Are you dreaming of the best steak you've ever tasted - a flavorful, juicy steak with the most tender meat that melts in your mouth with every bite? Then you have to try this ultimate Smoked Steak Recipe! The steaks are marinated in a flavorful wet rub, then cooked low and slow on the pellet grill. Top it off with a quick reverse sear to create an unforgettable crust. Let's fire up the grill!
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Smoking steaks on a pellet grill is a fantastic way to enjoy perfectly cooked steaks all year round. Whether you’re planning an intimate dinner or hosting a backyard barbecue, smoked steak will undoubtedly be the star of the show.
Pellet grills provide even heat distribution and consistent smoke, enhancing the natural flavors of your steaks. Plus, they're incredibly user-friendly and require minimal effort.
Simply prepare your steaks with a wet rub, place them on the pellet smoker, set the timer, and let the grill work its magic. This leaves you with plenty of time to socialize with your guests or relax at home. Heck, you can even sip on an Aperol Spritz while you wait! 😉
I personally love smoking steak for its incredible flavor and juicy tenderness. The slow-cooking process locks in moisture, resulting in each bite being packed with that oh-so-delicious smoky taste.
Serve these mouthwatering steaks alongside delicious sides such as Smoked Baked Potatoes, Traeger Smoked Corn on the Cob, Smoked Baked Beans, and Coleslaw.
If you haven't tried smoked steak before, now is the perfect time! With summer finally here, it's time to indulge in some delicious BBQ meals!
Don't forget to try my Traeger Smoked Steak or Wagyu Steak with my Copycat Texas Roadhouse Steak Seasoning too!
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🥩 Best Steaks For Smoking
When it comes to smoking steaks, certain cuts shine. Here's my selection of the best steaks for smoking:
- Ribeye Steak: With its excellent marbling, ribeye steaks are one of the best steaks for smoking. The fat enhances both flavor and juiciness when smoked.
- Striploin (New York Strip) Steak: Striploin steaks have great flavor and are very tender. Their marbling makes them ideal for smoking.
- Filet Mignon: Despite being a lean cut, filet mignon is delicious when smoked. Its tenderness is truly unparalleled.
- Porterhouse Steak: With its combination of tenderloin and striploin sections, porterhouse steak is tender and full of flavor.
- T-Bone Steak: Similar to porterhouse steak, T-bone steak combines the tenderloin and striploin, though in smaller proportions. It's a flavorful cut that stands up well to smoking - and one of my favorites.
- Tomahawk Steak: This impressive ribeye steak with an elongated bone attached is a showstopper. Its generous marbling and thickness make it perfect for smoking.
- Flat Iron Steak: Flat iron steak is a tender, well-marbled cut that responds beautifully to smoking; it has great flavor.
While I prefer these cuts for smoking, personal preferences can vary. Regardless of the specific cut, smoking will infuse any steak with incredible flavor and tenderness.
❤️ Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Delicious Flavor: Prepare to be blown away by the rich, smoky flavor in these slow-cooked juicy steaks.
- Tender: Smoking steaks on a pellet grill results in exceptional tenderness. The low and slow cooking process breaks down tough connective tissues, causing the steak to practically melt in your mouth.
- Juiciness: Smoking meat on a pellet grill helps retain moisture, resulting in juicy and flavorful steaks. The low heat and slow cooking ensures the meat remains moist and prevents it from drying out.
- Easy to Make: This recipe is a breeze. Just marinate the steaks in a wet rub, set the temperature, and let the grill do the rest.
- Fun and Social: There's nothing quite like gathering around the grill with friends and family to enjoy some delicious smoked steak.
- Perfectly cooked: It's not just the taste that makes this recipe a hit. Smoking your steaks makes it easy to achieve the perfect level of doneness, ensuring your meat is cooked exactly how you like it every time.
- Perfect for any occasion: Whether it's a backyard BBQ or a romantic dinner for two with fancy sides, this recipe will be a hit.
🐄 Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
This easy recipe calls for simple ingredients that are readily available at your local grocery stores.

- Steak: I used a T-bone steak, but you could also use other flavorful cuts like New York Strip steak, Porterhouse steak, Top Sirloin Steak, or a Rib-eye steak. For best results, choose a cut of meat that is about 1 inch thick.
- Wet Rub: This contains soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and turmeric. (I used all of the ingredients from my Copycat Texas Roadhouse Steak Seasoning Recipe, except for kosher salt because soy sauce is high in sodium). However, feel free to use your favorite seasonings or steak rub.
See the printable recipe card for exact measurements and a full list of ingredients.
♨️ How To Smoke A Steak
To make the perfect steak, start by patting the steaks dry with a paper towel.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix together ½ cup of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoons of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, ¾ teaspoon of smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of onion powder, ½ teaspoon of chili powder, and ¼ teaspoon of turmeric.


Place steaks in a large container, bowl, or Ziploc bag. Pour the wet rub over the steaks, ensuring they are well-coated. Cover with a lid or seal the Ziploc bag. Let the steaks marinate in the refrigerator for 2-6 hours. The longer they marinate, the more flavorful they'll become.


