Learn How To Cook Steak On A Traeger Grill with this simple and delicious recipe! By infusing your steak with wood-fired flavor and cooking it to the perfect internal temperature before reverse searing, you can create a tender, juicy, mouth-watering steak that everyone will love. This easy recipe has just a few minutes of prep time, and the Traeger does all the work! Ready? Let's get grilling!
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If you own a Traeger grill or any pellet grill, for that matter, this recipe makes it easy to get the perfect steak.
I used to be intimidated when cooking steaks, but no more! With my Traeger grill, it is so easy to make the best steaks.
With this recipe, you can easily make juicy, tender steak, perfectly seasoned, with a delicious seared crust that will impress even the pickiest eaters.
This recipe, unlike my Pellet Grill Steaks, does not use a marinade. All you need to do is apply a delicious dry rub, and let the Traeger do the rest.
Serve this steak alongside Smoked Corn on the Cob, Smoked Baked Potatoes, Coleslaw, Creamy Cucumber Salad with Mayo, and Carrot Salad for a complete meal.
Check out 42 Of The Best Smoked Beef Recipes for more delicious recipes.
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❤️ Why You Will Love This Recipe
- One-of-a-Kind Flavor: Cooking steak on a Traeger grill gives it a unique smoky flavor that can’t be replicated when searing steaks on a stovetop - the reverse sear gives it a great crust!
- Effortless Cooking: With the Traeger temperature set and the grill preheated, all you have to do is season your steak, place it on the hot grill grates, and insert a temperature probe - no need to keep an eye on it!
- No Mess Factor: When you cook steak on a Traeger grill, there is no messy cleanup afterward as there would be with cooking in a stovetop pan.
- Easier Temperature Control: Unlike trying to control the heat on a gas grill with uncertain results, the consistent temperature of a Traeger Grill ensures perfectly cooked steaks every time!
🐄 Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Steak: Look for a cut of meat at least one inch thick, such as T-bone, ribeye, filet mignon, or New York strip. Look for a steak with good marbling; this will ensure your steak cooks up to be juicy and flavorful. Use high-quality meat from your local butcher or your local grocery stores. For more tips, check out this article on How To Choose A Good Steak.
- Dry Rub: I used my Homemade Steak Rub, made with brown sugar, smoked paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and turmeric. However, feel free to use your favorite steak rub or seasoning, or just season with kosher salt and black pepper to let the flavor of the beef shine through.
See the printable recipe card for quantities and a full list of ingredients.
♨️ How To Cook Steak On Traeger Grill
Before you start cooking your steak on a Traeger grill, it's important to prepare your grill correctly. Start by cleaning the grill grates with a grill brush to remove any debris or residue from previous cooks. Next, check and refill the pellet hopper as needed. You want to make sure you have enough pellets for the entire cook time.
For perfectly cooked steak, let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before firing up your grill. This allows the steak to cook evenly, ensuring it is deliciously tender.
Preheat your Traeger grill to 250°F with the lid closed for 15 minutes.
While the grill is heating up, season your steak with dry rub on both sides.
Once the grill is preheated, place the steaks directly on the grill grates.
Close the grill lid and cook the steaks for 30 minutes, then flip them over. Insert a temperature probe into the thickest part of the steak.
The remainder of the cooking time will be by temperature, not by time. To check the internal temperature of the meat, the thermometer needs to be in the thickest part of the steak, ensuring not to touch any bone or fat. Cook until the temperature is 5-10 degrees below your target temperature.
See the beef temperature guidelines below.
BEEF TEMPERATURE GUIDELINES
- Rare steak is 120-130 degrees F.
- Medium rare steak is 130-135 degrees F.
- Medium steak is 135-140 degrees F.
- Medium Well steak is 145-155 degrees F.
- Well Done steak is 155 degrees F.
When the steak has reached your ideal temperature, remove it from the grill and cover it loosely with aluminum foil to keep it warm.
Turn the grill up to a high temperature of 400-450 degrees F. Once it reaches that temperature, put the steaks back on the grill to do a reverse sear. This will also give the steaks lovely grill marks.
