Smoked Ribeye Steaks on a Gas Grill

We smoke these ribeye steaks on our gas grill with a smoker box filled with pecan wood chips and finish them off with a hot sear on a cast iron pan to create a delicious crust on the outside!

**This Post is Sponsored by Monument Grills***

A ribeye steak is a cut from the prime rib or ribeye roast. It has more marbling and fat than a filet mignon, which means it can be cooked to slightly higher internal temperature before becoming dry.

For that reason, ribeye steaks are one of our favorite cuts because they are more forgiving than filets.

Here we show you a reverse sear method to get great smoke flavor followed by a perfect sear all on a gas grill.

Jump to:

• Season the Steaks
• Video
• Set Up the Smoker Box and Gas Grill
• Smoke the Steaks
• Sear the Steaks
• Rest and Serve
• Serving Suggestions
• Storing and Reheating
• 📖 Recipe

Season the Steaks

Our favorite seasoning for steak is simple: salt and pepper. You can use other seasonings, just be careful to avoid a rub with sugar, as it will burn during the searing step later on.

We also find that some spices such as cumin and paprika can burn when seared at such high temperatures, so we stick to just the basics of salt and pepper with our ribeyes.

Once you've seasoned the steaks, you can place them on a plate and stick them in the refrigerator until the grill is ready.

Cold meat absorbs the most smoke flavor, so we like to keep the steaks cold to maximize the smokiness.

Video

Rather WATCH than read?

Check out our video How to Smoke Ribeye Steaks on a Gas Grill on our YouTube Channel.

Set Up the Smoker Box and Gas Grill

The easiest way to smoke food on a gas grill is to use a wood chip smoker box.

Simply fill the box with a few handfuls of wood chips and place it over a lit burner on one far side of the grill.

There is no need to soak the wood chips in water beforehand. This will only prolong the amoutn of time before they start making smoke.

We made these steaks on our Monument Mesa Series 5 Burner Gas Grill.

We really like this Mesa 415BZ model because of its clearview lid, great temperature control, and its super hot "Broil Zone".

This makes searing the steaks a breeze at the end.

Give the smoker box about 10 minutes to start making smoke, then turn the tmpetarure down on the burner to about Medium.

Smoke the Steaks

Place the stakes on the opposite side of grill from the lit burner and smoker box.

If needed, place a water pan between the steaks an smoker box.

The gal is to cook the steaks as SLOWLY as possible so that they absorn as much smoke flavor as possible before we need to sear them.

You can even use the top warming rack like we do on our Monument Gas Grill.

Once the steaks have reached an internal temperature of 90°F, remove them to a plate and cover them loosely with aluminum foil.

Now it's time to prepare our cast iron pan for searing!

Sear the Steaks

As we have shown previously in our guide on searing steaks on a pellet grill, one of the best ways to get a great crust on the outside of a steak is to sear them on a cast iron pan in Wagyu beef tallow.

Turn up 2-3 burners on one side of your gas grill to HIGH.

On our Monument Grill, we turn all three burners of the "Broil Zone" to HIGH.

Place a good cast iron pan directly over the burners.

We like to use an infrared thermometer to track when the cast iron is the perfect temperature for searing steaks.

This is typically between 550°F and 650°F.

Rather than oil, we prefer to use Wagyu Beef Tallow to sear the steaks.

We find it gives them the best crust and flavor.

Add a spoonful to the hot cast iron pan and give the tallow 2-3 minutes to melt and get hot.

Carefully place the steak on the hot cast iron and give it a gentle shake to keep it from immediately sticking.

(This can happen if you have a spot that doesn't have enough tallow right when you put the steak on).

Sear the steak on one side until it is a nice dark brown color, about 1-2 minutes. Then repeat on the other side.

You can also flip the steak on its side for a few seconds to help render fat on the edges.

For a final Medium Rare Doneness:

• We want the final Rested Temperature to be 130°F
• Remove the steak when it reaches 120-123°F on the grill.

For a final Medium Doneness:

• We want the final Rested Temperature to be 135°F
• Remove the steak when it reaches 125-128°F on the grill.

Rest and Serve

We highly recommend using a wire rack to rest meat that needs to maintain a crust on the exterior.

The rack not only helps keep the crust intact, but it also allows air flow around the steak, making sure it doesn't continue cooking past the target internal temperature.

Slice your steak against the grain with a good knife.

If you monitored your temperature closely, the inside should reveal a perfectly cooked steak according to your preference.

For us and ribeyes, that's a medium.

Remember, the pink color will continue to develop as the steak is exposed to oxygen, so give it 30-60 seconds before deciding if the steak is cooked to your liking.

Initially, you may think you overcooked it, but after a minute you'll notice the pink color increases.

Serving Suggestions

Our favorite sides for steak are asparagus and baked potatoes.

You can cook these right on your grill alongside the steak. Try our Twice Baked Potatoes for a restaurant quality meal.

Storing and Reheating

Store any leftover steaks in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Our favorite way to reheat leftover steak is in an air fryer.

Check out that article for how to keep that delicious crust while not overcooking the inside of the steak.

📖 Recipe