What is a reverse sear and when do I use it?
A reverse sear is a simple method of cooking larger pieces of meat, such as cuts like the bone-in ribeye, or double cut pork chops. Rather than sear the meat then put it in the oven to finish, you first bake the meat then you sear it at the end for a beautiful finishing crust. This method was first developed by Kenji Lopez-Alt in the mid 2000s, when he wrote for Cooks Illustrated.
How to Reverse Sear:
The reverse sear is our favorite way to cook any piece of meat bigger than about a pound. To execute successfully, you’ll need an instant read thermometer.
Preheat your oven. You can set your oven as low as 180° if you’re feeling patient; a temperature as high as 300° will still yield noticeable “reverse-sear” results.
Place the meat in a cast iron or oven-safe stainless steel pan and place in the oven. Temp the meat periodically and flip it each time you do.
For medium-rare, take the meat out of the oven at 115° and let it rest on a dinner plate or wire rack before searing.
Heat your pan on the stove until just smoking. For bigger pieces of meat, you can get your grill, broiler, or oven going at very high heat.
Sear the meat on all sides. You’re looking for a beautiful, brown Maillard reaction on the outside to add texture and flavor, and a final internal temperature of 130° for medium-rare.
Serve immediately, there’s no need to let it rest again.