you got a decent sear on them; grill marks scream "crappy sear" because only a small surface area of the steak is actually seared; it's more visual than taste.
Will
You can use the opposite side of the searing grate or fire up a grill on high to sear the steaks at the end. It's all up to you!
David
Beef with butter. I think it is not only delicious but also a strong food.
Marysa
These are great tips for just the right way to cook steak. This is perfect for our end-of-summer BBQs.
Brianna May
This is making my mouth water. Looks so delicious!
Amy
It's spring in Australia and the days are getting warmer. Hubby is dusting off the BBQ and the smoker so we get to try more recipes. This was great and the steaks were so tender and juicy. We added more butter than necessary but hey.... you only live once. LOL!
Brianna
Tender, smoky and oh so tasty! This may be my new favorite way to make steak!
Erin Gierhart
Thanks for the great tips! Our ribeyes turned out perfect!