Everything about a ribeye makes it the perfect steak as the marbling and flavor are incomparable. Ribeye steaks are a delicious and flavorful cut of meat with a high marbling and beef content.

Cooking a ribeye on Traeger is not as hard as you think! They are tender and juicy when cooked correctly on the Traeger pellet grill. This guide will walk you through the process of cooking perfectly grilled, mouth-watering Traeger ribeye steak.

Traeger Ribeye Steak

The ribeye steak comes from the high-quality meat from the rib section, which is the most tender and flavorful part of the rib.

It is the most popular cut in the United States, accounting for about one-third of all beef consumption. A ribeye steak comes from the rear of a steer near its head. It consists of two muscles: the spinalis dorsi and the longissimus dorsi.

These muscles run along the spine of this animal and are situated on top of its ribs. Because the animal doesn’t use these muscles much while moving around, they are tender & stay that way.

The spinalis, in particular, is very well-marbled — meaning more fat! Now that’s some flavor you can sink your teeth into.

We may grill the ribeye steak on a Traeger pellet grill, fried, broiled, or baked as desired with seasonings such as salt or pepper.

We can also use it for sandwiches, salads, or tacos to provide an additional texture to dishes that would otherwise not have much going on in terms of texture.

The best way to cook a ribeye steak is to grill it with high heat on a grill pan or outdoor pellet grill such as a Traeger grill.

The ribeye is often served with a sauce such as a béarnaise sauce, which complements the meat’s rich flavor. Other popular sauces include chimichurri, peppercorn sauce, or horseradish cream sauce. The best thing to serve with a ribeye is a side dish. The most popular side dishes are mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, and rice.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE?

Tasty and Juicy: Pellet grill ribeye steaks are best grilled, but if you need to pan-fry them due to a lack of grill use, be sure to do so at a high temperature and turn the meat every few minutes. This usually results in a tasty and juicy steak.

Popular Choice: The ribeye is a popular choice among a number of people. You can choose to have it slow-roasted in the oven for prime rib pan-seared or grilled and served with herb butter or sauce.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

Rib-Eye Steaks: First of all you will need 2 (1-1/2 inch thick) bone-in rib-eye steaks for this recipe.

Salt And Black Pepper: You will need Salt and black pepper as per your liking.

What Cut of Steak Is Right For You?

This is a question that many people ask, but the answer to it depends on what you are looking for in a steak.

When you buy meat, the first thing to take a look at is what grade of quality it is. There is a system in place that rates the quality and you can check it with the USDA.

“Prime is the top tier, Choice is a good second option, and Select would be the last resort. For steaks, go with Prime or Choice whenever possible.

Prime steak might be hard to find in the regular markets, but Costco sometimes has it.

Choosing the best cut of meat for grilling is not an easy task. There are many factors you need to consider when choosing the best cut of meat for grilling, such as your budget, cooking styles, and preferences.

If you are cooking meat until well-done, I’d recommend choosing a cut that is more tender. For tough cuts of meat, choose to stew or roast them. Stewing for longer will help to tenderize the food. Roasting for longer should also produce tender meat.

There are other cuts that may be better suited to your needs, so don’t forget to look around before making your final choice at the butcher stall.

Filet Mignon – Served eitherpan-seared or grilled with herb butter or sauce.

New York Strip – A New York Strip which is often grilled or pan-seared and served with butter or a sauce.

Top Sirloin – Grilled or pan-seared and served with herb butter and sauce. Sirloin is a leaner cut of meat that is better on your budget, but be careful if you cook it too long, which can tend to make it tougher and chewier. Here is a recipe to Cook Sirloin Steak on Traeger Grill.

Flank steak – It is a tough, flavorful cut of beef that can often be cooked in butter or olive oil, with garlic and onions. You might find it alongside traditional Mexican dishes like tacos.

Taco Meat—By pan-frying or grilling quickly and then melting in tacos or other Mexican dishes, skirt steak can be used in everything from street tacos to fajitas.

Top round – One of the most famous cuts of meat in Britain, this is well-known roast beef. Traditionally slow-cooked in a slow cooker or for a long time with stock and vegetables to make it tender and succulent. Perfect as part of a Sunday lunch spread.

The Bottom Round – It would traditionally be roasted and cooked for a long period of time. This cut can be slow-cooked and served as a braise with vegetables and stock.

