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Reverse-Sear Smoked Top Sirloin Steaks
These reverse-seared smoked top sirloin steaks start low and slow on a pellet smoker to build deep, even smoke flavor and edge-to-edge pink doneness, then finish over screaming-hot grates for a thick, crackly crust and a melting garlic-herb compound butter on top.
Servings: 2
Equipment
- Pellet grill (Pit Boss 700FB2 or similar)
- Wire rack
- baking sheet
- Small mixing bowl
- Plastic wrap
- Meat thermometer (wireless probe + instant-read)
- Tongs
- Grill or smoker grates
- cutting board
- Foil
Ingredients
Compound Butter
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or heaping ¼ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Steaks
- 32 oz top sirloin steaks, 1 ½ to 2 inches thick
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, or heaping 1 ½ teaspoons table salt, for dry brine
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil, for searing
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
Dry Brine the Steaks
- Pat the steaks dry with paper towels.
- Sprinkle the kosher salt evenly over all sides of both steaks, including the edges.
- Place the steaks uncovered on a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
- Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- When you pull them out, the surface should look dry and slightly tacky—do not rinse.
Make the Garlic-Herb Compound Butter
- About 30 minutes before cooking, remove the steaks from the refrigerator to take the chill off.
- In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, minced garlic, rosemary, thyme, kosher salt, and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Stir until evenly combined.
- Scoop the butter onto a piece of plastic wrap, roll it into a log, and twist the ends closed.
- Refrigerate until needed (up to 3 days ahead).
Smoke the Steaks at 225°F
- Start your pellet smoker with the lid open until you see a flame in the burn pot, then close the lid and preheat to 225°F.
- Season both sides of the steaks with freshly cracked black pepper and garlic powder (no extra salt needed after the dry brine).
- Place the steaks directly on the smoker grates away from the fire pot, with the thickest ends toward the heat source.
- Insert a wireless meat thermometer probe into the thinnest steak so you can monitor the temperature without lifting the lid.
- Smoke until the internal temperature reaches about 100°F, 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on thickness and smoker temp.
- Let the steaks stay in the low heat—this is what relaxes the muscle fibers and lets smoke penetrate deeply.
Reverse Sear on High Heat
- When the steaks reach 100°F, remove them from the smoker and set them aside on a clean plate.
- Pull the thermometer probe out of the steak.
- Crank your smoker or grill to its maximum temperature (450°F to 500°F or higher) and open the sear plate or sear valve to expose the flames.
- Preheat for at least 10 to 15 minutes until the grates are ripping hot; cold grates will steam instead of sear.
- Drizzle a thin layer of olive oil or avocado oil over both sides of each steak and rub it in lightly.
- Place the steaks on the hottest part of the grates directly over the flames.
- Sear, flipping every 4 to 5 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 125°F for medium-rare, 8 to 12 minutes total.
- Rotate the steaks slightly with each flip so different areas hit the hottest spots and you build an even, crisscross sear pattern.
- Check the temperature in a few different spots on both steaks and pull them right at 125°F (carryover heat will raise it a few degrees as they rest).
Rest with Compound Butter and Serve
- Transfer the steaks to a clean cutting board.
- Slice one round of compound butter from the log and lay it on top of each steak.
- Tent loosely with foil and let the steaks rest for at least 15 minutes to allow juices to redistribute.
- Slice against the grain and serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
Reverse-Sear Smoked Top Sirloin Steaks
Amount per Serving
Calories
889
% Daily Value*
Fat
51
g
78
%
Saturated Fat
23
g
144
%
Trans Fat
1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
3
g
Monounsaturated Fat
19
g
Cholesterol
337
mg
112
%
Sodium
4333
mg
188
%
Potassium
1612
mg
46
%
Carbohydrates
3
g
1
%
Fiber
1
g
4
%
Sugar
0.1
g
0
%
Protein
100
g
200
%
Vitamin A
756
IU
15
%
Vitamin C
3
mg
4
%
Calcium
153
mg
15
%
Iron
8
mg
44
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only. This information comes from online calculators. Although whatsinthepan.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
