A reverse-seared ribeye is the best steak most people have ever cooked. Gentle smoke to just under target, then a screaming sear. Edge-to-edge doneness, huge crust, no gray band. Set your time below.
How long to smoke a ribeye
At 225°F, a thick ribeye takes roughly 45 minutes to an hour to reach about 10°F under your target, then just minutes on the sear. Pull off the smoke around 125°F for a medium-rare finish; the sear carries it to 130°F on the plate.
The reverse sear
Two zones is the whole method: indirect at 225°F for the smoke, then a direct zone or cast iron hot enough to hurt for the crust. Rest briefly between so the surface dries and crusts instead of steaming.
Ribeye on a pellet grill
Smoke at 225°F, then crank to max or finish on a cast-iron over a side burner. Oak, hickory, or a little mesquite; butter, garlic, and thyme in the sear pan.
FAQ
What temp to pull a ribeye? Pull off the smoke about 10°F under target: ~125°F for medium-rare, then sear to 130°F on the plate.
How long does a smoked ribeye take? About an hour of smoke plus a few minutes of sear for a thick steak. The calculator times it.
Reverse sear vs regular sear? Reverse sear gives even doneness and a better crust than searing a cold steak first.
Ribeye steak prices: retail vs wholesale
Ribeye Steak costs about $23.98 a pound at the grocery store this week and $15.76 a pound wholesale (USDA Choice; Prime is $17.74). The lowest advertised price is in the South Central at $21.93 (93 stores). USDA data: grocery ads running Oct 3-9, wholesale trades through Oct 9.
$23.98/lb national grocery ad average for Ribeye Steak, Boneless (ads running Oct 3-9, 256 stores)
$15.76/lb wholesale, Choice ribeye roll, boneless (IMPS 112A) – USDA boxed-cut trades, Oct 5-Oct 9, 413,282 lb traded. The shelf price also covers cutting, packaging, labor, shrink and the store’s margin, and a supplier quotes above this for their margin, spec and delivery.
Dashed line: national average $23.98
See prices for every cut → · How much should you buy? · Cooking for money? Price the whole job
Source: USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (Market News + LMPRS mandatory reporting), tracked daily by MeatSmokingCalculator. Retail = advertised grocery feature prices; wholesale = national boxed primal values. Not a quote – your store and supplier will vary.
Where ribeye steak finishes. Pull temperature on one thermometer, against the safety floors; the faint ticks are every other cut on the chart.
Times & temperatures
| Style | Method | Pit temp | Approx time | Pull / done temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reverse Sear | Slow and Low | 225°F / 107°C | ~40-80 min + ~8 min finish | Rare 115°F · Medium-Rare 125°F · Medium 135°F · Medium-Well 145°F · Well 155°F |
| Direct & Seared – 1 to 1¼ in | Grill 350 | 350°F / 177°C | ~6-14 min | Rare 120°F · Medium-Rare 130°F · Medium 140°F · Medium-Well 150°F · Well 160°F |
| Direct & Seared – 1 to 1¼ in | Hot and Fast | 300°F / 149°C | ~8-16 min | Rare 120°F · Medium-Rare 130°F · Medium 140°F · Medium-Well 150°F · Well 160°F |
| Direct & Seared – thick (1½ in +) | Grill 350 | 350°F / 177°C | ~9-18 min | Rare 120°F · Medium-Rare 130°F · Medium 140°F · Medium-Well 150°F · Well 160°F |
| Direct & Seared – thick (1½ in +) | Hot and Fast | 300°F / 149°C | ~11-21 min | Rare 120°F · Medium-Rare 130°F · Medium 140°F · Medium-Well 150°F · Well 160°F |
| Cowboy – On the Coals | On the Coals | 700°F / 371°C | ~6-13 min | Rare 120°F · Medium-Rare 130°F · Medium 140°F · Medium-Well 150°F · Well 160°F |
📊 See the full smoking times & temps chart for every cut →
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Written by John Kirker, who built the first meat smoking calculator in 2011. Times come from cooks we have actually run and logged; temperature and feel decide the finish, never the clock alone.
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