Juicy, tender, and packed with smoky flavor, Smoked Ribeye is the ultimate way to elevate a classic steak into something unforgettable. Whether you're cooking for a special occasion or just treating yourself, this method delivers steakhouse-quality results right at home.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Flavor - Smoking infuses the ribeye with deep, rich flavor that you just can't get from a pan or grill alone.
- Tenderness - The low-and-slow cooking method keeps the meat incredibly juicy and perfectly tender.
- Simplicity - With just a handful of ingredients, the natural flavor of the ribeye really shines.
- Versatility - Easy to customize with different seasonings, wood chips, and finishing techniques.
I am so excited to share this recipe with you! I love smoking things- whether it's smoked chicken quarters, smoked drumsticks, or even smoked deviled eggs- and now I bring you this tasty Ribeye Recipe!
Whether you are using a pellet smoker or a smoker with wood chips, you can get the perfect smoked ribeye every time!
What This Recipe Needs
Ribeye- The star of the show; its marbling makes it ideal for smoking, resulting in a juicy, flavorful bite. I like to get 1-1 ½ inch thick ribeyes, but you can smoke thinner ones too- just get to the right internal temp and you are good to go.
Salt- Essential for enhancing the natural beef flavor and helping create a delicious crust. You can use coarse kosher salt or table salt.
Butter- Used for finishing, it adds richness and helps create that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Equipment Need:
Smoker- I use either my vault with wood chips or my pellet smoker- both are great
Thermometer- I can't say enough great things about my Smoke Thermoworks Thermometer
Pellets or Wood Chips- I used hickory because that's what I had on hand but whatever your favorite for smoking meat is perfect!
Substitutions
- Swap ribeye for New York strip or sirloin if needed (though slightly less marbled). (Read all about the differences between a New York Strip vs. Ribeye in my recent article!
- Use smoked salt instead of regular salt for an extra layer of flavor.
- Try ghee or olive oil instead of butter for a different finish. Or whip up some garlic herb butter for extra flavor!
How to Get Perfectly Cooked Juicy Steak:
When it comes to smoking meat, there are two key factors that make all the difference: cooking to the proper internal temperature and maintaining a low, steady heat over a longer period of time.
Master these two elements, and you'll consistently end up with tender, juicy, and incredibly flavorful steak, chicken, fish, and more.
How to Smoke Ribeye?
- Step 1: 60 minutes before you are ready to start cooking, bring your steaks out of the refrigerator and sprinkle them with salt- allow the steaks to come to room temperature. Preheat your smoker- get it smoking well and stabilize the temp around 225-235°F
- Step 2: Smoke your ribeye until 10-15°F from your preferred finished temperature. So, for medium rare, I would take the steak off at 115°.
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- Step 3: Preheat your grill or a cast-iron pan with a little oil, and sear the ribeye on each side until a nice crust forms. Sear each side for about 2 minutes, then remove when the internal temp reaches your desired eating temp.
- Step 4: Add a little bit of butter after you flip the ribeye. Then serve and enjoy!
Beef Steak and Roast Temperatures
- Rare: 120-130°F
- Medium Rare: 130-135°
- Medium: 135-145°F
- Medium Well: 145-155°F
- Well: 155°+
When cooking steaks and roasts, the meat will typically continue cooking and raise by a 5-10° degrees once you take it off the grill/smoker/oven. Carry over cooking is more likely to occur when meat is cooked at higher temperatures.
Expert Tips
- Even Cooking - Bring your steak to room temperature before smoking for more even cooking.
- Cook to the Right Temp - Use a meat thermometer for accuracy instead of guessing. For a ribeye, you want a nice, tender steak- I like to do a medium rare most of the time. It's still a nice pink and really tender because it lets most of the fat render.
- Simple - Keep the seasoning simple to let the beef and smoke shine.
- Reverse Searing - This will give your steak a beautiful, delicious crust. Otherwise, your steak will be greyish- albeit super tender. Feel free to let the ribeye sit on its fatty side a minute or so to help finish rendering any fat there. If you don't reverse-sear, make sure to smoke the steak to your desired eating temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sprinkle the ribeye with salt an hour before cooking it. This allows the water to be drawn out, then reabsorbed and produces a tender steak.
Nope. Due to the higher fat content of the marbled meat, the steak will be tender and flavorful without marinating.
Typically 45-75 minutes, depending on thickness and desired doneness.
It's optional, but a quick sear at the end adds a delicious crust with good color.
Hickory and oak are great for bold flavor, while cherry adds a subtle sweetness.
Yes! Let it rest 5-10 minutes to keep all those juices locked in.
It is either undercooked or overcooked. This is why temperature is so important. Undercooked won't break down the fat, resulting in chewiness, and overcooked will cause the steak to be tough and dry.
What to Serve With Smoked Ribeye?
I love serving this with sour cream mashed potatoes and turkey gravy without drippings, broccoli coleslaw, easy deviled eggs, and a tender sweet potato roll. Add in a glass of limeade, and you have a fantastic meal! Use leftover steak in this tasty steak pasta with garlic sauce or my tacos al carbon recipe!
If you like this recipe, make sure to give it a 5-star review and leave a comment down below!
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Video
Smoked Ribeye
Equipment
- Wood Chips/Pellets
Ingredients
- 1 Ribeye 1 - 1 ½ inch thick
- Coarse Salt
- 1 teaspoon Butter per steak
Instructions
- 60 minutes before smoking, salt your ribeye on both sides. I like to add a nice light covering of salt.1 Ribeye, Coarse Salt
- Preheat smoker to 220-225°F using your favorite wood chips, I like to use cherry, oak, or hickory. Place thermometer in steak.
- Once your smoker is at temperature, place ribeyes in smoker. Cook steaks until they reach an internal temperature of 110-115°F, remove from smoker*. About 25-30 minutes.
- Heat bbq grill to 400°F, or a pan on the stove top with 1 tbs of oil until oil shimmers and just starts to smoke. Place the ribeye on the pan or grill and sear for 2-3 minutes, it will be nicely seared, then flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add a teaspoon of butter to the steak after you flip it for extra flavor. Pull the steak off the heat when it reaches your desired temperature of doneness- it will cook pretty fast. Pull off at 120°F for rare, and 130° for medium rare.*1 teaspoon Butter
Notes
- *You are going to pull the steak off the smoker before it is done cooking because you will reverse sear to finish cooking and get a nice crust. If you don't want a nice crust, simply continue cooking the steak until it reaches your desired temperature, but be warned, it will probably be grey.
- *Pull the steak off the grill/pan 5°F before your ideal temp- it will continue to rise in temp by 5° after it is removed from the heat.
- *Hold your steak on its side for a minute in the pan or on the grill to help render any fat that still needs to be broken down.
Alexis says
Best recipe i’ve ever tried! So good! Yum!!!
Lisa says
Yay! So glad! <3
Mallorie says
Amazingly Delicious
Lisa says
Yay! I agree with you!