Close the lid and reverse sear the steak for 2-3 minutes. Flip the steaks over to get a good sear, and let the steak cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Tip: You can also use a cast iron skillet to do the reverse sear method on your stovetop if you don't want to wait for your grill to come up to the higher temperature.
That's it! Remove from the grill with tongs, and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to settle.
When it's time to serve, slice your juicy steaks against the grain to ensure maximum tenderness. You can also add a pat of butter or a sprinkle of coarse sea salt to enhance the flavors.
Serve your perfect Traeger steak with your favorite side dishes.
Enjoy!
🥗 Side Dishes
- Grilled or roasted vegetables such as Air Fryer Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus, How To Cook Parmesan Zucchini in Air Fryer (No Breading), Air Fryer Broccoli and Cauliflower.
- Smoked Baked Potatoes, Oven-Roasted Potatoes, Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries, or Twice-Baked Mashed Potatoes.
- Strawberry Spinach Salad With Lemon Poppyseed Dressing.
- Smoked Corn on the Cob (Traeger) or Smoked Corn on the Cob in Foil.
- Creamy Coleslaw, Watermelon Basil Salad with Feta , or a simple Carrot Salad.
- Grilled or roasted mushrooms or onions.
- Smoked Baked Beans or Easy Baked Beans.
- Roasted garlic bread or a loaf of crusty bread.
- Smoked Mac and Cheese or Instant Pot Rice.
- Creamy Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
💭 Expert Tips
- Choose the right cut of meat: Look for a steak that is at least one inch thick, such as T-bone, ribeye, filet mignon, or New York strip. The steak should have good marbling to ensure it cooks up to be juicy and flavorful.
- Let your steak sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling for best results. This will allow the steak to cook more evenly and result in a juicier, more tender steak.
- Don't skimp on the seasoning: The dry rub in this recipe adds a lot of flavor to the steak, so don't be shy with the seasoning. Be sure to season the steak well on both sides before grilling.
- Resist the urge to open up the grill to check on the steaks. Insert a digital meat thermometer into the steak halfway through the cooking time when you flip them so you can keep an eye on the internal temperature. My Traeger pellet grill has a temperature probe that connects wirelessly to an app on my phone - one of the best things ever!
- Using a meat thermometer to check the steak's internal temperature is essential. This will help you achieve the perfect level of doneness and prevent overcooking. For medium-rare, aim for an internal temperature of 135°F; for medium, aim for 140°F; and for well-done, aim for 155°F. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the steak, ensuring not to touch any bone or fat.
- After grilling the steak, let it rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing it. This will allow the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more tender and juicy steak.
- If you don't want to wait for your Traeger grill to reach the higher temperature for the reverse sear, you can use a cast iron skillet on your stovetop instead. Heat the skillet on high heat until it's very hot, then sear the steak for 1-2 minutes on each side.
❓ Recipe FAQs
The cooking time will depend on the thickness of your steak and how well done you prefer it. A thick steak will take longer to cook than a thin steak. With this recipe, for a steak with 1-inch thickness, it will take about one hour to cook the steak on the grill, with extra time needed to bring the grill up to 450 degrees F to do the reverse sear.
The best way to determine if your steak is done cooking is to use a meat thermometer. For medium-rare, the internal temperature should be around 135°F. For medium, the internal temperature should be around 140°F.
Yes, you can definitely use a marinade on your steak before grilling it.
For this recipe, the grill temperature should be 225-250 degrees F to cook the steaks; then the temperature gets turned up to 450 degrees F to do a reverse sear to finish off the steak with a lovely outer crust.
To store leftover smoked steak, you should first allow it to cool to room temperature. Once it has cooled down, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in an airtight container. It can be refrigerated for 3-4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. When ready to eat it, you can reheat it gently on low heat in a skillet or grill until it reaches your desired temperature.
The Maillard reaction is a chemical reaction that happens when amino acids and sugars are heated at high temperatures, resulting in complex flavors, colors, and aromas. The Maillard reaction is responsible for the crispy crust and rich taste of your steak.
🥪 What To Do With Leftover Steak?
- Steak sandwich: Slice the leftover steak thinly and serve it on a toasted baguette with arugula, caramelized onions, and a spread of mayonnaise or horseradish.
