REVERSE SEAR STEAK TRAEGER RECIPES

Steps:

• Season steaks generously with either coarse salt and pepper or your favorite steak rub. You can do this step several hours or even a day in advance.
• Preheat an oven or smoker to between 225 and 275 degrees. A lower heat setting will yield a juicier steak because the heat is gentle, but it takes much longer to reach the desired internal temperature.
• Drizzle the steaks with a thin layer of oil and place them on a metal rack set inside a cookie sheet to catch drippings. If you’re using a smoker, you can set the steaks directly on the grilling rack. This allows airflow and keeps the exterior dry. You’ll need that to achieve a good crust when you go to sear it at the end.
• Insert an oven-safe thermometer in the meat at the thickest point and place the meat in the oven or smoker. You’ll need to know where the internal temp stands throughout the process to avoid having to constantly open the door and prick the meat with a probe. Pull the steaks when they reach about 15 degrees below your target temperature.
• For a final target temp of 125 degrees (rare), pull from oven at 110 degrees. For a final target temp of 130 degrees (medium-rare), pull from oven at 115 degrees. For a final target temp of 135 degrees (medium), pull from oven at 120 degrees.
• Let the steaks rest on the counter while you pre-heat a frying pan over high heat. Add a drizzle of oil and swirl to coat the bottom. When the pan is smoking hot, lay the steaks down and sear for about 30 seconds on each side. At this point you can add herbs and butter and baste the steaks for more flavor.
• You don’t need to let the steaks rest because they were cooked so gently in the oven. Don’t feel guilty about digging right in!
• *If cooking bear or hog loin, you’ll want to make adjustments so that the final target temp is 165 degrees, which means you’ll take it out of the oven at 150 degrees. For a thick turkey breast, you want to aim for a final temp of 155 to 160 degrees and remove it at 140 to 145 degrees.

Steps:

• I always get my Tri Tips from a local Butcher that knows what they are doing. Large grocery stores do not typically keep Tri Tip steaks. I usually ask for the largest Tri Tip they have (~5 pounds)
• You will want to trim off the excess fat. 
• After the trimming, I salt the Tri Tip for 20 minutes. This helps pull the moisture to the surface. The salt then dissolves into this moisture and re-enters the meat. This creates a brine effect. It will make the Tri Tip have extra flavor and increase juiciness.
• After the 20 minutes, quickly rinse the Tri Tip. Pat dry and get your favorite beef rub. Make your own or use your favorite store bought one!
• I apply my rub generously. My rub does not have too much salt in it. I recommend using a little more caution with the rub, if it has generous amounts of salt in it (as we salted the Tri-Tip prior to applying the rub). If salt is minimal, you can go heavy on the rub.
• While your Tri Tip sits with the rub, fire up the Traeger and set it to 200F.
• Once the Traeger is at temp, I put the Tri Tip in for 50 mins. This seems to be enough time to get a smokey flavor into the Tri Tip.
• After the 50 mins, I remove the Tri Tip from the Traeger and wrap in foil. I crank up the Traeger to 500F. The Tri-Tip remains off the grill (wrapped in foil) while the Traeger's heat rises.
• Once the Traeger is at 500F, unwrap the Tri-Tip and put it back on the grill for some final searing (Keep the foil for later).
• Sear each side roughly 4 minutes each until you reach an internal temp of 130F. 
• Once you hit the temp, remove the Tri Tip and wrap into the foil again; letting the Tri Tip rest for 15-20 minutes. The rest is crucial because the juices will be reabsorbed back into the center of the Tri Tip. If you cut into the Trip Tip too early, you will lose a lot of the juices.
• Once the resting period is over, it is time to cut the Tri Tip. It’s important you do this right. Cut the Tri Tip against the grain of the meat. This will create a more tender steak. Also cut it the width of a pencil ahead. Essentially the same width as brisket.
• Enjoy!