Chuck Roast – Slow-cooked in a slow cooker or braised with stock and veggies, they traditionally served Chuck Roast as a roast that’s slow-cooked for hours.

Tenderloin or Filet Mignon is a more expensive steak with less fat and marbling than a Ribeye. It’s also considered the most tender cut from the cow. That said, it’s hard to beat a really flavorful ribeye.

The ribeye steak is one of the most popular cuts for grilling because it has a lot of flavors and it also yields well when cooked.

It can be suitable for all types of tastes, including those who like their meat rare or well done. it’s an economical choice if you are cooking for a large family or group.

Buying Guide for Trager RIBEYE Steak

We often find ribeye steak in supermarkets, but not always. Specialty butchers are more likely to carry ribeye and if not, you can always call ahead and order the cut that you want.

Before buying ribeye steak at the store, consider these key points:

1- MARBLING

We know white specks on a steak are known as marbling. Those little white specks are fat, and the more of them there are, the better the flavor of that meat will be.

In terms of fat composition, we should ideally avoid large streaks or hunks – these can lead to a decrease in flavor and cooking quality.

The USDA has different grades for meat labeled “USDA Choice” and “USDA Select”. One would think that the USDA Choice grade means beef will have more marbling, but this isn’t always the case. You should trust your own judgment!

2- Muscle

The circular ‘longissimus dorsi area’ of the ribeye is found along the top of the steak and makes most of the steak. The spinalis Dorsi muscle is somewhat long and wraps around the longissimus.

The spinalis is the leanest, most tender part of the cow. It’s often considered being the best cut, so if you’re at the meat counter and debating between different cuts, go for spinalis.

3- Which Cut Of Ribeye Steak Is Right For You? Should You Choose Bone-In Or Bone-Out?

Whether to have the bone in or bone out is a matter of personal preference. Bone-in meat tastes just as good as bone-out meat. Only the difference is how both are cooked differently.

When bone is left in, it can help protect the surrounding meat and make it cook more evenly.

The bone can be a bit clumsy, so you may have a tough time cooking the meat evenly. You also end up paying for the weight of that bone.

Some cooks will buy a whole bone-in and remove the bones for other uses before cooking. Others will buy a bone-in because they love to gnaw on the meat off the bones.

There’s no wrong answer because ribeye steak going to taste good either way.

4– Thick Ribeye or Thin Ribeye

For a perfectly rare steak, select thick cuts of ribeye steak. If you want to get that perfect sear then it is best to look for a steak that is not more than 1.5 inches in thickness. A thick piece of meat, like a ribeye, helps to protect the inside by browning the outside first. This gives it more time to cook properly.

If you like your steak well done, go with a thinner cut. If you choose a thick cut of steak, the surface may be burnt before it has time to reach the desired level of flavor. Most experts prefer their steak cooked at medium-rare temperature, which is why they typically choose a steak that’s about 2-inches thick.

HOW TO MAKE TRAEGER RIBEYE STEAK: 

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTION:

This is a great, mouth-watering recipe for grilled ribeye steak from Traeger. Instructions for both a traditional sear and a reverse sear are included here.

Step 1: Seasoning

Ribeye steaks are well known for their flavor, which can be amplified further by toasting or buttering them. To avoid fussiness, I would recommend using only salt & black pepper as your seasoning for this dish!

You can add a little more flavor to your STEAK by using a portion of Traeger’s Rub (garlic and chili pepper seasoning)

Seasoning the ribeye steak will all come down to timing.

The best way to season the steak is by liberally sprinkling it with salt/pepper and allowing it to sit for 1-3 days before cooking. Leave the pot in the fridge uncovered until you are ready to cook.

You should season your steak early. This gives the salt time to help break down the muscle fibers, but it’s not mandatory. It comes with an added flavor boost.

When you are in a rush in order to have a tender, juicy piece of meat, you should salt it at least 45 minutes before cooking, or right before it goes on the grill. Applying salt will draw any moisture to the surface of the steak. This is crucial for grilling since moisture is the enemy of high-temperature grilling.

Step 2: Grilling

There are 2 methods to grill a ribeye on Traeger. 2 Ways to Cook Steak On Pellet Grill

The most basic way to cook a ribeye on pellet grill is by direct grilling. The steak gets that appetizing char on the exterior, while also retaining its tenderness in the middle. Preheat your Traeger to 500 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes with the lid closed.