- Steak salad: Chop up the leftover steak and add it to a salad with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, red onion, avocado, and your favorite dressing.
- Steak and eggs: Slice the leftover steak and serve it alongside scrambled eggs and toast for a hearty breakfast.
- Beef tacos: Warm up the leftover steak and chop it into small pieces. Serve it in Homemade Flatbread or corn tortillas with sliced avocado, Mango Habanero Salsa or Homemade Chunky Salsa with Fresh Tomatoes, and a squeeze of lime.
- Steak stir-fry: Cut the leftover steak into small strips and sauté it with vegetables like broccoli, carrots, and bell peppers. Add a sauce made from soy sauce, honey, and ginger for a delicious Asian-inspired meal.
- Steak hash: Cut the leftover steak into small pieces and sauté it with diced potatoes, onions, and bell peppers. Serve it with a fried egg on top for a hearty brunch.
👩🏻🍳 More Smoked Beef Recipes You'll Love!
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📋 Recipe
How To Cook Steak On Traeger Grill - Reverse Seared
Equipment
- Traeger Grill or other pellet smoker
- Wood pellets
- Digital meat thermometer
Ingredients
- 3 T-bone steaks
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
Instructions
- Let the steak sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before cooking.
- Preheat your Traeger grill to 250°F with the lid closed for 15 minutes.
- Mix the ingredients for the homemade steak rub in a small bowl: brown sugar, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and turmeric. Season your steak with dry rub on both sides.
- Once the grill is preheated, place the steaks directly on the grill grates.
- Close the grill lid and cook the steaks for 30 minutes, then flip them over. Insert a temperature probe into the thickest part of the steak. The remainder of the cooking time will be by temperature, not by time. To check the internal temperature of the meat, the thermometer needs to be in the thickest part of the steak, ensuring not to touch any bone or fat. Cook until the temperature is 5-10 degrees below your target temperature.
- Remove the steak from the grill when it has reached your ideal temperature and cover it loosely with aluminum foil to keep it warm. *See the Beef Temperature Chart below in the Notes.
- Turn the grill up to a high temperature of 400-450 degrees F and put the steaks back on the grill to do a reverse sear. Close the lid and reverse sear the steak for 2-3 minutes on each side until the desired crust and ideal temperature is reached.
- Remove from the grill with tongs, and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to settle.
- Add a pat of butter or a sprinkle of coarse sea salt to enhance the flavors, if desired.
- Slice your juicy steaks against the grain to ensure maximum tenderness.
- Serve your perfect Traeger steak with your favorite side dishes.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Choose the right cut of meat: Look for a steak that is at least one inch thick, such as T-bone, ribeye, filet mignon, or New York strip. The steak should have good marbling to ensure it cooks up to be juicy and flavorful.
- Let your steak sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling for best results. This will allow the steak to cook more evenly and result in a juicier, more tender steak.
- Don't skimp on the seasoning: The dry rub in this recipe adds a lot of flavor to the steak, so don't be shy with the seasoning. Be sure to season the steak well on both sides before grilling.
- Resist the urge to open up the grill to check on the steaks. Insert a digital meat thermometer into the steak halfway through the cooking time when you flip them so you can keep an eye on the internal temperature. My Traeger pellet grill has a temperature probe that connects wirelessly to an app on my phone - one of the best things ever!
- Using a meat thermometer to check the steak's internal temperature is essential. This will help you achieve the perfect level of doneness and prevent overcooking. For medium-rare, aim for an internal temperature of 135°F; for medium, aim for 140°F; and for well-done, aim for 155°F. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the steak, ensuring not to touch any bone or fat.
- After grilling the steak, let it rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing it. This will allow the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more tender and juicy steak.
- If you don't want to wait for your Traeger grill to reach the higher temperature for the reverse sear, you can use a cast iron skillet on your stovetop instead. Heat the skillet on high heat until it's very hot, then sear the steak for 1-2 minutes on each side.
- Rare is 120-130 degrees F.
- Medium rare is 130-135 degrees F.
- Medium is 135-140 degrees F.
- Medium Well is 145-155 degrees F.
- Well Done is 155 degrees F.
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