Reverse sear

The reverse sear is a way to cook thick cuts of meat by doing the steps in the opposite order to the usual one. You first cook the meat gently in a low oven until it is almost at the internal temperature you want. Then you sear it in a very hot pan or on a grill for a crust. It works best for steaks and chops at least 4 cm (1½ inches) thick, and for roasts.

How to do it

1. Season the meat with salt. A dry brine uncovered in the fridge overnight dries the surface and helps the crust.
2. Put it on a wire rack over a tray and into an oven at 110 to 135°C (225 to 275°F).
3. Cook until it is 5 to 10°C (10 to 15°F) below your target. For medium-rare, take a steak out at about 49 to 52°C (120 to 125°F). This takes 30 to 60 minutes for a thick steak.
4. Heat a heavy pan with a little oil over high heat until it just smokes, or get a grill very hot.
5. Sear for 45 to 90 seconds per side, and the edges too. Add butter, garlic and thyme near the end if you like.
6. Serve after a short rest.

How to tell it is done

Use a thermometer in the thickest part. Cut in and the meat should be the same pink from the crust almost to the middle, with only a thin gray band under the surface.

Why it works

Low heat cooks the meat evenly, so there is little overcooked meat near the outside. The oven also dries the surface, so the sear browns it in seconds instead of minutes. Because the meat is already warm, there is less carryover cooking after the sear, and it needs little or no rest.

Common mistakes

• Using thin steaks. They cook through in the oven before you can sear them.
• Going by time instead of temperature. Oven heat and steak thickness vary.
• A pan that is not hot enough. A long sear overcooks the edges and undoes the point.
• Pulling the meat at the final temperature. The sear will push it past it.