Place the steaks on the grill, and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, flipping once. The internal temperature should reach 135 degrees. When that’s done, remove it from the grill and let them rest for 5 minutes.

Step 3: Cooking Steak to Get it Tender

A ribeye is a very tender piece of meat. To make it stay tender, you have to cook it properly. The right temperature for a medium-rare ribeye is 135 degrees Fahrenheit.

Overcooking a ribeye will make it less tender. If you cook Ribeye steak at 145 or above, it will look gray, not pink. The meat will be tough to the touch and taste if cooked at high temperatures.

Check the temperature of your meat with an instant-read meat thermometer. There’s no better way to ensure you don’t overcook it and dry it out.

TEMPERATURE INSTRUCTION:

For this recipe, we’re shooting for about 140F, which is medium-rare. Some people prefer their steak cooked to different degrees.

The answer isn’t as straightforward as you may think. It depends on how you cook it, and what type of meat it is.

If you want to grill your ribeye steak, make sure that your grill is preheated before cooking the meat on high for about 4-5 minutes per side.

For a thick ribeye steak (1.5-2″ thickness), cooking for about 5 minutes on each side (total of 10 minutes) over high heat will be sufficient to cook through the meat and still keep it tender.

A thin steak will take 6 minutes to cook, 3 minutes on each side. It’s important to cook your meat with a grill thermometer and follow the color and don’t worry about times.

Use a meat thermometer when cooking! Make sure the ribeye reaches 135 degrees Fahrenheit before you take it off the heat for medium-rare doneness.

CONFIDENCE TIP

One of the most important things to know about cooking steak is how to tell when it’s done. One option is by using a meat thermometer.

This will let you know the internal temperature of the steak, which will help you determine if it’s done or not. Another way to tell if your steak is done is by checking it visually.

You can see that your steak has reached its desired doneness when there are no more pink areas visible on the outside and it has a brown crust on the outside.

You can use the Digital Instant Read Meat Thermometer. ThermoPro BBQ Grill Smoker Thermometer is best for checking the steak’s internal temperature.

When you put a steak on the Traeger pellet grill, any moisture on the surface needs to evaporate before it actually starts cooking.

Salting the steak in advance & patting it dry before grilling will reduce the amount of water there, which will allow it to cook more evenly.

STORAGE & REHEATING

To store Traeger Ribeye Steak let it stay a room temperature for 30 minutes then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or airtight container.

For reheating use preheat oven or stovetop . Place the steak in an oven-safe dish and reheat for about 10 minutes, Give rest to the steak for a few minutes to redistribute juices before serving.

ADDITIONS:

Some people like to serve vegetables and grilled corn on the cob with their Traeger ribeye. You can also serve salad or pasta if you want something different.

You can use a steak platter to serve your ribeye steak.

To make a rib roast more tender, cut across the grain, cutting along lines of thin muscles.

Here are tips to make your steak tender and juicy 8 Ways To Tenderize Steak

SUBSTITUTIONS: 

In order to reverse sear on cast iron skillet, preheat a cast-iron skillet, and set the heat to high on either a stovetop or a flat top grill.

Put down some high-smoke point oil, like avocado oil. Place the steak on your preheated pan and let it cook for a few minutes per side, or until a crust has formed. Remove from the pan, let rest for 5 minutes, and enjoy!

HOW LONG SHOULD YOU COOK A RIBEYE ON TRAEGER?

The answer isn’t as straightforward as you may think. It depends on how you cook it, and what type of meat it is.

If you want to grill your ribeye steak, make sure that your grill is preheated before cooking the meat on high for about 4-5 minutes per side.

For a thick ribeye steak (1.5-2″ thickness), cooking for about 5 minutes on each side (total of 10 minutes) over high heat will be sufficient to cook through the meat and still keep it tender.

A thin steak will take 6 minutes to cook, 3 minutes on each side. It’s important to cook your meat with a grill thermometer and follow the color and don’t worry about times.

Use a meat thermometer when cooking! Make sure the ribeye reaches 135 degrees Fahrenheit before you take it off the heat for medium-rare doneness.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

The best thing to serve with a ribeye is a side dish. The most popular side dishes are mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, and rice.

Some people like to serve vegetables and grilled corn on the cob with their Traeger ribeye. You can also serve salad or pasta if you want something different.

You can use a steak platter to serve your ribeye steak.

FAQs