When you're ready to smoke the steaks, remove them from the fridge and let them sit at room temperature while preheating the grill.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions to preheat your pellet grill to 225 degrees F.
Once the grill reaches the proper temperature, lift the steaks with tongs and place them directly on the grill grates. Do not rinse off the marinade!
Smoke the steaks for 30 minutes, then flip them over. Insert a digital meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat and close the lid. Let the steaks smoke until the internal temperature of the steak reaches your desired level of doneness.
Refer to the chart below for the internal temperature guidelines:
- Rare is 120 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.
The cooking time will depend on your preferred level of doneness, the thickness of the steak, and the type of steak you're using.
As a reference, my steaks reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees F after one hour. For rare, medium rare, or medium steaks, start checking the internal temperature after 30-40 minutes.


♨️ Reverse Searing Your Steaks
To elevate your smoked steaks to the next level, consider giving them a reverse sear. A quick sear on a hot grill or cast iron skillet will create a caramelized crust that adds fantastic flavor.
Once your steak reaches the desired internal temperature (use a meat thermometer to check), remove it from the grill. Cover it with aluminum foil and let it rest for a few minutes. If your grill has a mobile deflector plate, open it (not applicable to all grills -my Pit Boss grill has it, but my Traeger grill does not) and increase the heat to 400-450 degrees. Alternatively, you can heat a cast-iron skillet on high heat on your stove.
Carefully place the steaks directly on the grill grate of your smoker. Let them sit for 1-2 minutes per side without moving them around too much. Cook one side for about a minute before flipping it over and searing the other side.
The result will be a juicy steak with a crispy, flavorful crust with grill marks.
Serve the steaks alongside your favorite side dishes.
That's it! Enjoy!

💭 Expert Tips
- Start with high-quality meat, such as well-marbled cuts with a good fat cap like ribeye, New York strip, or filet mignon.
- Allow the steak to come to room temperature for at least 15-30 minutes before grilling for even cooking.
- Avoid opening the grill too often to maintain a consistent temperature.
- Using a reliable digital meat thermometer, cook by temperature, not by time. I highly recommend the ThermaPen ONE by ThermoWorks - my favorite instant-read thermometer.
- If desired, brush your favorite barbecue sauce on the steak after cooking.
- Let the steaks rest for a few minutes after cooking to allow the juices to redistribute.
❓ Recipe FAQs
Some of my favorite types of wood pellets for smoking steaks include oak, hickory, applewood, cherry wood, mesquite, and pecan.
The length of time you should smoke your steak depends on the thickness of the cut and your desired level of doneness. Cook it until it reaches your desired internal temperature.
A meat thermometer is your best friend when determining the doneness of your steak. For a medium-rare finish, aim for an internal temperature of 135°F, while a medium steak should reach 140°F. Always let the steak rest for a few minutes before cutting into it.
The reverse sear method involves smoking the steak at a low temperature first to cook it evenly, and then finishing it with a high-temperature sear to create a delicious crust. This method helps achieve a flavorful steak.
Yes, you can smoke steaks on both gas and charcoal grills using wood chips. With gas grills, you'll need to create indirect heat by turning off burners under the steak. For charcoal grills, arrange the coals to one side and place the steaks on the opposite side for indirect cooking.

🥗 Side Dishes
You can serve almost anything with smoked steaks. Some of my favorites are easy salads like Creamy Potato Salad, Creamy Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad, Hawaiian Macaroni Salad, Old-Fashioned Cucumber Salad, and Greek Cucumber Salad.
It also goes great with something a little heartier like Smoked Baked Potatoes, Smoked Baked Beans, or Smoked Mac and Cheese.
Don't forget the corn on the cob! My favorites are Grilled Mexican Street Corn (Elote), Smoked Corn on the Cob, or Smoked Corn on the Cob in Foil.
👩🏻🍳 More Smoker Recipes You'll Love
This Smoked Steak Recipe is a must-try for any steak lover and hardcore carnivore. Happy grilling! 🙂 Please take a moment to rate the recipe 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 and leave a comment below with your thoughts!
📋 Recipe

Ultimate Smoked Steak Recipe On Pellet Smoker
Equipment
- Pellet smoker
Ingredients
- 3 T-bone steaks
Wet Rub Ingredients (Marinade)
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 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
- Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel.
- Make the marinade by mixing together soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and turmeric in a medium-sized bowl.
- Place the steaks in a large container or Ziploc bag and pour the marinade over them, ensuring they are well-coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2-6 hours.
- Remove the steaks from the fridge and let them sit at room temperature while preheating the grill to 225°F.
- Place the steaks directly on the grill grates and smoke them for 30 minutes. Then, flip them over and insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. Smoke until the internal temperature reaches your desired level of doneness.
- For reference, rare is 120°F, medium rare is 130-135°F, medium is 135-140°F, medium well is 145-155°F, and well done is 155°F.
- Optional: Remove the steaks from the grill when they reach the desired temperature for a reverse sear. Cover them with aluminum foil and let them rest. Increase the grill heat or heat a cast-iron skillet on high heat. Sear the steaks for 1-2 minutes per side.
- Serve the steaks with your favorite side dishes.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Start with high-quality meat, such as well-marbled cuts with a good fat cap like ribeye, New York strip, or filet mignon.
- Allow the steak to come to room temperature for at least 15-30 minutes before grilling for even cooking.
- Avoid opening the grill too often to maintain a consistent temperature.
- Using a reliable digital meat thermometer, cook by temperature, not by time. I highly recommend the ThermaPen ONE by ThermoWorks - my favorite instant-read thermometer.
- If desired, brush your favorite barbecue sauce on the steak after cooking.
- Let the steaks rest for a few minutes after cooking to allow the juices to redistribute.
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